Which state was described in 1668 as being surrounded by three miles worth of 10 ft high walls, organised into thirty or more large, grid style streets and full of many “magnificent palaces, houses and apartments” each of which had access to fresh water?

Answer: The Benin Empire, in particular its capital Edo. The account was given by a Dutch geographer Olfert Dapper (? – 1690).

Source: A World History of Art by Hugh Honour

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