Book

Igbo-Ukwu: an account of archaeological discoveries in eastern Nigeria

Northwestern University Press • Evanston, Ill. • Published In 1970 • Pages:

By: Shaw, Thurstan, Ibadan, Nigeria. University. Institute Of African Studies.

Abstract

Just before World War II, accidental finds of bronzes were made at Igbo-Ukwu in eastern Nigeria, an area which lies aobut 25 miles southeast of the River Niger at Onitsha.. In the 1960s, this led to the excavation of three sites located there: Igbo Isaiah, which served as a store-house or shrine for the keeping of sacred vessels and regalia; Igbo Irchard, representing a burial chamber of some dignitary; and Igbo Jonah, which consisted of a disposal pit in which pottery and bronzes, animal bones, and burnt material had been intentionally deposited. The names of these three sites were derived from the personal names of the owners of the land on which the sites were located. Although artifacts obtained from the sites showed certain differences, there was sufficient similarity between the objects to state that they all belonged the same culture, even if different in function, and to a lesser extent, in time. 'The most remarkable manifestations of this culture are in the form of copper and bronze objects of considerable artistic virtuosity, accompanied by highly decorated pottery and accumulated riches in the form of ivory tusks and thousands of imported beads. Igbo-Ukwu must have been the centre of a social institution which attracted to itself considerable wealth. It is probable that this institution was an office which combined the attributes of priest and king, and which was recognised over a considerable area; the ceremonial vessels and regalia recovered belonged to its funtioning. However, some diaster supervened, resulting in the abandomnent of the shrine, and the particular style of the bronze work -- utterly unlike that of either Ife or Benin -- seems never to have been repeated. Four radiocarbon dates for the finds lie in the ninth century A.D. The art of casting bronze by the CIRE PERDU method was most likely learnt as the result of contacts with the Arab world to the north, which also continued to supply raw material for making the copper and bronze objects, as well as the imported beads; the principal export in exchange was probably ivory, and perhaps slaves' (p. 39).

HRAF PubDate

2002

Region

Africa

Sub Region

Western Africa

Document Type

Book

Evaluation

Creator Type

Archaeologist

Document Rating

5: Excellent Primary Data

Analyst

John Beierle ; 2001

Field Date

1959-1960, 1964

Coverage Date

2500 BP-1200 BP (500 B.C.-800 A.D.)

Coverage Place

Sites of Igbo Jonah, Igbo Isaiah, Igbo Richard, Igbo Ukwu complex, eastern Nigeria

Notes

Thurstan Shaw

v. 1. Text -- v. 2. Plates

Includes bibliographical references (v. 1, p. 332-337)

LCCN

76079917

LCSH

Iron Age--Africa