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Agwu Nsi Figures
A photograph depicting four wooden Agwu Nsi figures arranged linearly on a flat surface. From left to right, the figures include a small anthropomorphic figure with a conical headdress, a zoomorphic avian figure with an elongated beak, a stylized hybrid figure with tapered upward-pointing protrusions, and a larger anthropomorphic figure with a disc-like head topped by lateral protrusions and holding a vessel. These carvings were used by dibia (diviners) as part of their ritual paraphernalia to assist in divination practices. …
Obugulu Mau Masqueraders at Amobia Village
This colour transparency from the Jones Collection shows Obugulu Mau masqueraders seated in Amobia village, Nri Awka, Onitsha province. The masqueraders wear white face masks with black markings around the eyes, nose, and mouth, accentuating the eyebrows and cheeks. Their elaborate headdresses consist of colourful felt, string, and tassels. They are dressed in harlequin-like costumes. Spectators and trees are visible in the background. The photograph was taken by G.I. Jones, a British colonial administrator and ethnographer who documented Igbo culture …
Agbhogho Mmanwu Maiden Mask
A photograph depicting a profile view of an Agbhogho Mmanwu maiden mask. The object is a stylized human head carved from wood and painted, featuring a prominent nose, thick lips, and a slightly open mouth revealing segmented teeth. The cranium is adorned with high-relief carvings, including parallel vertical ridges, spiral motifs, and dotted patterns. Perforations at the base and posterior edge indicate the mask was intended for attachment. The image is a monochromatic gelatin silver print set against a neutral …
Northcote Thomas Collection: Awgbu Artifacts
A monochromatic photograph documenting a collection of objects acquired by Northcote Thomas in Awgbu (present-day Anambra State, Nigeria) in 1911. The items are arranged in a horizontal line against a light-colored fabric backdrop in an outdoor setting, with a person partially visible on the left holding the backdrop. The arrangement includes a tall wooden Ngene alusi figure, two cylindrical drums with vertical slits, a staff with a knobbed top, an oval shield-like object, a woven cone, a rolled mat, and …
Figure in an Ancestral Shrine, North Ika
A photograph depicting a carved humanoid figure situated within an ancestral shrine in North Ika. The figure is shown in a kneeling or seated posture, oriented in profile, with an elaborate, high-reaching headdress featuring vertical striations and conical protrusions. The figure's right hand grasps a flat, circular disc, and its neck is adorned with a collar of small, oval-shaped objects. The carving is positioned against a coarse, layered background surface and is secured with thin, dark filaments around the lower …
Igbo Elder in Knit Hat Portrait
This black-and-white photograph from the 1930s by G.I. Jones shows a close-up portrait of an elderly Igbo man. He wears a white tunic shirt and a distinctive striped knit hat with a pom-pom. The man's weathered face displays pronounced wrinkles, suggesting advanced age, with a neutral expression. The dark background with vertical elements appears to be natural vegetation or architectural features. This image is part of a series of portraits (N.13292.GIJ to N.13316.GIJ) for which no prints have been found. …
Portrait of Soldiers Outside Barracks
A photograph depicting approximately 18 to 20 men seated in a row outside a long, open-sided structure with a corrugated roof. The seated men wear light-toned, loose-fitting garments and some wear head coverings. Behind the group, several pieces of mobile artillery with large wooden-spoked wheels are visible. One man stands to the right, wearing a dark-toned military uniform and a peaked cap. The scene is set on flat ground with a hillside in the background. The image was captured during …
Mask Maker in Workshop with Fish Mask
A photograph depicting a male mask maker in his workshop, holding a completed wooden mask representing a fish. The subject is seated on the ground, wearing a light-colored sleeveless garment, and is surrounded by wood shavings. The image, taken circa 1935, was provided by G. I. Jones to the Pitt Rivers Museum.
Uxurhe Staffs
A monochrome photograph depicting a collection of approximately eight carved wooden vertical shafts, identified as Uxurhe staffs. The shafts are slender and cylindrical, featuring relief carvings of anthropomorphic figures, including large-scale carved heads at the terminals and smaller human forms interspersed along the length. Decorative elements include horizontal bands, circumferential rings, and textural patterns such as chevrons and cross-hatching. The objects are shown leaning against a coarse, textured wall, with a strong light source from the left creating high-contrast shadows …
An Igbo couple from Asaba
This studio portrait from around 1900 depicts an Asaba man in riding gear or English recreational dress posing with his wife, illustrating the blend of traditional and colonial influences in Asaba. Asaba was a site of resistance to European invasion by the Igbo in the early 19th century, where British explorers Richard and John Lander were taken captive in 1830 during their expedition to trace the course of the Niger River. Later, Asaba became a trading post and administrative headquarters …
Alose Shrine Figure
This black-and-white photograph by G.I. Jones documents an Alose shrine in south-eastern Nigeria. The wooden figure stands inside a thatched structure, wearing a striped hat with feather and white facial paint. The deity holds objects in both hands among carved pots and stools. The sculpture represents spiritual forces significant in Igbo religious practice.
Group Portrait from Royal Niger Company
A photograph depicting approximately 13 individuals standing in a horizontal line before a long, low-profile building. The structure features a steeply pitched gabled roof made of thatch or plant fibers and walls constructed from vertical organic elements such as reeds or wooden poles. The subjects exhibit a variety of clothing, including traditional wrapped textiles with geometric or organic motifs, and Western-influenced attire such as button-down shirts, shorts, and trousers. The setting is characterized by a flat, unpaved earth surface and …
Dancer Wearing Fish Mask
A photograph depicting a dancer in a mid-motion stance during a ritual or ceremonial performance. The figure wears a vertically oriented head structure with a rectangular textile element featuring a four-armed geometric motif, and elongated pointed components extending upward. The torso is draped in a heavy patterned textile with a geometric or checkered motif, while the lower extremities are covered in voluminous light-colored fibrous material. A multi-generational group of spectators, including adults and children, is positioned in a semi-circular perimeter …
Aja Ǹgwùlù (Entrance to an Igbo Compound)
A photograph depicting the entrance and high walls (aja ǹgwùlù) of an Igbo compound (ǹgwùlù) in or near Onitsha. The structure is a single-story rectangular building with walls composed of plastered material and a thatched roof of organic fibers. The entrance is flanked by two pillars featuring bas-relief carvings of concentric circles, wavy lines, and geometric patterns. A freestanding carved column is positioned to the right of the portal. Inside the structure, a figure is visible wearing a high-contrast patterned …
Landscape of the Niger River near Asaba
A monochrome landscape photograph taken between 1886 and 1895 by William Henry Crosse, Principal Medical Officer of the Royal Niger Company. The image depicts a large, calm body of water in the foreground with a prominent, vegetated hill centered in the background, creating a symmetrical reflection on the water's surface. The composition is a wide-angle view with a high-key sky and diffuse lighting. The photograph is a lantern slide, identified by archival markings including the alphanumeric code LS.82550 and a …
Ogbugulu Mau Mask
A photograph depicting a side view of an Ogbugulu Mau helmet mask modelled by a male subject. The face of the mask is painted white with darker pigments accentuating the eyebrows, eyes, mouth, hair, and crested structure. The eyes are small slits with rounded pupils, and the mouth is open to reveal teeth. The cheek and the side of the face feature circular designs. The top of the mask consists of an elaborate crested coiffure with painted pegs in the …
Family Group Portrait by William Henry Crosse
A monochrome photograph of a family. They are seated on an earthen incline against a textured vertical wall. Several individuals wear wrapped cloths with linear stripes or geometric patterns, and some women have bare upper torsos. Personal adornment is prominent, featuring thick cylindrical metallic bangles, wide metallic cuffs, and various necklaces. One adolescent girl wears multiple bracelets and metal ankle rings. The photograph was taken by Dr. William Henry Crosse, Principal Medical Officer of the Royal Niger Company, between 1886 …
Portrait of a Man in a Roofed Building
A photograph depicting a half-length portrait of an adult male with dark skin pigmentation and short, textured hair. The subject is shirtless, wearing a thin, dark, cord-like necklace with a single, small, cylindrical or bead-like element centered over the sternum. He is positioned centrally in a medium close-up shot against a background showing the internal structural framework or rafters of a roofed building. The image is a monochrome print showing signs of physical aging, including fine linear scratches and particulate …
Oji Onu Masquerade with Janus-Faced Helmet Mask
This black-and-white photograph shows a close-up view of a seated masquerade character in the oji onu masquerade, photographed by Gwilliam Iwan Jones between 1932 and 1938 in Akama, Anambra State, Nigeria. The masquerader wears a janus-faced helmet mask featuring two distinct faces: one with deep-set eyes, a hooked nose and wide open mouth, the other with a hooked nose and long downward curving beak. Both faces are painted white with features highlighted in dark pigment. The mask is topped with …
Landscape of the Niger River
A monochrome photograph from the Crosse Collection depicting a landscape along the Niger River. In the foreground, a single open-hull rowboat floats on a calm body of water with visible ripples. The midground features a shoreline that transitions into a large, rocky topographical elevation dominating the background. A prominent light-toned linear feature is visible on the slope of the mountain. The image was captured as a lantern slide between 1886 and 1895 by William Henry Crosse, the Principal Medical Officer …
Feathered Headdress Ogonya Play
A photograph depicting a feathered headdress used in the Ogonya Play in Ogume village, South Ika. The image shows a vertical ornamental structure with a dark central axis and radiating light-toned, blade-like feathers. An arm clad in patterned fabric holds the object aloft. In the background, a group of young males with bare torsos are positioned among dense tropical vegetation, including palm trees. The high-contrast monochrome composition emphasizes the verticality of the headdress and the surrounding flora.
Entrance Portico of Chief Ogbua's Iba
This black-and-white photograph, taken in 1961 by Z.R. Dmochowski as part of his documentation of Nigerian traditional architecture, features the entrance portico of Chief Ogbua's Iba (palace or house) in Onitsha. The entrance is adorned with intricate Igbo wood carvings on pillars and walls, depicting symbolic motifs and ancestral figures that reflect the owner's spiritual and social status.
Igbo Musical Band in Cross River Area
A monochrome photograph depicting a group of boys performing in a musical band. The ensemble utilizes several traditional instruments, including igba (membrane drums made of wood and leather), pot drums, ngedegwu (xylophones consisting of wooden slats on a pot base), ogene (metal gongs), and rattles constructed from small basketwork containers. The musicians are dressed in loincloths, with some wearing cloth kerchiefs on their heads. A group of male spectators, wearing a mix of wrappers, jackets, shirts, and hats, stand behind …
Domestic assemblage and sleeping area
A photograph depicting a collection of functional items and a sleeping area in an outdoor or semi-sheltered environment. The foreground contains various vessels, including a large spherical container and a rounded pot, along with a brimmed hat, dark footwear, and a rectangular chest. The midground features an elevated sleeping surface with light-colored sheets and pillows. A large thatched roof made of fibrous materials dominates the background.
Carved Wooden Ceremonial Board Staff
A photograph depicting a carved wooden figure, possibly a ceremonial board staff, featuring a multi-register relief carving. The structure consists of a base board decorated with various faces, bodies, and geometric shapes. From the top of the board project four short poles, each terminating in a stylized human head with distinct decorative coiffures. The lower register features a prominent central face with a patterned forehead, flanked by smaller humanoid forms and patterned columns. The work is characterized by manual subtractive …
Figure of Chief North Ika
A monochrome photograph depicting a seated human figure in formal ceremonial attire. The subject is positioned on a raised pedestal within a structure featuring a slanted wooden roof and textured mud or clay walls. The figure wears a dark, high-contrast headpiece with radial, upward-pointing projections, entirely obscuring the face. Adornments include a light-colored short-sleeved tunic, a thick beaded collar, and a long, V-shaped necklace extending to the mid-torso. Wide, textured cuffs are worn on both wrists, and a light-colored garment …
Onu Kamma Masqueraders at Nimo
Black-and-white photograph showing three Onu Kamma (Mouth stronger than sword) masqueraders at Nimo, Nri Awka, Onitsha province. Each figure wears a large conical faceless mask constructed from layered fibre with a cloth panel at the front. Their attire includes tie-dyed or batik upper garments, striped woven cloth trousers, and fibre skirts secured at the waist; cowrie shells are visible on the rightmost performer. Two masqueraders hold metal gongs, one striking his with a stick. A sizable crowd of bystanders observes …
Portrait of Two Women
A photograph depicting two women in an outdoor setting. One woman is seated on a wooden chair, wearing a striped head scarf, a shawl, and a striped cloth. A second woman stands beside her with an arm placed on the seated woman's shoulder, wearing a head scarf and a printed wrapper. The background consists of a fence made of wooden poles or reeds and blurred vegetation. The image was captured by William Henry Crosse between 1886 and 1895 as part …
Ohaffia Masquerader Performing in Okwanku Masquerade, Akanu Village
Black-and-white photograph by G.I. Jones showing a masked Ohaffia performer in the Okwanku masquerade at Akanu village. The figure wears a wooden face mask with white pigment, high forehead, slit eyes, long nose and mouth, surmounted by a hat, with long raffia hair hanging down. The performer plays a horned instrument while spectators watch in the background. Jones recorded that Okwanku masquerade characters performed comic dramas, including one in which the Dibia (Doctor) character poisoned and revived the Rain Driver. …
Royal Niger Company Vessel on the Niger River
A photograph depicting a multi-level watercraft anchored along an embankment on the Niger River. The vessel features a dark hull with barrels and utility equipment on the lower deck, a secondary upper deck with a rectangular cabin, and a light-colored canopy. A single tall, dark smokestack is positioned mid-vessel, and a flag is visible at the stern. Several human figures appear on the upper deck. The foreground consists of a shoreline with dense aquatic vegetation and debris. The image is …
G.I. Jones at Nsude Village Shrine Pyramid
A black-and-white photograph from the 1930s showing anthropologist G.I. Jones seated in front of a stepped earthen pyramid at the Nsude Village Shrine in Abaja, Northern Igbo region. The pyramid structure consists of rounded graduated steps decreasing in size and culminating in a pointed apex. The structure, made of mud, stands in an open area surrounded by grasses and vegetation. Jones is wearing shorts, a white shirt, and a pith helmet. The Nsude pyramids were temples dedicated to the deities …
Portrait of Man and Woman
A photograph depicting a man and a woman standing in front of a vernacular architectural structure. The man, on the left, stands upright with a direct gaze, wearing a thin neck ring and a minimalist waist garment. The woman, on the right, is positioned in a three-quarter profile with arms crossed over her chest, wearing multiple stacked neck rings and a thin cord encircling her waist. The background structure features a thick thatched roof and earthen walls. This image is …
River Steamer on the Niger River
A photograph depicting a small, low-profile motorized river steamer, possibly a mission boat, navigating a wide, calm body of water. The vessel features a central vertical smokestack, a light-colored cabin toward the bow, and a thin vertical mast. In the right foreground, a man stands on a vegetated riverbank, serving as a lookout. The background shows a continuous line of dense forest along the distant shoreline. The image is a black-and-white lantern slide from the Crosse Collection, documenting the activities …
Pot believed to hold the personal spirit (chi)
This decorated pot, known as Ihu Chi, from Ekpeye in 1916, is believed to hold an individual's personal spirit or chi, a central concept in Igbo cosmology often translated as guardian angel or spirit-double. In Igbo belief, chi is a fractal of the supreme creator, Chineke or Chukwu, influencing personal destiny and authenticity.
Group Portrait at a Royal Niger Company Station
A photograph depicting a group of individuals positioned in front of a long, single-story rectangular building and a high masonry perimeter wall. Several subjects wearing light-colored, simple garments are seated or crouching on the unpaved foreground, while others stand near a vertical-slatted wooden gate. One individual on the right is dressed in more structured clothing, suggestive of a jacket. The background is dominated by a dense canopy of trees on a sloping hill under a light-toned sky. The image was …
Earthwork Structures and Wooden Barrels along the Niger River
A photograph depicting a site featuring linear earthwork enclosures or partitioned embankments made of compacted soil. Several cylindrical wooden barrels are placed upright or tilted near the center, with one positioned horizontally in a depression. A temporary shelter consisting of light-colored fabric over a frame is visible on the right. The landscape includes tropical vegetation with palm-like trees and a large body of water in the background. The image was captured by William Henry Crosse during his time as Principal …
African Priest and Altar Boys at a Christian Church
A photograph depicting an African priest and four altar boys worshipping at a Christian church. The priest wears a white alb and a dark embroidered chasuble with floral motifs. The four boys are dressed in dark short capes over white ankle-length garments with lace-like edging. The church interior is constructed from corrugated iron. The altar is decorated with candles, floral garlands, and a patterned cloth, with a rug featuring geometric motifs on the floor.
Royal Niger Company Constabulary Band
A monochromatic photograph showing a musical ensemble from the Royal Niger Company Constabulary on a maritime vessel. The group consists of approximately eleven Black men in military-style tunics and garrison side caps, playing woodwind and brass instruments and a snare drum. On the lower deck, a mixed group of individuals, including two light-skinned males in wide-brimmed hats and other men, are observing. The vessel features a protective canopy and a suspended bell. This image belongs to a series documented by …
Standing Igbo Wooden Male Figure
A monochromatic gelatin silver print depicting a standing anthropomorphic carving of an adult male. The figure is carved from wood and features a stylized elongated, cylindrical headdress with a flat top. The face includes horizontal slit eyes, a broad nose, and a wide mouth with defined teeth. The torso is characterized by parallel horizontal incised lines on the chest and shoulders, with a prominent ribbed columnar element extending vertically from the mid-chest to the pelvic region. The arms are positioned …
Royal Niger Company Soldiery
A photograph depicting a large group of approximately 45 to 55 individuals arranged in a formal, shoulder-to-shoulder linear formation. The personnel are wearing matching light-colored short-sleeved shirts and shorts, with most holding long-barreled firearms. To the far left, a single individual is positioned on horseback wearing a light-colored uniform and a pith helmet. The scene is set on a flat, open parade ground backed by a picket fence and dense tropical vegetation, including tall palm trees. In the distance, structures …
Portraits of an Igbo Woman in Oweri Province
These black-and-white portraits, taken by Northcote Thomas between 1909 and 1913 as physical type photographs in his anthropological survey, depict an Igbo woman from Oweri Province (now Owerri). The frontal view highlights her direct gaze and the gap between her front teeth, a cultural marker of beauty, with a simple headscarf against a plain background. The side profile shows her headscarf revealing neat hair lines, characteristic of Igbo styles, and a small earring, contrasting with her simple attire.
Dancer Wearing Fish Mask
A photograph depicting a dancer wearing a ceremonial mask representing a fish. The apparatus is an elongated, tapered horizontal structure with a crest-like form, featuring small, stylized facial motifs and light-colored decorative accents. A rectangular textile banner with a central four-pointed motif is mounted atop the structure. The dancer and other participants wear wrap-around garments with dense, repetitive geometric patterns of interlocking squares and diamonds. The scene is set outdoors in a tropical environment with dense vegetation and a crowd …
Conversation between John and Nwile
A photograph of two facing pages, 48 and 49, from Northcote Thomas's Anthropological Report on the Ibo-Speaking Peoples of Nigeria, Part III: Proverbs, Narratives, Vocabularies and Grammar. The pages display a transcribed and translated dialogue between two young men: John, identified as an Onitsha boy, and Nwile, identified as a Nibo boy. The text is organized into two columns with the original Igbo language using specialized diacritical marks for phonetic values, followed by English translations. The conversation documents a visit …
Interior View of a Chief's Compound
An albumen print photograph from approximately 1870-1900 showing the interior of a Chief's compound. The scene depicts five or six mud buildings with thatched roofs made from palm fronds. The architectural layout includes several steeply pitched, gabled structures. A single, tall palm tree with a slender trunk stands centrally in a cleared, flat area of earth. A small, indistinct humanoid figure is visible in the center of the clearing. The composition emphasizes the verticality of the central tree against the …
Mural Decorations in Nri Akwa
A photograph depicting a close up view of mural decorations on a wall in Nri Akwa. The murals feature two raised figures in relief, rendered with light colored pigments on a dark matte substrate. The figure on the left is stylized with extended arms, wearing white painted clothing and body decorations, and holding a rectangular object. This figure is flanked by birds and leaf designs and stands on a decorated plinth. The figure on the right stands with arms on …
Portrait of a Woman with Neck Markings
A monochromatic photograph depicting a woman in profile from the chest upward. The subject wears a voluminous floral textile headwrap and a vertically striped cloth draped over her left shoulder. Visible adornments include a thin dark cord necklace and multiple thin, light-toned horizontal parallel bands around the mid-neck. The image is a close-up portrait with a shallow depth of field, showing blurred foliage in the background. The photograph was taken by William Henry Crosse, Principal Medical Officer of the Royal …
An Igbo Elder from Awka, Wearing a War Helmet and Holding a Shield
This photograph, taken by Northcote Thomas around 1913, shows an Igbo elder from Awka wearing an okpu agha, a fibre 'crash' helmet plaited from coarse fibre of Colocasia antiquorum stems for defense against weapons, and holding an ekpeke, a woven shield. These items represent elements of traditional Igbo martial attire and protection in warfare.
Northcote Thomas Botanical Collections
A photograph depicting a composite montage of three herbarium specimen sheets from the botanical collections of Northcote Thomas, curated at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. The first panel shows a specimen of Psychotria scindaphos from Ubulu, recorded as specimen number 2315. The second panel displays a specimen of Solanum from Hugo, recorded as number 2310, dated November 8, 1912. The third panel contains specimens identified as Omphalogonus calophylla and Omphalogonus nigrescens. These collections were gathered during Thomas's anthropological surveys in …
Igbo Man at Masquerade Event
This black-and-white photograph from the Jones Collection shows a bare-chested man photographed from behind during a masquerade event. He wears a cloth headband with a feather tucked into the front, woven materials around his waist and legs, and a narrow band of material, possibly leather, over his right shoulder to his left waist. The image forms part of G.I. Jones's documentation of Igbo and South Ikwerri cultural practices between 1932 and 1938.
Uli Body Painting in Awka
A photograph depicting a woman applying paint to the back of a man who is kneeling on all fours on a woven mat. The woman wears a patterned head covering and uses a small handheld tool to apply the designs. The man is bare-chested and wears a patterned waist wrap. The scene takes place on a sandy surface next to a structure made of woven organic material and a wooden support post. This image documents the practice of Uli body …
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