Month May 2024
Group Portrait from the Royal Niger Company, Niger River Igbo area, c. 1886-1895
This historical group portrait, captured by Dr. William Henry Crosse between 1886 and 1895, shows individuals from the Niger River Igbo area in Nigeria. Taken during the period of the Royal Niger Company’s operations, this image is part of the Crosse Collection at the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, Cambridge.…
A young Igbo bride in wedding attire, c. 1880-1905
A wood carver carving an Ikenga figure, Nri-Awka Igbo. 1930s
Heavy wood door from Nri Awka, 19th-20th century
This heavy wooden door, known as ḿgbó èzí in the Igbo language, is more than just an entrance. It’s a statement piece, a symbol of status, and a testament to the artistic heritage of the Igbo people. These doors were traditionally used as grand entryways to the enclosed compounds of…
Ceramic Alter for the Igbo Agriculture Deity Ifejioku. c 1890
Ceramic group of figures on a stand, made of pottery. In the centre is a man holding a drinking-horn in his left hand and a fan in his right, both signs of his status. Either side of him are two pregnant women, probably his wives, with elaborate hairstyles and scarification,…
The Earth Mother, Ala, in an Mbari house in Ebele. 1946
This sculpture, captured by William Fagg on February 28, 1946, and currently housed in the British Museum, depicts Ala, the Earth Mother, in Igbo spirituality. She holds a knife in her right hand and rests her left hand on the head of a smaller female figure, symbolizing her power and…