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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 …
Face Mask Documentation Photograph
A documentation photograph of a face mask. The face is elongated. The mask has a thick stud-shaped crest on top, a prominent forehead above recessed eyes and wide nose, with a small straight open mouth. The mask is decorated with metallic paint, and has a beard of hair.
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.
Igbo Woman with Elaborate Geometric Hairstyle
This photograph, taken by Northcote Thomas around 1910 as part of his anthropological documentation, features an Igbo woman with an elaborate geometric hairstyle. In Igbo culture, hairstyles often signified age, social status, and marital status, offering insight into personal adornment practices in early 20th-century Igbo society.
Ohafia Women with Traditional Long Braids
A photograph depicting two Ohafia women from a posterior perspective, showing traditional long braids that extend from the head down the spinal column. The subjects have bare upper torsos and wear light-colored fabric wraps around the hips. The image originates from The Women's Missionary Magazine of the United Free Church of Scotland, 1904. This cultural practice is associated with Ohafia, where historical records and folktales mention women warriors known as dike nwaàmị̀.
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 …
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.
Portable Household Shrine, North Ika
A monochromatic photograph depicting a portable household shrine from North Ika. The assemblage features a central anthropomorphic wooden carving with stylized facial elements, a torso, and horizontal lines suggesting arms, flanked by two weathered wooden slabs. To the right is a composite structure of two vertical wooden pieces secured by a dark circular band. These elements are positioned atop a conical mound of compacted earth, clay, or mud, which rests on a flat, rectangular wooden platform.
Group Portrait of Six Men in the Onitsha Area
A monochromatic photograph from circa 1886 to 1895 showing six male subjects in a linear arrangement in a wooded outdoor environment. The subjects wear various waist wraps, some featuring geometric patterns, and several utilize headwraps or caps. Two subjects hold large, curved, single-edged blades, while others hold long, thin rods or implements. The image was taken by William Henry Crosse, Principal Medical Officer of the Royal Niger Company, and was later identified by G.I. Jones as depicting individuals in the …
Trader from Timbuctou and Rich Trading Woman
This photograph, taken by G.F. Packer in 1889 and housed in the Pitt Rivers Museum, features a trader from Timbuktu on the right and a rich trading woman on the left, possibly a member of the Onitsha women's Otu Odu (ivory group) society or an Omu, the female counterpart to the king. The woman wears large ivory anklets, indicative of high socio-economic status in this traders' group. The image illustrates long-standing trade connections across West Africa and Igbo commerce along …
Royal Niger Company Steam Vessel on the Niger River
A photograph depicting a medium-sized transport vessel with hybrid steam and sail propulsion anchored along a riverbank on the Niger River. The vessel features a single mast and a mid-aft smokestack emitting steam. The upper deck is heavily laden with rectangular bundles of cargo. Approximately 8 to 12 individuals in utilitarian clothing are visible on the main deck. The surrounding environment consists of a sloping riverbank with low vegetation and a background of dense tropical forest.
Ngbangba Ikoro Masquerade at Abiriba
This black-and-white photograph by G.I. Jones shows the Ngbangba Ikoro masquerade at Abiriba, circa 1930s. The scene depicts performers and spectators outside a traditional thatched building. One figure wears a dark wooden mask painted white with horns, attached to woven sackcloth. A young boy touches this character. Another rounded mask with white bulbous eyes appears upside down. The audience includes women, men, and children wearing printed cloths. Jones documented that Abiriba carvers created masks for this masquerade, with copyright shared …
Landscape of an Escarpment Area along the Niger River
A monochromatic photograph from the late 19th century depicting a landscape view of an escarpment area along the Niger River. The foreground consists of dense, low-lying shrubbery and grasses on sloping terrain. In the midground, a cluster of vernacular structures with steeply pitched conical thatched roofs is situated, featuring a single light-toned flag positioned near the primary buildings. The background is dominated by a prominent, elongated forested ridge spanning the horizon under a hazy sky. The image was captured by …
Igbo Elder from Awka on Oche Mpata
These black-and-white photographs, taken by Northcote Thomas between 1910 and 1911 as part of his anthropological survey, feature an Igbo elder from Öka (Awka). The first shows a close view of her face and head, adorned with a wooden head dress set with pearl buttons, known as “isi ojongo,” embodying Igbo identity and artistic expression. The second depicts the elder seated on an “oche mpata,” a stool reserved for titled individuals with the Ọzọ title, wearing a patterned sarong and …
Portrait of an Igbo Man
Black-and-white portrait of an Igbo man with a smile, short hair, and a white collarless shirt. The background appears to be a wall or door with a contrasting lighter area, of natural light.
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 …
Nwamno Figure
A photograph depicting a multi-tiered vertical wooden sculpture from the Ika Igbo region. The sculpture consists of four horizontal registers: a topmost avian figure with a beak and wings resting on a geometric engraved disc, an upper tier of circumferential female figures with stylized faces and pronounced breasts, an intermediate divider, and a lower tier of circumferential female figures. The figures on the lower tier exhibit vertical linear cicatrization markings on the forehead and cheeks. The sculpture is mounted on …
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 …
Igbo Dancer Performing Agaba Masquerade
A photograph depicting an Igbo dancer in Okitipupa, Ondo Province, performing the Agaba masquerade. The central figure wears a dark, matte-textured mask with wide, recessed eyes and an open mouth revealing white, rectangular teeth. The headdress features two large, curved horns and carved humanoid figures, with organic stalks extending vertically. The performer's torso is covered in a garment of overlapping light-toned, disc-shaped objects. Four men in mid-century attire are positioned around the dancer, observing the performance. This image was published …
Ikem Masquerade Play in Umuahia
A black-and-white photograph depicting an Ikem masquerade play. The central figure is a masquerader wearing an Anang carved female face mask featuring naturalistic human features, dark eyebrows, a fine nose, and marks on the cheeks, topped with an elaborate black coiffure in large plaits. The mask is mounted over a square frame covered in printed cloth, and the masquerader wears a striped wrapper. The figure holds an umbrella in one hand and a handkerchief in the other. To the side …
Aro men in loincloths clearing thick forest overgrowth under direction of colonial forces
This photograph, taken by Donald A. MacAlister as part of a series from the Aro Punitive Expedition, shows a group of Aro men clearing forest vegetation with machetes to facilitate British colonial troop movement during the Anglo-Aro War of 1901. The war sought to dismantle the Aro Confederacy and the Ibini Ukpabi (Long Juju) oracle, marking a significant event in British colonial efforts against indigenous powers in eastern Nigeria.
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 …
Eze Nri Obalike with his attendants and Chiefs at Enugwu-Ukwu
This photograph, taken by Northcote Thomas in 1911, shows Eze Nri Obalike, who ruled from around 1889 to 1926, surrounded by his attendants and chiefs at the Nkwọ Marketplace in Enugwu-Ukwu. Under the watchful eyes of British colonial officers, Obalike was forced, reportedly at gunpoint, to denounce nso and alu, traditional codes of taboo and abomination that underpinned Nri authority. This event marked the decline of the Nri hegemony and the end of its ritual control over Igbo communities.
A Lady of Ụgwụtā wearing Ivory
A photograph depicting a woman from Ụgwụtā (Oguta) in the Òru area, dating from the early 20th century. The subject is seated on a wooden chair in an outdoor setting with palm-like vegetation. She is dressed in a patterned blouse and matching full-length skirt with small light-colored dots, complemented by a light-colored waist wrap. Two thick ivory rings are worn on her wrists. The source indicates that wealthy traders in the riverine Òru region, who utilized waterways for commerce, wore …
Questionnaire on Dolls
A two-page printed questionnaire from 1906 created by Northcote Thomas, M.A., for publication in the journal Man. The document is a formal inquiry into the cultural significance and use of dolls, categorized by thematic inquiries into physical description, biological mimicry (such as feeding and sleeping), mortality and trauma (including disease and burial ceremonies), social and emotional dynamics, and ritual or supernatural uses. It features an institutional stamp from the Anthropological Institute in London and was printed by Eyre and Spottiswoode. …
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 …
European Men and African Man at a Royal Niger Company Encampment
A photograph depicting a group of eight men at a temporary encampment. Seven light-skinned men are positioned standing and seated, wearing utilitarian warm-weather attire including pith helmets, boater hats, and white tunics. A dark-skinned man in a light-colored jacket and structured cap stands at attention on the left. The setting includes a large A-frame canvas tent, a thatched structure, and woven perimeter fences against a backdrop of a sloping, vegetated hill. The image is part of the Crosse Collection, associated …
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 …
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 …
Rural Scene with Igbo Masquerades
A black-and-white gelatin silver print depicting a rural scene with two adult Igbo males dressed in masquerade costumes. The figures wear shaggy costumes and painted wooden masks featuring large horns, with one mask also exhibiting large teeth. The image was identified as originating from the Niger Delta region, with ethnic group and location suggestions provided by N F Barley in 1998.
Painted Courthouse Mural at Nri
A photograph depicting a monochromatic mural painted on a dark, textured exterior wall of a courthouse in Nri, Onitsha Province. The mural is divided into two primary zones: a left-hand section featuring architectural motifs like a window frame alongside concentric spirals, dots, and wavy lines; and a central scene enclosed in a light-colored, scalloped perimeter. This central scene features a large stylized humanoid figure with triangular tessellation on its torso and legs, flanked by two smaller figures in wrap-like garments. …
Ohaffia Masquerader in Okwanku Performance, Akanu Village
Close-up view of an Ohaffia Igbo masquerader during the Okwanku performance in Akanu village. The wooden face mask displays a high forehead, slit eyes, elongated nose and mouth, all coated with white pigment. Long raffia strands form a fringe around the mask and hang over the performer’s chest. Spectators appear in soft focus behind. According to Jones, Okwanku masqueraders enacted a comic drama in which the character Dibia poisoned and revived the Rain Driver. The mask type, known as Otili, …
Notes and Queries on Anthropology: Descriptive Characters
An image showing pages 12 and 13 from the 1899 edition of Notes and Queries on Anthropology. The text presents a systematic framework titled 'Descriptive Characters' for the morphological and chromatic classification of human physical traits. Categories include skin coloration, ocular coloration, hair texture, facial geometry, nasal profile, and labial morphology. The layout consists of two columns with a serif typeface, utilizing an alphanumeric system for trait classification.
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 …
Group Portrait of Titled Igbo Men
This photograph from between 1900 and 1915 shows a group of titled Igbo men, likely members of the prestigious Nze na Ozo society. Their traditional attire includes symbolic robes, headgear, and red caps known as okpu mme, with ceremonial staffs and ivory bracelets indicating high status.
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 …
Thatched Dwelling and Group of Individuals
A photograph depicting a single-story dwelling with a steeply pitched thatched roof and light-colored walls. The structure features a veranda area with a low perimeter wall and several dark rectangular openings. To the right, a group of approximately five individuals wearing light-colored tunics and hats stands near a tall, slender vertical pole. The environmental context includes a tall, slender tree in the left foreground and a broad canopy tree behind the building. This monochrome image is a glass negative halfplate …
Portrait of a Woman in Striped Cloth
A photograph depicting a woman seated on a low, curved wooden stool, posing for the camera. She wears a fabric wrap or turban with a geometric pattern and a large piece of textile with wide, dark, horizontal stripes wrapped around her chest and lower body. A singular, light-colored circular ring or torque is positioned around the base of her neck. The subject is situated outdoors against a background of dense, blurred vegetation and is seated on a light-colored, granular surface. …
Landscape with Buildings and Trees along the Niger River
A photograph depicting a landscape with a large, mature deciduous tree as the central focal point, featuring a dense canopy and complex branching. The mid-ground shows a series of buildings and trees, while the foreground consists of a flat expanse of low-lying vegetation. The image, taken as a glass negative halfplate, shows significant signs of historical aging, including particulate matter, chemical staining, and fine linear scratches. This record is part of the Crosse Collection and was taken during William Henry …
Ogbugulu Mau Masquerader Performing in Amuda Village
This black-and-white photograph captures the Ogbugulu Mau masquerade performance in Amuda village near Awka, southeastern Nigeria, between 1932 and 1938. The masquerader Nwaogho Ehi (Heifer) wears a white helmet mask with distinctive v-shaped markings above and below the eyes, a brightly colored harlequin-like appliqué costume, cloth cloak tied around the neck, and ankle-rattles made from seeds. The photograph documents Igbo masquerade traditions among the Isuochi people, showing the elaborate costume design and performance context within a rural setting with mud …
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 …
Building on the Banks of the Niger River
This monochrome lantern slide, taken between 1886 and 1895 by Dr. William Henry Crosse, depicts a single-story building on the banks of the Niger River in Nigeria. The structure features a pitched gable roof with an organic covering and an elongated front porch supported by decorative wooden latticed elements. Tall vegetation and a calm body of water occupy the foreground, while rolling hills and distant structures are visible in the background. The photograph was part of a series documenting 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 an Igbo Woman
A photograph depicting a bust-length portrait of an Igbo woman in a frontal pose. She wears a light-colored, voluminous headwrap with dark repetitive decorative motifs and a light-colored short-sleeved blouse with a scooped neckline, decorative lace trim, and a single button. Visible dark, linear markings are present on her upper chest and sternum area. The image is presented as an oval vignette within a rectangular border. The photograph was taken by Dr. William Henry Crosse during his tenure as Principal …
Group Portrait from Royal Niger Company
This group portrait, photographed by William Henry Crosse between 1886 and 1895, captures Igbo individuals associated with the Royal Niger Company along the Niger River. The image provides insights into colonial trade interactions and social dynamics in the region during the company's operations.
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. …
Ogbugulu Mau Masquerade, Amuda Village
Black-and-white photograph of the Ogbugulu Mau (Ghost) masquerade performed in Amuda village, near Awka, Onitsha Province, South Eastern Nigeria. The image shows four masqueraders and their attendant. From left, Iro Ekpetu (Merciless) wears a black fierce face mask with white painted eyes and protruding teeth, cloth top and tights, and a raffia skirt. Eju Ono (Long Mouth) wears an animal-like mask painted black with white markings and horns, cloth top and tights, and a raffia skirt, holding two sticks. A …
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.
Decorated Pot from North Ika
A monochrome photograph depicting a large, globular vessel with a wide, circular rim. The body of the pot features a dense pattern of closely spaced, diagonal parallel ridges. Three high-relief anthropomorphic figures in squatting or seated positions are attached to the upper exterior edge just below the rim. Two low-relief zoomorphic figures, resembling lizards, are applied to the shoulder of the vessel. Human hands are partially visible at the top of the frame, gripping the rim, and a bare human …
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