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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 …
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 …
Okike, Ikenga and Other Shrines of North Ika
A monochromatic photograph depicting a collection of carved wooden objects on a granular substrate. The central assemblage features a seated humanoid figure with a tall, vertically striated cylindrical headdress, positioned on a rectangular base with diagonal rhythmic ridges. Adjacent to the figure is a slender vertical staff with a rounded terminal and a short cylindrical vessel adorned with small, pointed protrusions. A secondary object to the right consists of a mask-like form with two elongated vertical protrusions extending from the …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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.
Temporary Wooden Bridge over the Imo River
A photograph depicting a temporary trestle-style bridge constructed from native, locally grown timber spanning the Imo River. This structure was part of the Eastern Division railway line, built starting in 1913 to facilitate access to the Udi coalfields near Enugwu Ngwo, terminating at the Diobu cliffs of Port Harcourt. The image shows vertical pilings and diagonal cross-bracing supporting the bridge deck. A dense tropical forest canopy is visible in the background. The construction of this railway involved forced labor coordinated …
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. …
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 …
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 …
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 …
Burning of a Village along the Niger River
A monochrome photograph depicting the burning of a village as seen from the river, likely the result of a punitive expedition. The image shows multiple points of intense combustion among traditional architectural structures with pitched rooflines along the shoreline. Smoke and haze obscure the background sky, while vertical light streaks from the fires are reflected on the calm surface of the water. This image is part of the Crosse Collection, documented as being taken between 1886 and 1895 by William …
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.
Maiden Spirit Mask (Isi abogefi)
A photograph showing the interior and exterior of an Igbo maiden spirit mask, known locally as Isi abogefi, collected by Northcote Thomas in Agukwu Nri in 1911. The mask is carved from egbu wood and features a white facial surface with yellow and ochre pigments on the forehead and black pigments on the nose and eyebrow ridges. It is decorated with circular raised-relief dots on the cheeks and linear patterns along the margins. The elaborate headdress, recorded as isi nkpo …
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 …
Royal Niger Company Station with Soldiery
A monochromatic photograph depicting a two-story masonry structure built from irregular stone and mortar in a hilly landscape. Five uniformed male subjects, identified in manuscript notes as "Soldiery", are present: four stand in a line in the foreground holding rifles, and one is positioned within a pitched-roof sentry box to the right of the building. The structure features a corrugated metal hip-roof with a central spire, upper-level windows with awnings, and arched openings on the ground floor. The image was …
Portrait of a Man with Facial Scarring
A grayscale photograph depicting a head and shoulders portrait of a man facing the camera. He wears a collarless shirt with a dark-toned, textured garment and a light-colored cloth draped around his neck. The man's right eye appears to be scarred or bruised, with the eyelid puffed up and closed. The background consists of a shallow depth of field with out-of-focus natural elements, including trees and low-lying vegetation in an outdoor setting.
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 …
Study of Igbo Wooden Mask
A photograph depicting a side view of a carved wooden mask. The object is vertically oriented and anthropomorphic, featuring a prominent horizontal fissure separating the upper and lower segments. The lower segment displays stylized facial features, including an almond shaped eye, a defined nasal bridge, and small closed lips tapering toward an elongated chin. The image is a monochromatic gelatin silver print with directional lighting that emphasizes the relief of the facial carvings. The provenance of the object was suggested …
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 …
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 …
Painted Courthouse Mural at Nri
A photograph depicting a monochromatic mural on a flat, textured surface, located at a courthouse in Nri, Onitsha Province. The composition features six stylized human figures and a vessel, arranged in a linear progression from left to right. The figures are rendered as dark silhouettes overlaid with high-contrast white geometric patterns, including triangles, diamonds, and stippling, characteristic of the Uli art tradition. A large-scale figure anchors the left side, while a group of smaller figures is positioned within and around …
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.
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 …
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.
Portrait of a Woman Seated on a Bentwood Chair
A monochrome photograph of a seated woman posing in an outdoor setting. The subject is bare-chested and wears a white cotton wrap-style waist cloth. Her adornments include a narrow necklace, bracelets on both wrists, a ring on her right hand, and bands with white fibrous attachments around her ankles. Repetitive patterned markings, consistent with scarification, are visible on her abdomen. She is seated on a bentwood-style chair on a dirt surface with dense vegetation in the background.
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.
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 …
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 …
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 …
Igbo Adult Males Performing Masquerade
A black-and-white gelatin silver print depicting a group of Igbo adult males engaged in a ceremonial performance in an outdoor setting. One figure on the left wears an elaborate mask featuring cloth streamers and trousers with rattles tied around the knees. Other participants are dressed in loincloths, with some holding palm leaves. The background shows a crowd of onlookers. The scene is characterized by high-contrast natural lighting with dappled shadows on the ground, suggesting the event took place under a …
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 …
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 …
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. …
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 …
Painted Courthouse at Nri
A black-and-white photograph from 1938 depicting a single-story open-sided courthouse structure in Nri, Onitsha Province. The building features a corrugated metal hipped roof supported by vertical pillars and low-set perimeter panels serving as canvases for high-contrast, stylized murals. These murals include figurative motifs such as a large tortoise, a bovine, a figure in official attire, a figure holding a chain attached to another figure, and a series of figures in linear progression, some associated with a vessel. The background shows …
Heavy Wood Door from Nri Awka
This heavy wooden door from the Nri-Awka region, known as ḿgbó èzí, is an example of traditional Igbo wood carving from the 19th-20th century. Carved from sacred hardwood like iroko with symbolic motifs and patterns, such doors served as entrances to compounds of influential families, conveying stories, status, and spiritual beliefs.
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 …
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 …
Pyramids at the Nsude Village Shrine, Abaja Igbo, Northern Igbo
This black-and-white photograph from the 1930s by G.I. Jones shows a series of stepped earthen pyramids at the Nsude village shrine in Abaja Igbo, Northern Igbo. The pyramids, constructed of mud, feature rounded graduated levels decreasing in size and culminating in a pointed top. Tall grasses and vegetation surround the structures, which are strategically placed on elevated ground. The image documents the architectural and religious significance of these shrine pyramids, which were associated with the Uto deity and represent important …
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 …
Iro Ekpetu of the Ogbugulu Mau Masquerade
This photograph by G.I. Jones documents the Ogbugulu Mau masquerade in Amuda village, featuring Iro Ekpetu ('Merciless'). The masquerader wears a black carved mask with white painted eyes and protruding teeth, a raffia hairpiece and skirt, and cloth top and trousers. The performance, held during the dry season usually in December, involved eight masked characters accompanied by two bands and a chorus of young men. Jones noted that these masks threatened the crowd with wands or sticks while wearing loose …
Mgbedike Masquerade from Onitsha Province
The masquerader wears a headdress carved with horns, figures, and animals. The costume includes cloth, palm fronds, shells, seeds, and porcupine quills. The mask is covered with palm fronds and omu. The masquerader holds an object, possibly a machete or knife, in one hand. The background features trees, bystanders, and houses.
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.
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 …
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.
Aro Women
A photograph depicting three Aro women with distinct cranial hair styling. The subjects are positioned in a row in front of a vertical structure of thin, dried organic stalks and horizontal poles. One subject is shown in profile facing right with layered, horizontal hair ridges and a light-colored necklace. A second subject is shown from a posterior view with a tall, vertical, segmented columnar hair structure. The third subject is in profile facing left with a large, voluminous, and rounded …
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. …
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