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Igbo Woman with Elaborate Geometric Hairstyle

Image Fashion
Igbo Woman with Elaborate Geometric Hairstyle, c 1910.
Close-up of an Igbo Woman with Elaborate 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.

Community Notes

Onyeka Nwokike

Mar 20, 2026

In the early 20th century, Igbo women created geometric hairstyles using African threading (Ishi Owu) or by molding the hair with clay, palm oil, and camwood powder. As noted by Ụkpụrụ̄ in their archival collection, these specific styles marked a woman's age and marital status.

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