University of Nigeria Research Publications
OGBU, Chinyere Happiness
Aut
hor
PG/MA/88/6965
Title
Hybrid Motifs in Igbo-Ukwu Art Corpus: A Study in Form, Functions and Symbolism
Facu
lty
Arts
Dep
artm
ent
Fine and Applied Arts
Dat
e
July, 1991
Sign
atur
e
A D ISSEf jTAT I O N SUOPIITTED TO THE
DE13A17TFl~l\lT OF FINE AlUD A13FJLIED ARTS
FACULTY OF ARTS
UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA
NSUI5KA
I N 13AnTIAL F'ULFILMEMT OF THE REQUI;REElENTS
FOR THE AWARD OF A MASTER OF ARTS DEGREE
I N Ai?T HISTORY
I-IA11i71NESS CHIMYEIIE UGUU , a p o s t g r a d u a t e s t u d e n t i n t h e
D e p a r t m e n t O F F i n e and A p p l i e d Arts w i t h t h e ; i eg i s . l ; r a l ; ion rdurnhc?r
PG/b1!-\/30/63G5 has s a t is F a c t o r i l y c o m p l e t e d t h e r e q u i r e m e n t s Por
c o u r s e and r e s e a r c h work f o r t h e d e y r e ~ oP M a s t e r o f A r t s i n
Art W i s t n r y . The work embodied i n t h i s r e p o r t i s o r i g i n a l and m y
h a s n o t , t o t h e b e s t o f / k n o w l e d g e , b e e n s u b m i t t e d i n p a r t o r f u l l
f o r o t h e r d i p l o m a d e g r e e o f t h i s o r any o t h e r U n i v e r s i t y ,
D R . C.C. A n i o k a r S u p e r v i s o r Head o f Depar tment .
D E D I C A T I O N
S p e c i a l d e d i c a t i o n is d u e t o my b c l o v e d
husband D r . F r a n c i s A. Ogbu f o r h i s l o v e ,
u n d e r s t a n d i n g and s u p p o r t w h i l e work o n
t h i s d i s s e r t a t i o n l a s t e d .
And t n my l i t t l e baby F r a n c e s C. Ogbu
who c o - o p e r a t e d w i t h me i n t h e F a c e o f
a l l odds .
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I h a v e b e e n s t i m u l a t e d by t h e i n s i g h t a n d knowledge o f my
s u p e r v i s o r D r . C .C. A n i a k o r whose r e l e n t l e s s e f f n r t , p a t i e n c e , and
e x p e r t i s e I acknowledge w i t h g r a t i t u d e . It is i n d e e d e x c i t i n g t o
work w i t h s u c h a d e d i c a t e d p r o f e s s i o n a l .
T h i s work i n v o l v e s t h e h e l p o f Eze Chikwelu, . c z e 2.t. Umeukol i ,
the IOU 1 Igbo-Ukuu, , and t h e c o u n t l e s s Igbo-Ukwu c i t i z e n s
and t h e i r n e i g h b o u r s who e n t e r t a i n e d my q u e s t i o n s , a l l o w e d
p h o t o g r a p h s t o b e t a k e n , and s h a r e d t h e i r u l t i m a t e t r a d i t i o n a l
a r t e x p e r i e n c e s w i t h l o v e and h o n e s t y .
My s i n c e r e g r a t i t u d e g o e s t o t h e s t a f f o f t h e A f r i c a n a
s e c t i o n o f t h e Nnamdi Az ik iwe L i b r a r y , U.N.N., f o r making t h e r e q u i r e d
m a t e r i a l s e a s i l y a c c e s s i b l e w h i l e t h i s work p r o g r e s s e d .
I a l s o g i v e t h a n k s t o t h e members o f s t a f f o f t h e D e p a r t m e n t
o f F i n e and A p p l i e d Urts and e s p e c i a l l y t o Mr. Amuzie whose
r e a d i n e s s t o a s s i s t saw t h i s work t o c o m p l e t i o n .
T h i s s t u d y h a s b e n o f i t e d immensely f r o m T h u r s t a n S h a w l s
i n v e n t o r y and pho to -documenta t ion o f t h e Igbo-Ukwu e x c a v a t e d a r t
oh j e c t s .
I am mos t g r q t e f u l t o my f r i e n d s and f e l l o w s t u d e n t s who h a v e 1 I
c on t r i bu t ed ' i n t h e i r va r ious l e v e l s o n t h i s w o r k , M r . A. O s u d e , , ' I
Mr. 0. O l a k a s i , D r . E b e l e D i k e and I f e a n y i E k e j u b a . O t h e r s i n c l u d e
Mkav Akaa, K e l ~ c h i O p a r a , Mr. I. O p a r a , Mr Odeg, Tery ima I g y u s e ,
Monique ~ w a c h u k w u , and Uche Nna ji ..
A good number o f r e l a t i v e s g a v e b o t h m o r a l a n d f i n a n c i a l
s u p p o r t f o r which I am most g r a t e f u l , among many a r e my p a r e n t s
Mr and Mrs BeNo Okoro , Mrs M o Ogbu, Mrs S.O. E z e o c u e r i , Mr.
Humphrey Okoro, Mr C h a r l e s Ogbu, Miss A m i l i a Okoro, o t h e r s a r e D r .
a n d Mrs Lo Anukam, Mr. Emmanuel I w u a l a , Mr. L. Otun Ogbu and l a t e
Papa O k o r i e o f b l e s s e d memory.
My p r o f o u n d g r a t i t u d e g o e s t o C h i e f P r o f e s s o r 0.1. Nwoga f o r
h i s a c a d e m i c g u i d a n c e d u r i n g t h e p e r i o d o f t h i s r e s e a r c h .
I r e c o r d h e r e my p r o f o u n d a p p r e c i a t i o n o f Mr. Emeka EeCo
O k o r o t s p r i c e l e s s s u p p o r t t h r o u g h o u t t h e p e r i o d o f t h i s s t u d y . I t
is i n d e e d a d e l i g h t t o h a v e s ~ ~ h a s e l f l e s s and d e d i c a t e d b r o t h e r .
I m u s t a c k n o w l e d g e h e r e my h u s b a n d t s i n d i s p e n s i b l e s u p p o r t
o f t h i s s t u d y e v e n w h i l e h e was away i'n. E x e t e r i n s e a r c h o f
Hay the & a i d zeuasd a l l o f you. . . . . ,
F i n a l l y , I d e v o t e d l y p r a i s e t h e a l m i g h t y God f o r h i s
p r o t e c t i o n , i n s p i r a t i o n , g u i d a n c e and b l e s s i n g s w h i l e t h i s s t u d y
l a s t e d .
i
CONTENT (CONTD.)
1.10 D a t a A n a l y s i s
1.10a F u n c t i o n a l rncthod
I . IUb I c o n o g r a p h i c rne t hod
1.11 ~Jesearch Ub j z c t i v e s
1 . 12 S c o p e / L i m i t a t i o n
CI-iAIJTER TWO
A D e s c r i p t i v e Ovcrv iew o f Iqbo-Ukwu P o t t e r y T h c i r Tvnes and l- u n c t i o n e l Context .
P o t t n r y Typology . . Group A Category . . Group !3 Category . . Gruup C Category . - i i e l i g i o u s F u n c t i o n . . S o c i a l F u n c t i o n . . D u m e s t i c / U t i l i t a r i a n F u n c t i o n s . .
THE METAL UOJECTS .. The bronze Roped P o t . . iJrunze A l t e r Stand . . Bronze S h e l l Surmaun.ted by a n f inirnal
PAGE
16
16
17
17
18
v i i i
L a r g e b r o n z e howl . P e r s o n a l o r n m e n t . . 3 r o n z e I1cridnnt (human h e a d ) urnurnunt
Dronze p e n d a n t ( d o u b l e e g g ) , . C y l i n d r i c a l 3 r o n z e Ornament . Copper S p i r a l o r n a m e n t . M e t a l Gongs . .. P o l i t i c a l F u n c t i o n
S o c i a l F u n c t i o n .. . R e l i g i o u s / r i t u a l f u n c t i o n s a . CH:-\13TEi3 FLIUR
II\?VENTOiW AND C L A S S I F I C A T I D N CJF MOTIFS
P1ot:i.f~ f o u n d i n Dronze / rne ta l and P o t t e r y o b j e c t s ., Animal m o t i f s ,, . G e o m e t r i c m o t i f s
C u r v i l i n e a r motifs
~ k e u m o r p h i c mot i fs . . . CI-I,?13TER F I \ I E
TAxC INOM' / / IC I~ INOGRAI~~ I IC : INTERpl?ETATIUN OF MOTIFS UN TI% DOUBLE EGG BRONZE AkIU I I I T U A L POT
13endant ( d o u h l c e g g ) o r n a m e n t .. T u r t l e (mbe) . . -
PAGE
53
54
54
CONTENT (CONTD.)
The F l y ( I j i j i ) .. The Bead ( A k a ) .. -
The 13ython ( E k e ) - The s p i r a l (Aqworaqwo)
The L e o p a r d ' s Elbow ( I k p e r e - a k a Agu)
S c a r i f i c a t i o n mark ( I c h i ) - L o n g i t u d i n a l l i n e (1Jh ie ) - T h e P a n g o l i n (Fikaho) - CONTEXTIJRL AIL'flL-Y L; I S OF t l Y a R I D MOTIFS - 11 r!! TWU AIjT OAJLCTS
H y b r i d motifs o n t h e doub l e egg bronze object
Hybrid motifs o n t h e r i tual /ceremonial p o t . CtlAlPTER S IX
TAXIJ~ \ IU I~Y/L '~ IN~~EXTUAL ANALYSIS OF HYt3llII) PI[ITIFS UI\I TIiE TldLl AHT LIDJECTS
The R i t u a l / C e r e r n o n i a l p o t . . H y b r i d w h e e l a n d t h e s o c i e t y .. T ~ E d o u b l e , egg b r o n z e oh ject . . Hybrid w h e e l a n d t h e s o c i e t y ..
PAGE
99
L I S T OF PLATES
PLATE I
. . . . . 1 P o t t e r y w a r e ( p r o d u c e d by v e r o n i c a Ezeayom) .. 2 Water p o t ( I t e mrniri)
3 Honey p o t ( I t e a n u )
4 R i t u a l p o t (Oku mu01
5 R i t u a l / C e r e m o n i a l p o t . . 6 Money p o t ( I t e e g o ) . .
!
7 Wine p o t Ute mmanya) . . 8 i ~ i t u a l / ~ e & r n o n i a l p o t ..
' 9 The ' g r e a t p o t ( o k e i t e ) . . 10 M u s i c a l p o t (Udu o k o b s ) .. 11 The b r o n z e r o p e d p o t . . 12 D r o n z e a l t e r s t a n d .. 13 B r o n z e s h e l l s u r m o u n t e d by a n a n i m a l
'14 L a r g e b r o n z e bowl .. 15 Oronze p e n d a n t (human h e a d ) o r n a m e n t
16 ~ r o n z e p e n d a n t ( d o u b l e e g g ) .. 17 C y l i n d r i c a l b r o n z e o r n a m e n t .. 18 Copper s p i r a l s n a k e o r n a m e n t .. 19 M e t a l gong . . 20 R a t t l e s t a f f (oji) t ,
PAGE
F i g u r e LIST OF FIGURES
v Page
1 S k e t c h maps showing t h e g e o g r a p h i c a l p o s i t i o n o f Igbo-Ukwu . . . . . . x v i
2 Map o f s o u t h e r n N i g e r i a showing t h e posj. t i o n o f Igbo-Ukwu xvi i
3 Map o f t h e O n i t s h a a r e a , showing Igbo-Ukwu, Oreri and N r i .. . . . x v i i i
4 bJa t e r d rawing p o t ( I te nwanse) . . . . 27
5 Wine j a r ( I t e mmanya) . 28
6 Cooking p o t (Ee nja .) . . . 3 1
7 Cow head p o t (Oku i s i e h i ) . 32
8 F r i e n d s h i p d i s h (Oku mbo) . . 3 3
9 P o t knows n o t d i s h ( i t e amashi oku) . 37
1 0 P e r s o n a l g o d ' s d i s h (Oku c h i ) . . 38
11 M o t i f s found on b ronze /me ta l a n d p o t t e r y o b j e c t s 72
1 2 Animal m o t i f s . . . . . . 7 6
1 3 ~eometr ic ' m o t i f s . . . . . 8 0
14 C u r v i l i n e a r m o t i f s . . . . 8 6
1 5 Skeumorphic mo t i f s . . . . .. 88
1 6 M o t i f s found o n t h e d o u b l e egg b r o n z e object 9 2
17 The egg m o t i f (Akwa) . . . 9 2
18 A d iag ram o n t h e meanings o f t h e word 4~kwa '" 9 3
1 9 A d iagram o n t h e t y p e s o f e g g s . ,94 20 The t u r t l e m o t i f . . . . 9 7
2 1 A diagram on t h e meaning o f t h e word 'mbe' 9 7
22 H diagram on t h e t y p e s of r e p t i l e s 98
x i i L i s t o f F i g u r e s (Contd . )
Page F i g u r e
2 3 The F l y m o t i f ( I j i j i ) . . - 2 4 A d i a g r a m o n t h e t y p e s o P f l i e s
2 5 The b e a d m o t i f ( ~ k a ) - . 26 A d i a g r a m o n t h e t y p e s o f b e a d s
2 7 M o t i f s f o u n d on t h e Igbo-Ukwu r i t u a l / c e r e m o n i a l p o t s . . . .
28 The ram m o t i f ( E b i n i ) - ,a . . 2 9 A d i a g r a m o n t h e t y p d s o f Ovine . . 30 The p y t h o n m o t i f . . . . 31 A d i a g r a m o n t h e m e a n i n g o f t h e word ( e k e ) .. - 3 2 The s p i r a l m o t i f ( ~ g w o r a g w o ) ,. . - 33 A d i a g r a m o n t h e t y p e s of' s p i r a l . . 34 The l e o p a r d ' s e l b o w m o t i f ( I k p e r e a l a Agu) ., 35 The s c a r i f i c a t i o n mark m o t i f ( i c h i ) . .
--
36 A d i a g r a m o n t h e t y p e s o f ( i c h i ) m a r k s - . -
37 The l o n g i t u d i n a l l i n e m o t i f ( u f i i e ) - . 38 A d i a y r a m o n t h e m e a n i n g of hie) - 39 P a n g o l i n m o t i f . . 40 A d i a g r a m o n t h e t y p e s o f p a n g o l i n . . 4 1 I. lybrid m o t i f s o n t h e d o u b l e e g g bronze object:
4 2 H y b r i d m o t i f s o n t h e r i tua l /ceremonia l p o t
43 The r i t u a l / c e r e r n o v i a l p o t : H y b r i d w h e e l and t h e s o c i e t y . . .
44 The d u u b l e e g g b r o n z e o b j e c t = H y b r i d w h e l l and t h e s o c i e t y . . .
45 The s c u l p t e d f i g u r e o f Eze N r i who d i e d i n 1544
x i i i
Igbo-Ukwu c u l t u r e is r i c h a s e x p r e s s e d i n t h e i r e x q u i s i t e
b r o n z e o b j e c t s . The s o c i e t y b u i l d s on t h e f o u n d a t i o n l a i d by h e r
a n c e s t o r s and e x p l o i t s i ts c u l t u r a l h e r i t a g e . I t is r a t h e r
u n f o r t u n a t e t h a t t h e o l d men o f t h e town a r e d y i n g away and w i t h
them t h e wisdom o f a g e ; t h e p r o v e r b s , f o l k l o r e , and t r a d i t i o n s
which used t o be t h e p r i d e o f t h e peop le .
The Igbo-Ukwtr, l i k e any o t h e r p e o p l e a r e n o t on ly r i c h i n
m a t e r i a l c u l t u r e , b u t a l s o i n c o r p o r a t e t h i s i n t o t h e i r a r t works
which a l s o s e r v e a s v i s u a l r e p r e s e n t a t i o n s o f t h e i r i d e a l s of l i f e
and t h o u g h t .
Ry f a r , t h e p e o p l e ' s g r e a t e s t a s s e t i n t h e i r t r a d i t i o n a l o f
c u l t u r e is t h e a v a i l a b i l i t y / a n ' immense number o f an ima l t a l e s
which a r e t r a n s f o r m e d i n t o human c h a r a c t e r s i n form and t a l e c o n t e x t . -
These c h a r a c t e r s a r e 'human be ings1 and t h e e v e n t s d e p i c t e d a r e
eve ryday e v e n t s .
Igbo-Ukwu p e o p l e a r e known f o r t h e i r un ique c r e a t i v i t y a s
shown i n t h e photo-ev idence o f Shawls a r c h a e o l o g i c a l e x c a v a t i o n
(1970) . They a r e a l s o known f o r t h e i r s k i l l f u l m a n i p u l a t i o n and
c o n t r o l o f a r t m a t e r i a l s and media. A good example are t h e
metal-works of Awka-Agulu s m i t h s w i t h i n t h e Igbo-Uywu c u l t u r a l
complex a s no t ed by Nsofor (1377:37) . P4.A. Onwue jeogwu, on t h e
o t h e r hand , h a s no ted t h a t t h e " q u a n t i t y , q u a l i t y , and t h e g e n e r a l
c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s o f Igbo-Ukwu a r t i f a c t s s u g g e s t a p e o p l e w i t h ' a wel l -
I ,
x i v
o r g a n i z e d and c o m p l e x s o c i e t y (Onwuejeogwu,
G e n e r a l l y , e x i s t i n g l i t e r a t u r e s r e v e a l
arid c u l t u r e h a v e numerous , r i c h and c o m p l e x
1981:2).t1
t h a t Igbo-Ukwu a r t
h y b r i d m o t i f s whose
r a n g e o f s y m b o l i s m h a s n o t b c e n a d d r e s s e d by r e s o a r c h e r s .
The a b o v e s t a t e m e n t is made m a n i f e s t i n T h u r s t a n S h a w l s
e x c a v a t i o n s o f 1959/64. H i s e x c a v a t i o n s h a v e u n v e i l e d a v a s t
a r t i s t i c t r a d i t i o n o f Igbo-Ukwu p e o p l e a s w e l l a s s e v e r a l m o t i f s
which o c c u r o n a l m o s t e v e r y a r t o b j e c t a s s o c i a t e d w i t h t h i s
h i s t o r i c a l a r t c e n t r e , w h e t h e r s u c h a r t o b j e c t s a r e r e l a t e d t o
r i t u a l s , l e a d e r s h i p and a u t h o r i t y , m a s k i n g , o r a r c h i t e c t u r a l
e m b e l l i s h m e n t s .
T h e s e s e v e r a l m o t i f s c l u s t e r i n g i n t h e i r d e c o r a t i v e r i c h n e s s
i n a l l Igbo-Ukwu a r t o b j e c t s c a n b e s t b e d e s c r i b e d as h y b r i d m o t i f s .
The word ' h y b r i d 1 a s d e f i n e d i n t h e New E n c y c l o p a e d i a E l r i t a n n i c a
( 1 9 7 3 : 9 0 7 ) s u g g e s t s t h e u s e o f s e v e r a l m o t i f s u s u a l l y a s "a c o m p o s i t e
p i c t u r e o f p l a n t s , a n i m a l s , and human f i g u r e s t o g e t h e r w i t h o t h e r
n a t u r a l o b j e c t s a n d a r c h i t e c t u r a l s t r u c t u r e s . I 1 The r e s u l t o f t h i s
f u s i o n o f f o r m s may b e s e e n i n t h e numerous h y b r i d f o r m s o f semi -
l i t e r a t e c u l t u r e s o f w h i c h Igbo-Ukwu a r t t r a d i t i o n is a good
example . T h i s c o n f i g u r a t i o n o f . f o r m s o c c u w w i t h f r e q u e n c y i n t h e
Igbo-Ukwu a r t c o r p u s .
The d e s i g n f o r t h i s p a p e r w i l l b e a s f o l l o w s ; i t b e g i n s w i t h
t h e i n t r o d u c t i o n o f t h e study.^ s u r v e y of t h e f u n c t i o n s a ~ d c u J t u r a l
c o n t e x t o f Igbo-Ukwu p o t t e r y f o r m s t h e f o c u s of c h a p t e r two. T h i s
i s F o l l o w e d by c h a p t e r t h r e e w h i c h p r e s e n t s a d e s c r i p t i v e o v e r - v i e w of
m e t a l o b j e c t s and t h e i r f u n c t i o n s . C h a p t e r f o u r d e a l s w i t h t h e
i n v e n t o r y and c l a s s i f i c a t i o n o f m o t i f s f r o m Igbo-Ukwu a r t c o r p u s
d r a w n From c h a p t e r s two and t h r e e . C h a p t e r f i v e d e a l s w i t h taxonomy
and i n t e r p r e t a t i o n o f m o t i f s f r o m s e l e c t e d a r t o b j e c t s . C h a p t e r s i x
t he f o c u s e s o n / l c o n o g r a p h i c i n t e r p r e t a t i o n o f h y b r i d m o t i f s ( t h e i r
r e c o n t e x t u a l i z a t i o n ) a s a n o u t g r o w t h o f m a t e r i a l s a n a l y s e d u n d e r a
c h a p t e r f i v e . T h i s is f o l l o w e d b y / g e n e r a l o v e r v i e w and c o n c l u s i o n .
(Source t Thurstan Shaw 1977)
x v i i
f ig -2. ' ~o~ of southern Nigeria, showing lheposilion of Igbo- Uk wu.
-4 --
FY -3 . Map of the Onitsha area, showing Igbo-Uk wu, Orcri and Nri.
(source: Thurstan Shaw 1977)
CH9PTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Igbo-Ukwu is a town i n Aguata L o c a l Government Area o f
Anambra S t a t e . "I t is s i t u a t e d on a n e l e v a t e d ground a t a b o u t
335 m e t r e s above s e a l e v e l and on l a t i t u d e 6' North and l o n g i t u d e
7' 15" E a s t (Shaw, 1977 : l )u . It c o v e r s a n a r e a of a b o u t 29
s q u a r e k i l o m e t r e s and h a s a b o u t 7 5 , 0 0 0 i n h a b i t a n t s . The town is
l o c a t e d a l o n g t h e major r o a d r u n n i n g from Nnewi t o Aguata and is
40 k i l o m e t r e s S o u t h - e a s t o f Un i t sha .
G e o g r a p h i c a l l y , wIgbo-iJkwu l i e s on rdanka s a n d , a l a t e r a l
e q u i v a l e n t of t h e Ameki f o r m a t i o n (Umeokoli , 1991:2)".
1-1 ISTOi7 I C A L OACI5GHOLJND QF IG00-Ul5WU
Accord ing t o o r a l h i s t o r y , t h e o r i g i n a l name o f Igbo-Ukwu
u a s I I g b o l . However, i n 1942 , t h e word llUkwull was added t o i t t o
d i s t i n g u i s h it f rom t h e o t h e r Igbo-speaking peop le .
The n e a r e s t n e i g h b o u r s O F Igbo-Ukwu a r e : U r c r i , I c h i d a ,
Azigbo, Awka-E t i t i , Nnewi, Amichi , I k e n g a , I s u o f i a , Aguluz igbo ,
Umuona, Ekwulurni l i and E z i n i f i t e . These towns have and s h a r e t h e
same a r t and o t h e r c u l t u r a l t r a d i t i o n s w i t h t h e i r Igbo-Ukwu neighbours . t h e
It is n o t y e t known when/Igbo-lfkwu o c c u p i e d t h e i r p r e s e n t
s e t t l e m e n t . Accord ing t o r e c e n t a r c h s e o l o g i c a l discoveries
2
(Shaw, 'l970), it is b e l i e v e d t h a t some a n c i e n t Igbo-Ukwu p e o p l e
s e t t l e d i n t h i s a r e a e a r l i e r t h a n 9 t h c e n t u r y A.D. A c c o r d i n y t o R.E.
A f i g b u ( 1 9 8 0 ) , Igbo-Ukwu f a l l s i n t o t h e g e o - c u l t u r a l r e g i o n o f Awka-
Okigwe-0r lu w h i c h , a s t h i s a u t h o r h a s s u g g e s t e d , f o r m s t h e c o r e o f t h e
I g b o c u l t u r e a n d h i s t o r y , It is t h i s c o r e t h a t r e p r e s e n t s t h e I g b o
c u l t u r a l n u c l e u s a n d c u n t a i n s t h e m o s t f l o u r i s h i n g t r a d i t i o n s o f t h e
I g b o e v i d e n t i n wood c a r v i n g , i r o n w o r k i n g as wel l a s r i t u a l s p e c i a -
l i z a t i o n o f t h e Nri d i v i n e r s a n d m e d i c i n e men, B a s e d o n l i n g u i s t i c
e v i d e n c e , h e h a s s u g q e s t e d t h a t t h e p e o p l e s e t t l e d i n t h i s a r e a
a b o u t t h r e e t h o u s a n d y e a r s ago . I f o n e r e l a t e s t h i s e v i d e n c e t o t h e
005 AD d a t e F o r t h e Igbo-Okwu b r o n z e o b j e c t s , t h e n o n e c a n e a s i l y
s u g g e s t g r e a t a n t i q u i t y f o r t h e Igbo-Ukwu b r o n z e o b j e c t s , t h e i r
h i s t o r y and c u l t u r a l t r a d i t i o n s .
POLITICS
Igbo-Ukwu ,town is made up o f s e v e n v i l l a g e s namely : Obunu,
Ngo, Umudege, E z i h u , Akukwa, E t i t i a n d E z i g b o . T h e s e v i l l a g e s
a r e s u b - d i v i d e d i n t o k i n d r e d s . The v i l l a g e is t h e b a s i c u n i t of
p o l i t i c a l o r g a n i z a t i o n , w h i l e t r a d i t i o n a l g o v e r n m e n t is c a r r i e d o u t
t h r o u g h two i n s t i t u t i o n s : ( i ) a C o u n c i l o f e l d e r s w h i c h is made up
o f f a m i l y h e a d s who h o l d t h e ' o f o t , - ( s t a f f o f t h e i r d i f f e r e n t
f a m i l i e s ) , ( i i ) t h e v i l l a g e a s s e m b l y o f w h i c h e v e r y grown-up m a l e
i s a member. M a t t e r s r e g a r d i n g t r a d i t i o n , c u s t o m s and r i t u a l s a r e
r e f e r r e d t o t h e c o u n c i l of e l d e r s w h i c h is made up o f t h e IJ1\Jze no Ozol1
( t h e t i t l e d rncn) w h i l e i m p o r t a n t m a t t e p ~ o f p o l i c y a f f e c t i n g t h e
l i f e oP t h e v i l l a g e a r e d e c i d e d by ' the v i l l a g e a s s e m b l y o n t h e b a s i s \
o f c o n s e n s u s . T h i s t a k e s p l a c e e i t h e r i n t h e v i l l a g e s q u a r e o r a t
An i n t e l l i g e n c e r e p o r t by P.P. G r e g i n M a r i u s Iilkwo (1984:3)
shows t h a t Igbo-Ukwu was u n d e r Agulu N a t i v e A u t h o r i t y . F o r e x a m p l e ,
a d i s t r i c t o f f i c e r was s a i d t o h a v e v i s i t e d Igbo-Ukwu o n a c c o u n t o f
some d i s t u r b a n c e s . T h i s is c o n f i r m e d by a n Igbo-Ukwu e l d e r . A c c o r d i n g
t o h i m , "Igbo-Ukwu waged w a r s w i t h mos t o f t h e i r s u r r o u n d i n g t o w n s ,
e s p e c i a l l y w i t h t h e p e o p l e o f Ureri, I c h i d a a n d Agulull. %#
A s a m a t t e r o f f a c t , Igbo-Ukwu was s a i d t o h a v e e n g a g e d i n
a w a r when s h e r e c e i v e d t h e news o f t h e w h i t e m a n ' s a r r i v a l a t
O n i t s h a . An i n f o r m a n t n a r r a t e s t h a t " t h i s was n o t c o n c l u d e d
b e c a u s e t h e w h i t e man t o o k our guns ." 3
The p e o p l e o f Igbo-Ukwu make t h e i r l i v i n y f r o m f a r m i n g and
r e a r i n g o f l i v e - s t o c k . To a lesser d e g r e e , t h e y a r e t r a v e l l e r s
f o r t h e p u r p o s e o f t r a d e . M a r i u s Nkwo (1984) r e p o r t s t h a t I t t h e
town is t h i c k l y p o p u l a t e d a n d t h e i r s o i l , t h o u g h n o t r i c h f o r
a g r i c u l t u r a l p u r p o s e , g r o w s e x c e l l e n t f a r m i n g p a s t u r e f o r l i f e - >)
s t o c k
P o t t e r y and b r o n z e w o r k i n g a l s o f o r m p a r t o f t h e p e o p l e l s
s o u r c e o f l i v e l i h o o d . L i k e t h e Hwka-Agulu s m i t h s , i t is Very p o s s i b l e
t h e y were i n t h e p a s t i t i n e r a n t s m i t h s . . . L
f
R E L I G I O N
The Igbo-Ukwu r e l i g i o u s l i f e is b a s e d o n t h e r e c o g n i t i o n o f l
a h i e r a r c h y o f f o r c e s . The llQkenve . ( e l d e r ) i n t h e v i l l a g e p e r f o r m s
t h e r i t u a l s ,
E v e r y house -ho ld h a s its s h r i n e which i s a n e a r t h mound l o c a t e d
i n a p r o m i n e n t p o s i t i o n i n t h e f a m i l y compound, more e s p e c i a l l y i n t h e
p u b l i c s e c t i o n . T h i s s h r i n e h a s p o s t s and " o q i r i s i t l t r ee , and
c o n s t i t u t s t h e p e r s o n a l d o m e s t i c g a d s and s h r i n e o f t i t l e d men. T h e s e
'I a man a c q u i r e s g r a d u a l l y a s h e t a k e s t i t l e s .
T h e r e a r e t h e s h r i n e s and g o d s o f t h e v a r i o u s l i n e a g e s l o c a t e d
o n a c e n t r a l s p o t c h o s e n by t h e d i v i n e r - p r i e s t . T h e r e is e q u a l l y
t h e v i l l a g e s h r i n e known a s " E N . The d o m e s t i c s h r i n e s r e c e i v e s
d a i l y p r a y e r s w h i l e o t h e r s r e c e i v e o c c a s i o n a l o f f e r i n g s . P a r t i c u l a r
s a c r i f i c e s o f a t o n e m e n t a r e g i v e n t o t h e l i n e a g e god when and a s
o r d e r e d by t h e d i v i n e r f o r any member o f t h e m a n ' s house -ho ld . The . 3 , - .
v i l l a g e g o d , IUdoI - is s a c r i f i c e d t o d u r i n g t h e months o f S e p t e m b e r
and J a n u a r y .
The Igbo-Ukwu r e l i g i o u s l i f e is t h r e e - f o l d and c o n s i s t s o f
v a r i e t y , community and u t i l i t y . The v a r i ~ t i e s o c c u r where t h e r e J I
a r e a number o f g o d s and p l a c e s o f w o r s h i p i n t h e methods and manner
o f w o r s h i p . ' I n t h i s t y p e n o t i c e d by t h e r e s e a r c h e r , t h e yo'ung b o y s a
s p e n d / g r e a t e r p a r t o f t h e y e a r accompanying t h e i r f a t h e r s t o o n e
of.' r i t u a l c e l e b r a t i o n o r t h e o t h e r . The community s h r i n e is
t h e e s s e n c e OF t h e god. I t is t h e common p o s s e s s i o n and g u a r d i a n
a g a i n s t o f a l l . No o n e s i n s / t h e god a l o n e , and t h e p u n i s h m e n t f o r o n u l s
s i n is v i s i t e d o n a l l and t h e same a p p l i e s t o b l e s s i n g s . U t i l i t y
is t h e m o s t i m p o r t a n t r e a s o n t h e Igbo-Ukwu g i v e f o r t h e e x i s t e n c e o f f o r
g o d s , b e i t / e c o n o m i c a c t i v i t i e s s u c h a s p l a n t i n g o f c r o p s , o r i n t h e
more i n d i v i d u a l i n c i d e n t s o f b e i n g b o r n , m a r r i e d o r b u r i e d ,
a l l t h e s e a c t s o f r e l i g i o u s w o r s h i p , is g r e a t l y made u s e o f
a s a v a l i d a t o r o f human a c t i o n s . A s E. I l o o g u (1974:17) h a s t h a t
o b s e ~ v e d / " i t is t h e means o f p r a y e r s t o t h e gods . "
THE PEOPLE
Igbo-Ukwu c u l t u r e is r i c h , a s e x p r e s s e d i n t h e i r e x q u i s i t e
b r o n z e ob j e c k s . The s o c i e t y b u i l d s o n t h e f o u n d a t i o n l a i d by h e r
a n c e s t o r s and e x p l o i t s i ts c u l t u r a l h e r i t a g e . I t is r a t h e r
u n f o r t u n a t e t h a t t h e o l d men o f t h e town a r e d y i n g away a n d w i t h
t h e m , t h e wisdom o f t h e a g e ; t h e p r o v e r b s , f o l k l o r e , and t r a d i t i o n s
w h i c h u s e d t o b e t h e p r i d e OF t h e p e o p l e .
The p e o p l e , l i k e any o t h e r s o c i e t y , a r e n o t o n l y r i c h i n
m a t e r i a l c u l t u r e , b u t a l s o i n c o r p o r a t e t h i s I n t o t h e i r a r t w o r k s
w h i c h . s e r v e a s v i s u a l r e p r e s e n t a t i o n s o f t h e i r i d e a s o f l i f e
arid t h u u y h t .
Dy f a r t h e p e o p l e l s g r e a t e s t a sse t i n t h e i r t r a d i t i o n a l
c u l t u r e is t h e a v a i l a b i l i t y o f a n immense number o f a n i m a l t a l e s
w h i c h a r e t r a n s f o r m e d i n t o t h u m a n c h a r a c t e r s , i n f o r m a n d t a l e c o n t e x t s ,
T h e s c c h a r a c t e r s a r e ' h u m a n b e i n g s w a n d t h e e v e n t s d e p i c t e d are e v e r y d a y
e v e n t s .
Igbo-Ukwu p e u p l c a r e known f o r t h e i r u n i q u e c r e a t i v i t y a s shown i n
t h e p h o t o - e v i d e n c e o f S h a w l s a r c h a e o l o g i c a l e x c a v a t i o n ( 1 9 7 0 ) . They
a r e a l s o known f o r t h e i r s k i l l f u l m a n i p u l a t i o n a n d c o n t r o l o f a r t
m a t e r i a l s a n d med ia . A good e x a m p l e a r e t h e m e t a l w o r k s o f Awka-Agulu
s m i t h s w i t h i n t h e Igbo-Ukwu c u l t u r a l c o m p l e x a s n o t e d by N s o f o r ( 1 9 7 7 :37) .
M.A. Onwuejeogwu, o n t h e o t h e r h a n d , h a s n o t e d t h a t t h e " q u a l i t y ,
q u a n t i t y , a n d t h e g e n e r a l c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s o f Igbo-Ukwu a r t i f a c t s
s u g q e s t a p e o p l e w i t h a w e l l - o r g a n i z e d and c o m p l e x s o c i e t y (0nwue jeogwu,
1 9 8 1 :2)11.
LITERATURE R E V I E W
From 1 9 3 9 when Igbo-Ukwu a r t o b j e c t s were first d i s c o v e r e d by were
I s a i a h A n o z i e t o 1 9 5 9 / 6 4 when t h e y / s y s t e m a t i c a l l y e x c a v a t e d by
T h u r s t a n Shaw t h r o u g h t h e p r e s e n t , s c h o l a r l y i s s u e s o n Igbo-Ukwu a r t
c o r p u s h a v e v a r i o u s l y b e e n r a i s e d .
The e a r l i e s t r e f e r e n c e s t o Igbo-Ukwu come f r o m M.D.W. J e f f r e y s
( 1 3 3 5 , l 9 3 G b , 7 9 4 1 , 1 9 5 3 b ) . A l t h o u g h t h e a u t h o r l s c o n c e r n is b a s i c a l l y
a n t h r o p o l o g i c a l , h e d o e s p o v i d b good m a t e r i a l s a b o u t t h e n a t u r e o f
k i n g s h i p a n d s o c i a l s y s t e m c o n n e c t e d w i t h Igbo-Ukwu. I n o t h e r c a s e s ,
h e h a s p r o v i d e d a v i s u a l d e s c r i p t i o n o f some o f t h e o b j e c t s a c c i d e n t a l l y
d i s c o v e r e d i n Igbo-Ukwu. T h e s e h e h a s u s e d a s a b a s i s f o r f u r t h e r
e x a m i n i n g t h e n a t u r e o f t h e s o c i e t y t h a t was and is a s s o c i a t e d w i t h
t h e s e o b j e c t s .
Among o t h e r a v a i l a b l e r e c o r d s o f h i s t o r i c a l s o u r c e s a r e t h o s e OF
W i l l i a m Fagg and M a g a r e t P l a s s ( 1 3 6 4 ) . I n t h e i r s t u d y o f t h e immense
v a r i e t y o f A f r i c a n s c u l p t u r a l f o r m s ; t h e y were c a p t i v a t e d by t h e
f i n e l y c a s t b r o n z e p o t r e s t i n g o n a n open-work s t a n d @,ncased i n a r o p e
n e t work. On c l o s e r s t u d y , t h e y d e c l a r e r f t h a t ' l i t shows a n e 'xtreme
u n p a r a l l e l e d a d d i t i o n t o v i r t u o s i t y i n A f r i c a (Fagg and P l a s t , 1964 :120) .N
T h u r s t a n Shaw whose 1959/64 e x c a v a t i o n is t h e c o r e s o u r c e o f
h i s t u r i c a l d a t a o n t h e Igbo-Ukwu a r t t r a d i . t i o n , h a s n o t e d o f t h e
Igbo-Ukwu b r o n z e and c o p p e r o b j e c t s t h a t t h e y a r e t h e "mos t r e m a r k a b l e
m a n i f e s t a t i o n o f t h e p e o p l e ' s c u l t u r e and a n a r t o f c o n s i d e r a b l e
a r t i s t i c v i r t u o s i t y (Shaw, 1970:39)11. He f u r t h e r p r o v i d e d a n
i n v e n t o r y o f t h e f i n d s , and s t a t e d t h a t t h e r e a r e " s t r o n g s i m i l a r i t i e s
among t h e F i n d s which s u g g e s t t h e y b e l o n g t o t h e same c u l t u r a l c o n t e x t ? "
I n e f f e c t , Shaw p r o v i d e s u s w i t h t h e d e s c r i p t i o n s o f t h e a r c h a e o l o g i c a l
m a t e r i a l s f r o m Igbo-Ukwu and t h e e v i d e n c e a v a i l a b l e c o n c e r n i n g them.
He a l s o p r o v i d e s f o r u s p h o t o - e v i d e n c e s o f a l l t h e f i n d s i n o n e
volume a n d t h " ? d e s c r i p t i v e a c c o u n t i n a n o t h e r volume ( 1 9 7 0 and 1977) .
T h e r e a r e y e t o t h e r c o n t r i b u t i o n s t o t h e i s s u e s s u r r o u n d i n g t h e
b r o n z e o b j e c t s i n v a r i o u s m a g a z i n e s and j o u r n a l s . I n h i s a r t i c l e ,
P a t O y e l o l a ( 1 9 7 6 ) d e s c r i b e s S h a w l s e x c a v a t i o n as " a r e v e l a t i o n - of
a n i m p o r t a n t b r o n z e w o r k i n g t r a d i t i o n which f l o u r i s h e d i n t h e y e a r
9 t h c e n t u r y AID. ( O y e l o l a , 1976 :VII )" .
8
Ekpo Eyo ( 1 9 7 7 1 , o n t h e o t h e r h a n d , d e s c r i b e s Igbo-Ukwu
b r o n z e s a s t h e " f i r s t e v i d e n c e o f t h e a r t i s t i c u s e o f c o p p e r a l l o y s
i n t h e w h o l e o f B l a c k f l f r i c a (Ekpo Eyo , 1377 :72) . He a l s o l i s t e d
t h e f i n d i n g s and a t t e m p t e d t o r e c o n s t r u c t t h e o r i g i n o f b r o n z e
c a s t i n g . F i n a l l y , Eyo q u a l i f i e d t h e p e o p l e ' s a r t s t y l e a s " u n p a r a l l e -
l e d i n A f r i c a and i n d i g e n o u s (Eyce, 1377:92) .1 t L i k e o t h e r s , h e l i s t e d
and d e s c r i b e d t h e f i n d s .
I n t h i s s e q u e n c e comes M.C. N s o f o r ( 1 9 7 7 ) . He e x p l a i n e d t h e
a c c i d e n t a l d i s c o v e r y o f Igbo-Ukwu a r t o b j e c t s a s a Ifgate-way t o
h i s t o r i c a l e x p o s u r e , and a f o r e - r u n n e r o f S h a w l s e x c a v a t i o n (PJsofor ,
1 9 7 7 : 33) .n
E x p l a i n i n g t h e o r i g i n o f I g b o Ukwu a r t m o t i f s , Anoz ie ( 1 9 8 0 )
s t r e s s e s t h e a p p e a r a n c e o f t h e s e m o t i f s o n h i s p e o p l e l s modern
s c u l p t u r e and a t t r i b u t e s t h e l i n e a r m a r k i n g s t o t h e ' o z o f - t i t l e i n
I g b o l a n d . He a l s o a s s o c i a t e d t h e s n a k e m o t i f w h i c h a p p e a r s o n
some o f t h e c o r p u s w i t h " t h e r i t u a l p y t h o n o f Igbo-Ukwu known a s
' E k e t E h u r u l ( A n o z i e , 1 9 8 0 : 2 5 ) " . -- M.A. Onwuejeogwu ( 1 9 8 1 : 1 6 3 ) w e n t i n t o d e t a i l e d e t h n o g r a p h y i n
o r d e r t o h i g h l i g h t t h e l i n k b e t w e e n t h e c u l t u r a l c o m p l e x f o u n d i n
tP S Igbo-Ukwu a r t o b j e c t s and . r r i b e l i e f s y s t e m .
On t h e ' i r p a r t , H e r b e r t C o l e a n d C h i k e A n i a k o r ( 1 9 8 4 ) summar ized
Igbo-Ukwu a r t t r a d i t i o n i n t h e i r wel l r e s e a r c h e d vo lume e n t i t l e d
I g b o Arts, Comrnunity and Cosmos ." They saw t h e p e o p l e ' s t r a d i t i o n a l
a r t a s a I 1 c e l e b r a t i o n o f a r t i s t i c e x c e l l e n c e a n d v a r i e t y . I t It is
n o t s u p r i s i n g t h e n t o n o t e t h a t t h e y d e s c r i b e d Igbo-Ukwu a r t c u l t u r e
a s I 1 c o m p r i s i n g a v a s t c o r p u s o f s o p h i s t i c a t e d a r t t r a d i t i ~ n . ~ ~ Ely
c o m p a r i s o n , t h e y p l a c e d Igbo-Ukwu a r t t r a d i t i o n a s t h e Itmost t e c h n i c a l l y
a d v a n c e d , , v i r t u o s t i c and d e l i c a t e a r t s t y l e s o u t h o f t h e S a h a r a ( C o l e
a n d A n i a k o r , 1984 : 1 )".
C r i t i c a l l y e x a m i n i n g t h e f i n d s , t h e y r a n k e d them a s ' I the e a r l i e s t
s e t o f r e g a l i a f o r t h e l e a d e r , and t h e f i r s t N i g e r i a n t e x t i l e ( C o l e
a n d A n i a k o r , 1904:2)11- An i n v e n t o r y o f t h e I g b o Ukwu b r o n z e work
was a l s o p r o v i d e d .
K e i t h Hay ( 1 9 8 9 ) d o e s some u s e f u l work when h e a d d r e s s e s t h e
c o n t e x t u a l r e f e r e n c e s o f Igbo-Ukwu b r o n z e o b j e c t s . Fle s e e s t h e i r
s y m b o l i s m i n terms o f t h e u s e o f two t e r m s , namely : " p r e s e n c i n g o f a r t
ob jectsll a n d t h e i r Hhis t o r i c a l a n t e c e d e n t s u a s m e t a p h o r i c a l s t a t e m e n t s -
He s e e s t h e c l u s t e r i n g o f o b j e c t s as d e l i b e r a t e a n d u s e s t h i s as a
b a s i s f o r a t t e m p t i n g a s t u d y and a n a l y s i s of t h e i r i n h e r e n t m e a n i n g s .
I t is t h e n o b v i o u s f rom t h e l i t e r a t u r e r e v i e w o n t h e p e o p l e ' s
a r t t r a d i t i o n t h a t t h e i r a r t i f a c t s a r e w e l l i d e n t i f i e d by v a r i o u s
a u t l l o r s , a n d p r o v i d e u s w i t h a r i c h and c o m p l e x i n v e n t o r y o f o b j e c t s .
I n s p i t e n f t h e d i f f e r e n c e s i n t h e i r m e t h o d s and a p p r o a c h e s
o n t h e s u b j c c t , s c h o l a r s b e a l l a g r e e d o n p l a c i n g t h e a r t t r a d i t i o n
i n t h e i r e n v i r o n r i i e n t a l c o n t e x t . T h e i r n o t i o n is i n c o n f o r m i t y w i t h
Fagg and P l a s s who n o t e d t h a t A f r i c a n a r t i s " t h e p r o d u c t o f t h e i r
e n v i r o n m e n t (Fagg and P l a s s , 1964 :5)11,
10
C o l e and An iako r r e - a f f i r m e d t h i s n o t i o n by saying t h a t Itthe
p r e f e r e n c e f o r p a t t e r n u d s u r f a c e , open-work, and f i n e d e t a i l i n g i n
t h e p e o p l e ' s a r t o b j e c t s r e f l e c t b o t h p e r s o n a l and c u l t u r a l c h o i c e s
( C o l e and A n i a k o r , 1984:20)11.
So f a r , t h e m a t e r i a l s o n Igbo-Ukwu have c o n t r i b u t e d i n no s m a l l
measure t o o n e ' s knowledge on t h e s u b j e c t . They, p r o v i d e a good f o o t i n g
f o r t h e i d e n t i f i c a t i o n o f f u r t h e r r e s e a r c h problems i n t h e a r e a s o f
h y b r i d m o t i f s and t h e i r r a n g e o f symbolism,
These i s s u e s and a l o t more r e v o l v e a round t h e v i t a l q u e s t i o n
o f t h e s y n ~ b o l i s m of Igbo-Ukwu h y b r i d m o t i f s . Hut p r e v i o u s r e s e a r c h e r s
have n o t deemed i t n e c e s s a r y t o d e l v e i n t o any c o n c r e t e d i s c u s s i o n
on t h e i m p o r t a n c e o f t h e s e h y b r i d m o t i f s found o n t h e p e o p l e ' s
a r t i f a c t s : t o d i s c o v e r how f a r t h e s i g n i f i c a n c e , meanings , f o rms
and f u n c t i o n s o f t h e s e m o t i f s h a v e b e e n a f f e c t e d by o r r e l a t e d t o
t h e Igbo-Ukwu wor ld v iew,
Consequen t upon t h e above r e a s o n s , Igbo-Ukwu h y b r i d m o t i f s have
n o t b e e n a d e q u a t e l y exposed b e c a u s e many o f t h e s c h o l a r s have s e t t l e d
f o r v a r i o u s p o s i t i o n s i n t h e i r d i s c u s s i o n on t h e s u b j e c t and have
i n e f f e c t i n c o r p o r a t e d t h e p r a c t i c a l a s p e c t s o f t h e s u b j e c t which
a p p e a r t o t a l l y w i t h t h e r e s p e c t i v e o b j e c t i v e s which they have
s e t o u t t o a c h i e v e . I n t e r p r e t a t i o n s o f h y b r i d m o t i f s o n Igbo-Ukwu
a r t c o r p u s i n t h e p e o p l e ' s c o n t e x t seem t o be a d d r e s s e d o n l y i n
g e n e r a l t e n n e .
I I
RESEARCH PROBLEM
G e n e r a l l y , e x i s t i n g l i t e r a t u r e r e v e a l s t h a t Igbo-Ukwu a r t a n d
c u l t u r e h a v e numerous , r i c h a n d c o m p l e x h y b r i d m o L i f s whose r a n g e
o f s y m b o l i s m h a s n o t b e e n a d d r e s s e d by r e s e a r c h ~ r s .
The a b o v e s t a t e m e n t is made m a n i f e s t i n T h u r s t a n S h a w l s
e x c a v a t i a n s o f l 9 5 9 / 6 4 . H i s ~ : ! x c a v a t i o n s h a v e u n v e i l s d a v a s t
a r t i s t i c t r a d i t i o n OF Igbo-Ukwu p e o p l e a s w c l l as s e v e r a l m a t i f s
w h i c h o c c u r o n a l m o s t e v e r y a r t o b j e c t a s s o c i a t e d w i t h t h i s h i s t o r i c a l
a r t c e n t r e w h e t h e r s u c h a r t o b j e c t s a r e r e l a t e d t o r i t u a l s , l s a d e r -
s h i p and a u t h o r i t y , m a s k i n g , o r a r c h i t e c t u r a l e ~ n b e l l i s h m u n t s .
T h e s e s e v e r a l m o t i f s c l u s t e r i n y i n t h e i r d e c o r a t i v e r i c h n e s s
i n a l l Igbo-Ukwu a r t o b j e c t s c a n b e s t b e d i s c r i b e d a s h y b r i d m o t i f s .
The word ' h y b r i d 1 a s d e f i n e d i n t h e New E n c y c l . u p a e d i a O r i t a n n i c a
(1973:907) s u g g e s t s t h e u s e o f s e v e r a l m o t i f s u s u a l l y a s " a c o m p o s i t e
p i c f u u r e o f p l a n t s , a n i m a l s , and human f i g u r e s t o g e t h e r w i t h o t h e r
n a t u r a l o b j e c t s and a r c h i t e c t u r a l s t r u c t u r ~ s . ~ ~ The r e s u l t o f t h i s
f u s i o n OF forrns may b e s e e n i n t h e numbcrous h y b r i d f o r m s o f semi-
l i t e r a t e c u l t u r e s O F w h i c h Igbu-Ukwu a r t t r a d i t i o n is a good exarnplc.
T h i s c o n f i g u r a t i o n o f f o r m s o c c u r s w i t h f r e q u e n c y I n t h e Igbo-Ukwu
a r t c u r pus .
I n t h e i r s t u d i e s o f h y b r i d m o t i f s , F r a s e r a n d C o l e (1972) h a v e
n o t e d o f them t h a t t h e y a r e " t h e c l e a r e s t v i s i b l e e x p r e s s i o n o f
t h e a r t e f a c t s o f A f r i c a n T h i s means t h a t A f r i c m t r a d i t i o n a l
12
l i f e l a r g e l y r e v o l v e s r o u n d h e r s y m b o l i c a r t o b j e c t s b e c a u s e o f
t h e i r a s s o c i a t e d s y s t e m o f m e a n i n g s o t h e r w i s e known a s i c o n u g r a p h y .
A p a r t f r o m T h u r s t a n S h a w l s ( l 37U) e x c a v a t i o n w h i c h h a s
r e v e a l e d a v a s t arlcl r i c h a r t i s t i c t r a d i t i o n OF t h ~ ? p e o p l e , I \nyu lu
Unwue jeogwlb s t u d y (1981) o n PJri Kinydom a n d hegemony a n d some
g e n e r a l s t a t e m e n t s o n a n d r e r " e r e n c e s t o Igbo-Ukwu and h e r t r a d i t i o n a l
a r t o b j e c t s h a v e n o t b e e n d u l y a c k n o w l e d g e d a n d s y s t e m a t i c a l l y
s t u d i ~ ~ d , more e s p e c i a l l y , t h e r a n g e o f h y b r i d m o t i f s w h i c h a r e o f
p r i m e i m p o r t a n c e i n t h e s y s t e m a t i c e x p l a n a t i o n o f Igbo-Ukwu
t r a d i t i o n a l a r t and l i f e .
F o r i n s t a n c e , E j i z u ( I906 :XU) s a y s t h a t " s y m b o l s a re a
p o t e n t - s t o r e h o u s e o f i n f o r m a t i o n i n I g b o t r a d i t i o n a l t h o u g h t ' I .
He f u r t h c r affirms.' t h a t i t symbol i sm is t l i e b a s i s oT human communica-
t i u n t t . 5 a s e d o n t l i e f o r e - g o i n g , i t is n e c e s s a r y t o e n q u i r e i n t o
t h e e s s e n c e o f t h e s e h y b r i d m o t i f s s i n c e A n i a k o r h a s d e c l a r e d t h a t
I t a r t o b j e c t s a r e m i r r o r s w h i c h r e f l e c t t h e h i s t o r i c a l p e r i o d s t h a t
g a v e b i r t h t o them." 3
Eiu,t h e r e , t h e r i c h c o m p l e x i t i e s o f rneanings and t h e relevance
o f t h e p e o p l e t s s y m b o l i c a r t f o r m r e m a i n l a r g e l y unknown and
u n s t u d ' i e d . T h e r e f o r e , t h e need t o s e e k a n d f o c u s o u r s t u d y o n t h e c o m p l e x
m e a n i n g s of h y b r i d m o . t i f s a s t r a d i t i o n a l a r t s y m b o l s i n t h e Igbo-Ukwu
c o n t e x t , t o d i s c o v e r t h e i r m e a n i n g s a n d i n t r r p r ~ 1 ; e t h e i r s i g n i f i c a n c e
13
i n t h e p e o p l e l s t r a d i t i o n a l s e t t i n g r e r n a i n s a p r i m e n e c e s s i t y .
T h i s nezd c o i n c i d e s w i t h t h c t h r e e r e l a ' L e d i m p o r t a n t a s p e c t s o f
s y m b o l i c s t u d i e s namely f u n c t i o n , mean ing a n d i n t e r p r e t a t i o n ,
T h i s w i l l e n a b l e o n e t o F u l l y u n d e r s t a n d Igbo-Ukwu t r a d i t i o n a l l i f e
w h i c h c e n . t r e s a r o u n d h e r a r t c o r p u s . E l i a d c ( l359:97) a l s o w r i t e s
t h a t ' I the w o r l d s p e a k s a n d r e v e a l s i t s e l f t h r o u g h symbol^.^^
I t is t h e r e f o r e p r o p e r t o e n q u i r e i n t o t h e m e a n i n g s e n c o d e d
i n t o t h e o b j e c t s f o r t h e i r a r t i s t i c a n d s y m h o l i c i n t e n t i o n and e s s e n c e .
T h e s e i s s u e s a n d a l o t more r e v o l v e a r o u n d t h e v i t a l q u e s t i o n s
o f t h e s y m b o l i s m o f t h e p e o p l e ' s h y b r i d m o t i f s , B u t t h e s c h o l a r s
h a v s n u t dermud it n e c e s s a r y t o d e l v e i n t o a n y c o n c r e t e d i s c u s s i o n s
o n t h e i m p o r t a n c e o f t h e s e h y b r i d m o t i f s f o u n d o n t h e p e o p l e ' s
a r t e f a c t s : t o d i s c o v e r how f a r . t h e s i g n i f i c a n c e , m e a n i n g s a n d f o r m s
o f t h e s e m o t i f s h a v e b e e n a f f e c t e d by o r r e l a t e d t o t h e p e o p l e ' s
w o r l d v i e w ,
C o n s e q u e n t upon t h e a b o v e r e a s o n s , Igbo-Ukwu h y b r i d m o t i f s
h a v e n o t b e e n a d e q u a t e l y e x p o s e d b e c a u s e many 0.F t h e s c h o l a r s h a v e
s e t t l e d f o r v a r i o u s p o s i t i o n s i n t h e i r d i s c u s s i o n o n t h e s u b j e c t and
h a v e i n e f F e c t i n c o r p o r a t e d t h e p r a c t i c a l a s p c c t s o f t h e s u b j e c t
which a p p e a r s t o t a l l y w i t h t h e r e s p e c t i v e o b j e c t i v e s which t h e y s e t
o u t t o a c h i e v e ,
The m a j o r t a s k o f t h i s s t u d y is t o f o c u s o n t h e f u n c t i o n s ,
m e a n i n g s and i n t e r p r e t a t i o n s o f h y b r i d m o t i f s o n Igho-Ukwu a r t c o r p u s
14
i n t h e p e o p l e ' s c o n t e x t . F o r e x a r n p l ~ , w h a t is t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p
b n t w e e n Igbo-Ukwu a r t o b j e c t s , t h e i r t y p e s a n d f u n c t i o n a l c o n t e x t ? u f
g r e a t i m p o r t a n c e is a n o t h a r r e s e a r c h q u e s t i o n ; w h a t is t h e r a n g e
o f t h e m o t i f s a n d d o e s o n e se lec t a numbur o P a p p r o p r i a t e m o t i f s
s o as t o s u b j e c t t h e m t o t a x o n o m i c a n a l y s i s ? a e y o n d t h i s , how d o e s
o n e e n ~ p l o y t h e t a x o n o m i c i n s i g h t s b a s e d o n l i n g u i s t i c a n a l y s i s ,
o r a l t r a d i t i o n s a n d m e a n i n g s in t h e r e c o n t e x t u a l i z a t i o n o f t h e
m u t i f s a s h y b r i d i s m ?
RESEARCIH METHODOLOGY
S i n c e t h e s t u d y of Igbo-Ukwu a r t o b j e c t s b e g a n some t w e n t y -
hSm o n e y e a r s a g o , a u t h o r s h a v e i n v a r i a b l y s t u d i e d a t t h e i r 'own l e v e l s
o f d e x r i p t i o n , a n a l y s e s a n d p e r c e p t i o n s , a l t h o u g h t h e i r r e s e a r c h
a p p r o a c h e s d i f f e r , D o u g l a s F r a s e r a n d Herbert C o l e ( l972:4) h a v e
s a i d t h a t ! ! t h e r e is no s u c h t h i n g a s t h e c o r r e c t way t o s t u d y
A f r i c a n a r t t 1 s i n c e e v e r y me thod d e p e n d s o n t h e g o a l of s t u d y .
H o w e v e r , i c o n o q r a p h i c a n d f u n c t i o n a l a p p r o a c h e s a r e a d o p t e d
i n t h i s c o n t e x t s i n c e t h e y c e n t r e o n , t h e m e a n i n g s a n d f u n c t i o n s
0 . F h y b r i d m o t i f s . To o b t a i n a b o t t e r r e s u l t , o n e n e e d s t o c r i t i c a l l y
e x a m i n e a r t o b j e c t s b o t h i n l t r i n s i c a l l y a n d e x t r i r g i c a l l y s o a s t o
a r r i v e a t . t h e m e a n i n g s e n c u d e d i n t h e a r t o b j e c t s .
F o r t h i s r e a s o n , t h i s s t u d y a d o p t s S h e r r y Ei. O r t n e r l s (1973:93)
r e s e a r c h f o r m u l a w h i c h s a y s t h a t " a p a r t i c u l a r s y m b o l p o s s e s s e s a k e y
s y m b o l i f it is s i g n a l m by o n e o f t h e f o l l o w i n g i n d i c a t o r s ,
'I 5
( i ) The ' n a t i v e 1 t e l l s u s t h a t I X 1 is c u l t u r a l l y i m p o r t a n t .
-.- ( i i ) I h e I n a t i v e s 1 seem p o s i t i v e l y o r n e g a t i v e l y a r o u s e d
a b o u t ' X I .
( i i i ) I X 1 comes up i n many d i f f e r e n t c o n t e x t . T h i s c o n t e x t s
may b e b e h a v i o u r a l o r s y s t e m a t i c , I X t comes up i n many
d i f f e r e n t k i n d s o f a c t i o n , s i t u a t i o n o r domain ( m y t h ,
r i t u a l , a r t , s t o r y e t c ) .
( i v ) T h e r e is g r e a t e r c u l t u r a l e l a b o r a t i o n s u r r o u n d i n g ' X I ,
e x a m p l e s a r e e l a b o r a t i o n o f v o c a b u l a r y , o r e l a b o r a t i o n
o f d e t a i l s o f I X 1 s n a t u r e , compared w i t h s i m i l a r
C phenomena i n c u l t u r e .
U s i n g O r t n e r l s mcthod w i t h t h e e x i s t i n g r e l e v a n t m a t e r i a l s
o n t h e s u h j e c t , i t becomes c l e a r t h a t Igbo-Ukwu h y b r i d m o t i f s
q u a l i f y h i g h l y a s d o m i n a n t t r a d i t i o n a l s y ~ n b o l s . Most o f t h e i n d i c a t o r s
a h o v c , e s p e c i a l l y numbers ( i ) , ( i i ) a n d ( i i i ) a p p l y g r e a t l y t o t h e
Igho-Ukwu a r t c o r p u s . I t is t h e r e f o r e , r i g h t t o c h o o s e t h i s , as a key
method O F t h i s s t u d y , and a b e n e f i t i n g e n t r y p o i n t i n t o t h e r e a l m
O F Lgbo-Ukwu t r a d i t i o n a l symbol i sm.
DATA COLLECTIljN
U s i n g O r t m e r t s , scherne , t h e m e a n i n y s and f u n c t i o n s o f
Igbo-Ukwu h y b r i d m o t i f s w e r e s o u g h t and o b t a i n e d t h r o u y h t h e
f o l l o w i n g ways :
A s Oi?AL INTEllVIEWS
O r a l i n t e r v i e w s ( t a p e - r e c o r d e d ) s e r v ~ d a3 ,an .entry point ! i n t o
t h e f i e l d work . I t b e y a n f i r s t l y w i t h i n t e r v i e w s w i t h t r a d i t i o n a l
u s e r s o f t h e s y m b o l s o n w h a t t h e y know a n d b e l i e v e a b o u t t h e o b j e c t s ,
T h i s a p p r o a c h w a s s u p p o r t e d w i t h f i e l d n o t e s a n d y i e l d e d raw
ma te r i a l s f o r d a t a a n a l y s i s .
T h e n a t u r e of t h i s s t u d y d e m a n d s t h a t m a t e r i a l s b e a n a l y s e d .
T h i s rncthod is n e c e s s a r y e s p e c i a l l y i n t h e a r e a s w h i c h demand v i s u a l
e v i d e n c r , c l a r i f i c a t i o n s , a n d s t r e n g t k n h g o f f ac t s a n d d a t a a n a l y s i s .
C. DATA ANALYSIS
An a n a l y t i c a l m e t h o d was a d o p t e d i n t h i s r e s e a r c h . T h i s is
d o n e by r e l a t i n g t h e i d e a s , v a l u e s , a n d a c t i v i t i e s c o n n e c t e d w i t h
t h e o b j e c t s t o t h e e n t i r e d o m a i n o f Igbo-Ukwu s y m b o l i s m and wor ld -v i ew.
T h e a b o v e a p p r o a c h e s r e s u l t e d i n t h e u s e o f t w o a s p e c t s o f
r e s e a r c h m e t h o d s name ly :
( i > FUNCTIONAL METHOD
F u n c t i o n a l a p p r o a c h u s e d h e r e c o i n c i d e s w i t h H.F. Thompsolls
( 1 3 7 4 ) w h i c h s a y s t h a t a f u n c , t i o n a l a p p r o a c h t o a n a r t o b j e c t i n c l u d e s
I tan e x a m i n a t i o n n o t o n l y o f t h e u s e o f t h e a r t o b j e c t b u t a l s o t h e
r e a c t i o n p e o p l e h a v e t o it," T h i s m e t h o d was e m p l o y e d b e c a u s e 4
A f r i c a n a r t is a r e f l e c t i o n o f t h e p a r e n t c u l t u r e t h a t g a v e b i r t h t o
i t- T h i s h e l p s t o ~ x p l a i n why H e n e d i c t I b i t o k u n ( 1 9 8 1 : 5 5 ) r e p r e s e n t s
17
t l G e l e d e l t t o b e a p r o j e c t i o n o f Yoruba human c o n s c i o u s n e s s . F o r t h e s e r e a -
Eons a f u n c t i o n a l mcthod is c h o s e n t o e n a b l e t h e r e s e a r c h e r a r r i v e
a t a f u n c t i o n a l e s s e r l c e o f h y b r i d m o t i f s i n Igbo-Ukwu a r t f o r m s .
( i i > ICOI'iIOGR4IJI-(I[: METHOD
A f r i c a n a r t d o e s n o t e x i s t i n a vacuum. And man a l s o h a s b e e n
i n c o n s t a n t s t r u g g l e w i t h t h e g r e a t e r f o r c e s t h a t a c t o n him. T h e r e f o r e ,
a g i v e n c u l t u r e is c o n d i t i o n e d by t h e e n v i r o n m e n t a l i n f l u e n c e s common
t o i t .
An e x n ~ n p l c is c i t e d by J a q u e t Maquet ( 1 9 7 2 : 6 8 ) who n o t e d t h a t
i n h a b i t a n t s o f thr! g r e a t e q u a t m i a l f o r e s t I t a r e a m a z i n g s c u l p t o r s n .
.This is s o b e c a u s e t h e p e o p l e h a v e m a s t e r e d t h e i r o r a l , t r a d i t i o n a l
a n d a r t e i i v i r u n r n c n t s . They h a v e a l s o c u l t u r a l l y t a p p e d i t s f o r c e s ,
and r e c h a n n e l e d them t o p o s i t i v e u s e i n t h e s o c i e t y . I c o n o g r a p h i c
a n a l y s i s t h e r e f o r e , e n a b l e s o n e t o d i s c o v e r t h e r n e a n i n ~ c n c o d e d
i n a r t o b j e c t s .
H a v i n g r e c o g n i z e d t h e u s e f u l n e s s o f s y m b o l s i n A f r i c a n
t r n d i t i o n a l s e t t i n g s , M . E l i a d e ( 1 9 5 9 : 9 7 ) writes t h a t 1 I t h e w o r l d s p e a k s
a n d r e v e a l s i t s e l f t h r o u g h syn ibo l s . l1 From t h e a b o v e s t a t e m e n t ,
o n e n o t i c e s t h a t t h e Igbo-Ukwu h y b r i d m o t i f s a r e bound up w i t h t h e
p e o p l e l s w o r l d v iew. And by t h e v e r y n a t u r e o f t h e i r a r t f o r m s ,
h y b r i d m o t i f s a r e c s s e n t i a l l y i n v o l v e d i n t h e d y n a m i c s o f t h e i r
18
c u l t u r a l l i f e . The o b j ~ c t i v e s o f t h i s s t u d y a r e t h r e e - f o l d :
(1) t o show t h a t h y b r i d m o t i f s a r e r e l e v a n t t o t h e u n d e r s t a n d i n g
of t h e p e o p l e ' s a r t t r a d i t i o n .
( 2 ) t o s h o ~ Lhe i n t r i n s i c : and e x t r i n s i c m e a n i n g s o r t h e
h y b r i d m o t i f s a s e n c o d e d i n t h e p e o p l e ' s a r t t r a d i t i o n
( 3 ) t o e s t a b l i s h t h e n o t i o n o f h y b r i d m o t i f s a s a m u l t i p l i c i t y
o f m e a n i n g s w h i c h a l s o r e f l e c t d i f f e r e n t l e v e l s o f
a r t i s t i c i d e a l s a s c u l t u r a l p e r c e p t i o n s o f Igbo-Ukwu p e o p l e .
S C U I ~ E / L I ~ I I T ~ T I O N - A l t h o u g h i n s i g h t s o f p i o n e e r r e s e a r c h e r s b e n e f i t t h i s s t u d y ,
il; is e s p e c i a l l y t h e s y m b o l i c a n d f u n c t i o n a l a s p e c t s o f Igbo-Ukwu
h y b r i d m o t i f s which a r e r e p r e s e n t e d o n t h e p e o p l e ' s a r t c o r p u s t h a t
c o n s t i t u t e n t h e r e s e a r c h i n t e r e s t i n t h i s s t u d y .
G e o g r a p h i c a l l y , t h i s r e s e a r c h c o v r r s t h e e n t i r e Igbo-Ukwu
town. The m a j o r s u b - c u l t u r a l a r e a s s h a r i n g t h e same c u l t u r a l t r a i t s
a r e a l s o e n c o m p a s s e d by t h i s s t u d y . 5y c u l t u r a l a r e a s E j i z u (1906:
X V I ) e x p l a i n s i t t o mean " a g e o g r a p h i c a l d e l i r n i t l a t i o n s o f t h e a r e a s
t h a t h n v c a l m o s t t h e same d o m i n a n t f e a t u r e s and s i g n i f i c a n t c u l t u r a l
t r a i t s . 1 )
H y b r i d m o t i f s on t h e p e o p l e ' s a r t i f a c t s a r e e s s e n t i a l l y l o c a l l y
r o o t e d and u n d e r s c o r e a c o n s i d e r a b l e r a n g e o P p r a c t i c e and u s e .
F o r c o n v e n i c n c e , t h i s s t u d y e x t e n d s o n l y t o s u c h a r e a s o f a r t
19
p r a c t i c e s which a r e g e o g r a p h i c a l l y occup ied by . Oreri, I s u o r i a ,
Nri, I c h i d a , Iclii, E z i n i f i t e , Ikenga and Ugbu. Fie ld-work
was c o n c e n t r a t e d on t h e above a r e a s b e c a u s e t h e y would h e l p s h e d more
l i g h t on t h e f u n c t i o n s and meanings o f h y b r i d n ~ o t i f s i n Igbo-Ukwu
t r a d i t i o n a l a r t . T h i s measure h a s b e e n t a k e n b e c a u s e A f r i c a n a r t
ob j c c t s a s e x p l a i n e d by Ilene Bravrnanri (1973) "know no f r o n t i e r s n .
They move be tween c u l t u r e s , b o t h i n s p a c e and time. T h i s i s what h e
means by I t the m o b i l i t y of a r t a c r o s s c u l t u r a l f r o n t i e r s n .
1. Arna E h u r u is t h e name o f t h e Igbo-LJl~wu v i l l a g e square where m a t t e r s c o n c u r n i n g t h e a f f a i r s o f t h e q i l l a g c s a re discussed.
2. From t h e i n t e r v i ~ w w i t h an lgbo-1Jkwu e l d e r .
3. From t h e i n t e r v i e w w i t h o n i n f o r m a n t .
4 . l l q i r i s i is t h e name o f a r i t u a l t r e e w h i c h i s p l a n t e d i n -- f r u l n t O F t h e s h r i n e p o s t s .
5. A v e r b a l e x p r e s s i o n r e n d e r e d b y Dr. C.C. A n i a k o r d u r i n g o n e o f h i s i c o n o g r a p h y classes i n 1989.
CHAPTER TWO
A DESCRIPT I\IE OVEl3VIEW OF IGOU-UKUU POTTERY - THEIR TYPES AICD FUIKTIIJNAL CONTEXT
F r a s e r (1972:3) w r i t e s t h a t " a r t s c r v e a a v i t a l p u r p o s e a t
l e a s t a s f a r a s A f r i c a is c o n c e r n e d and s o l o n g a s t h e i r w o r l d v i e w
ho lds I1 . T h i s means t h a t a r t c e l e b r a t e s l i f e . T h i s c h a p t e r s e t s
o u t t o s t u d y Igbo-Ukwu p o t t e r y .
The word ( f u n c t i o n 1 a s u s e d h e r e a g r e e s w i t h F r a s e r (1972:309)
u h i c h s a y s t h a t " f u n c t i o n a l a p p r o a c h t o a n a r t o b j e c t i n c l u d e s a n
e x a m i n a t i o n o f a n a r t o b j e c t n o t o n l y o f its p u r p o s e b u t a l s o its
use.11 Thus a s t u d y o f t h e f u n c t i u n s o f a n a r t o b j e c t is t o a r t i c u l a t e
t h e r a m i f i e d f u n c t i o n s i t s e r v e s i n v a r y i n g i n t e r - a c t i o n a l c o n k e x t s
among p e r s o n s and g r o u p s . F o r e x a m p l e , v a r i o u s a r t o b j e c t s u s e d by
t h e 1;he I i i n d i a r i s t o c r a t s Of/Republ ic o f Conyo n o t o n l y make them more
v i s i b l ~ a n d a u d i b l e , b u t a l s o e n h a n c e t h e i r s u p e r i o r s t a t u s and
a b i l i t y t o m a n i p u l a t e p o l i t i c a l p o w e r s and a u t h o r i t y .
The b a s i c f u n c t i o n s o f a n a r t o b j e c t a r e t h e r e P o r e t o c r e a t e
c l a s s d i s t i n c t i o n s . On t h i s i s s u e , Hene Braumann (1972:153) h a s
r e m a r k e d t h a t llecnblems o f a c q u i r e d r a n k s o r t i t l e s f u n c t i o n a s
i d e a l r e m i n d e r o f t h e s o c i o - p ' o l i t i c a l h i e r a r c h y and o f c l o s e
r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h i t s s o u r c e s , t h e p a r a m o u n t l e a d e r .I1 A r t o b j e c t s
a l s o f u n c t i o n beyond t h e i r p u l i t i c a l b o u n d a r i e s . F o r e x a m p l e ,
l l c r b e r t L n l e o b s e r v e s t h a t " d m o r a t e d t u s k s e n s u r e s a f e p a s s a g e f o r
t i t l e d men i n a l i e n communities and t h e c a r r y i n g o f swords w i t h emblems
by e m m i s s a r i e s o f A s h a n t i conveys. a s p e c i f i c meaning a s
d e c l a r a t i o n o f war t o l e a d e r s o f n e i g h b o u r i n g s t a t e s ( C o l a , 1372:79)11.
Having g e n e r a l l y d i s c u s s e d f u n c t i o n , onp now f o c u s e s o n Igbo-Ukwu ca te r jory
p o t t e r y . T h i s a r t o b j e c t / i s s e l e c t e d b e c a u s e i t is i n t i m a t e l y
i n v o l v e d w i t h f u n c t i o n ; . i n v a r i o u s s o c i o - c u l t u r a l and o t h e r
i n s t i t u t i o n a l c o n t e x t s .
Furthermore, it . w i l l b e s t u d i e d unde r r e l i g i o u s
and d o m e s t i c / L i t i l i t a r i a n f u n c t i o n s .
I n t h e p a s t , f i n e t r a d i t i o n a l p o t t e r y wares were made i n
t 1E l a r g e q u a n t i t i e s . ~ o w E v e r , ) m a ~ o r i t ~ o f t h e s e a r e l o s t t o us. A
good r e a s o n f o r t h i s is f u r n i s h e d by o r a l h i s t o r y which g o e s t h u s
lturoU - ( p l a s t i c c l a y ) was o l ~ t n i n e d f r ~ m s e v e r a l nI. lbizetl s i t e s
i n t h e l ow- ly ing a r e a s n e a r tlUrnudev It'. I n t h e d i s t a n t . p a s t ,
t h e r e was a r i v e r i n Igbo-Ukwu, a p l a c e o f a b o u t one k i l o m e t r e
f rom " L l r n ~ d e q e ~ ~ v i l l a g e . "DegeN is t h e f i r s t son1 o f u I g h o t and
his d c s c e n d a ~ ~ t s a r e c a l l e d ltUrnudeqeN. T h i s r i v e r was d r i v e n away
u s i n g s a c r i f i c e s and r i t u a l s . The Igbo-Ukwu C h i e f , t h e I D U I o f
Igbo-Llkwu, n a r r a t e s t h a t "Uqe ahu b u oge rnrnadu , j i o f u o b i erne i f e ,
orle aka nirnadu I ~ u o t o , umu-nwaiiyi wme kpokue chukwu, owee
& a t m a ha o s u , chupuru ha wiri, u we q h u g a n l e i l o t i ,L
T h h was t h e t i m e when p e o p l e a c t e d a s o n e , t he womenfolk c a l l e d On
Grid who answcrcd and d r o v e t h e w3 tc r t o n p l a c e c a l l e d Itedolt .
Their g r i e v a n c a was t h e s c a r c i t y oP l a n d f o r a g r i c u l t u r e and
human h a b i t a t i o n . The re s t i l l e x i s t i m p r e s s i o n s oP i ts c o u r s e
i f l places c a l l e d flOgharutl ("13gbaH means I t t o f l o w u o r where
water is f e t c h e d ) . These Ugbaru a r e n e a r uUq~duruqwu i r i q h i r i n a
bounda ry he l ;we~?ri Igbo-ilkwu and I s u o f i a . "
Now, Igho-Ukwu peop le pu rchased p o t t e r y m a t e r i a l s f rom
t h c i r n c i g h b o u r i n g v i l l a g e s such as llL~qhult , llUhumall - and ltUmunzell.
Examples , o f t h e s e p o t t e r y wares a r e t h o s e produced by a woman
from Ugbu c a l l e d V e r u n i c a Ezeayom (see P l a t e 1 below?.
Mazi Ekemezie conf i rma t h i s s t o r y b; a d d h g , t h a t Itwe a l lowed t h o s e
p e o p l e who were ' be ing t h r e a t e n e d by c l a y f l o o d s t o
b e g i n making p o t t e r y 0 ( a n y i wee hapu n d i mbize 4
n'akwado i chupu ka h a kpuwazie i t e ) . T h i s a c t i o n shows t h a t
pot-making d o e s n o t f e t c h a r e a s o n a b l e amount and a t t r a c t s a
p u p u l a r s a y i n g t h a t I1po t t e ry is no t r a d e t 1 (onye i t e Abuh,u onye
flh'ia.:.a "And we t u r n e d t o motor p a r t s t r a d e , s o t h a t , s h o u l d
w h i t e men g o , we w i l l b e a b l e t o f o r m u l a t e our own motor p a r t s , I t
he added. T h i s a g r e e s w i t h Michae l C a r d e u ' s (1986:Z) o b s e r v a t i o n
t h a t i n I t p r e s e n t West A f r i c a n s o c i e t y , p o t making b r i n g s a s m a l l
i n d e p e n d e n t income t o t h e w i v e s , b u t t h e v a l u e o f t h e p r o d u c t i s
n o t s u f f i c i e n t t o a t t r a c t t h e men e x c e p t i n s p e c i a l c a s e s o f
making c e r e m o n i a l vessels!'
POTTERY TYPOLOGY
D i f f e r e n t forms of t r a d i t i o n a l p o t t e r y p l a y i n v a l u a b l e r o l e s
i n Igbo-Ukwu c u l t u r e . These i n c l u d e " i t eU ( p o t ) o r "uduH ( m u s i c a l - - p o t ) and t lokut l (bowl) .
These t y p e s i n t h e i r v a r i o u s v a r i a t i o n s r e p r e s e n t t h e more
r e c e n t o f t h e Igbo-Ukwu p o t t e r y c o r p u s . Other wares inc$uc/e t h o s e
e x c a v a t e d by ' ~ h u r s t a n Shaw (1970) . These c o n s t i t u t e t h e c o r e r : '
m a t e r i a l s f o r d i s c u s s i o n and a n a l y s i s .
According t o T h u r s t a n Shaw (19701, I1Some 21,784 p i e c e s of p o t t e r y
were r e c o v e r e d from t h e t h r e e e x c a v a t i o n s a t Igbo-Ukwu; 355 from Igbo
25
I s a i a h , 1 2 , 5 0 2 f r o m I g b o R i c h a r d , a n d 0 , 3 2 7 f r o m Igbo Jonah . " (F1. 207) .
The p o t t e r y , h e f u r t h e r n o t e s , h a s b e e n c l a s s i f i e d i n t o s i x m a i n
c a t e g o r i e s . The f i r s t , Group 4, c o n s i s t s o f w a t e r p o t s , t h e m a j o r i t y
o f w h i c h a r e a n c i e n t w h i l e some a r e o f r e c e n t p r o d u c t i o n . Group U,
c o n s i s t s o f c o o k i n g p o t s and b o w l s o f r e c e n t t y p e s w h i l e Group C ,
c o n s i s t s a l s o o f G h a r a c t e r i s t i c d e e p l y g r o o v e d p o t t e r y a s s o c i a t e d
w i t h t h e same c u l t u r e a s p r o d u c e d b r o n z e s (1970:207).11 Group D
d e a l s w i t h o t h e r a s s o r t m e n t s o f p o t t e r y , m a i n l y o f s t o p p e r s and p o t -
l i d s w h i l e Group E c o n s i s t s o f " p o t t e r y which h a v e b e e n worked i n
some ways... (1970 :207) .
U f t h e s e c a t e g o r i e s , o n l y G r o u p s A , O , C , and p o s s i b l y D , a r e
u s e f u l t o t h e a n a l y s i s o f Igbo-Ukwu p o t t e r y and we s h a l l a p p l y t h e m
a c c o r d i n g l y .
G R O U P A CATEGflRY
D e s c r i p t i o n s f r o m Shaw ( 1 9 7 0 ) a r e v e r y a p p r o p r i a t e t o t h e p o t t e r y
e x c a v a t e d i n I g b o s i t e s . A c c o r d i n g t o h i m , p o t t e r y forrns u n d e r Group 4,
h a v e b i f i d rims. I n a d d i t i o n , t h e l l s n i a l l e r w a t e r p o t s t e n d t o h a v e
n a r r o w n e c k s and t o b e p e a r - s h a p e d , t h e l a r g e r o n e s p r o b a b l y T o r
w a t e r - s t o r a g e r a t h e r t h a n f o r q a - t e r - c a r r i a g e - t e n d t o h a v e w i d e r
m o u t h s and seem t o h a v e b e e n more g l o b u l a r ( l97O:2O7) ." D e c o r a t i o n s
c o n s i s t o f t h e u s e o f w a w - l i k e comb p a t t e r n s o n t h e s h o u l d e r s w h i l e
o t h c r s h a v e i n c i s e d d e c o r a t i o n s o n t h e n e c k ; i n some o t h e r s s t i l l ,
p a t t e r n s were mode w i t h f i n g e r - t i p i m p r e s s i o n s . O t h e r s v a r i a t i o n s
w i t h i n t h i s c a t e g o r y a r e o f r e d d i s h wares which a r e u n d e c o r a t e d and
combin ing r o u l e t t i n g and d e e p p a r a l l e l g roov ing .
F i e l d examples e x i s t which f i t i n t o t h e above s~cherna. L a r g e l y ,
t h e y can be d e t a i l e d a s f o l l o ~ ~ ~ s : F i r s t among t h e s e is t h e w a t e r p o t
commonly known by t h e Igbo-Ukwu a s ( i t e rnrniri) (See p l a t e 2 ) -
Plate 2- Waher pot - -( itemiri
27
T h i s is f o l l o w e d by t h e honey pot (a $&Ir (See p l a t e 3)
P l a t e 3. I-loncy p o t ( i t e ;i"nu)
water d r a w i n g p o t ( i t a - nwanse) (See f i q . 4 ) , .
Fiq. 4.. water d r a w i n g p o t ( ite nwanse)
and wine p o t ( i t e mmanya) ( f i g . 5 ) \
~ i g . 5. lljine p o t
G R O U P A
Accwding t o Shaw (1370), t h e Igbo Ukwu have produced a n
assortment erP w a t e r p o t s , cook ing p o t s and bowls " o f t e n w i t h n e t
o r p l a i t e d r o u l e t t e i m p r e s s i o n s . Thp n e t p a t t e r n s have s m a l l
d e p r e s s i o n s a t t h e c r o s s i n g s OF t h e l i n e s ( k n o t s ) and a p p e a r t o
have b e e n done by i m p r e s s i n g a F i n e s t r i n g ne t . The r o u l e t t e d
p a t t e r n s seem t o have b e e n done w i t h a r o u l e t t e made by t u i ~ t i n g
two l e n g t h s of s h a r p edged m a t e r i a l s (p . 212).It I n some othera, & - -5
t h e p o t s a r e c o v e r e d w i t h a l l o v e r r o u l e t t e i m p r e s s i o n s , OP s h o r p l y 4
i n c i s e d c r i s s - c r o s s i m p r e s s i o n s which were p r o b a b l y made by the uae
2 9
o f p l a i t e d r o u l e t t e . I n o t h e r s , r o u l e t t e d e c o r a t i o n s a r e combined
w i t h s l i g h t l y d e c o r a t e d g r o o v e s . P o t s h a p e s a r e o v a l , o r c o n c a v e w i t h
f l a r e d mouths . I n a d d i t i o n , b o w l s w i t h f l a n g e s are I 1 d e c o r a t e d i n
o t h e r n a p p e a r w i t h s h a l l o w t r a n s v e r s e g r o o v e s ( t h r e e e v e r y 2 crn)
e a c h e n d i n g i n a l i t t l e c i r c u l a r p i t i n t h e o u t s i d e s u r f a c e o f t h e
w a l l o f t h e v e s s e l ; a b o v e t h i s h o r i z o n t a l row o f l i t t l e h o l e s t h e
a r e a u p t o t h e r i m f l a n g e is d e c o r a t e d w i t h f a i r l y d e e p c r i s s - c r o s s
g r o o v i n g a r r a n g e d X-wide; t h e body o f t h e p o t b e l o w t h e l o w e r
f l a n g e is d e c o r a t e d w i t h t h e t y p e o f r o u l e t t i n g w h i c h r e s u l t s i n
v e r t i c a l ' s l a s h t marks . ( P l a t e 436).
O t h e r s o f more r e c e n t makiny c o n s i s t o f c i r c l i l a r b o w l s p r o b a b l y
u s e d a s s o u p - c a r r y i n g b o w l s . They are r e d d i s h i n c o l o u r , wliicli is
t h e r e s u l t of t h e e f f e c t s o f t r a d i t i o n a l f i r i n g methods . They h a v e
s t e p p e d - u p rims a n d h a v e s l i g h t l y o f f - b l a c k p a t i n a t i o n which may
h a v e b e e n e f f e c t r d by t h e u s e o f g r e e n l e a v e s t o a c h i e v e a r a t h e r
p l e a s i n g s u r f a c e . V a r i a t i o n s o f t h i s a r e t h e n a r r o w t y p e s w i t h o u t
r ims known MI '+&u ~ J B '
t h e d e i t y ) . (See p l a t e 4
late 4 , Ritual p o t ( O ~ U ilJ,?)
T h e r e a r e a l s o c o o k i n g p o t s and bowls. The mus t common are t h e
c o n c a v e p o t s w i t h wide mouths, r e d d i s h p a t i n a t i o n , r o u l e t t e
d e c o r a t i o n s , and f l a r e d . rims known as ' lfte n j a .I ( c o o k i n g p o t ) .
(See f i g . 6 1.
Fig.:, 6. Cook ing p o t (.ate nja ?
T h i s i s complemented by a n o t h e r v a r i e t y o f l a r g e c o n c a v e b o w l s
w i t h r e d d i s h s u r f a c e s and b l a c k t i n t s ' f o r d e c o r a t i o n s . w h i c h a r e
c h a r a c t e r i z e d by a w i d e c i r c u l a r rim. They are known as
'Uku isi e h i ' w h i c h is a r e f e r e n c e t o t h e i r a s s o c i a t i o n w i t h t h e
cow's head - a d e s c r i p t i o n o f t h e i r v i s u a l fo rm. ( S e c , f i g - 7 ) ..
F i g . 7. Cow h e a d p o t ( o k u i o i e h i )
S t i l l o t h e r s b e a r v i s u a l s i m i l a r i t i e s t o t h e f o r e g o i n g e x c e p t t h a t
a r o u n d t h e i r rims a r e i n c i s e d g e o m e t r i c a n d a n i m a l d e c o r a t i o n s
t h r o w n i n t o r e l i e f b y t h e i r r e d d i s h p t i n a t i o n -
The\/ i n c l u d e oku mbo ( f r i e n d s h i p p o t ) (See f i g . 8 ).
EiF!nur3 C
T h i s c a t e g o r y c o n s i s t s m a i n l y o f t h e c h a r a c t e r i s t i c d e e p l y
g r o o v e d p o t t e r y wares w h i c h w e r e e x c a v a t e d by T h u r s t a n Shaw and
o t h e r s o f r e c e n t e x c a v a t i o n . W i t h i n t h i s g r o u p a r e t h e p o p u l a r
known p o t t e r y w a r e e x c a v a t e d by T h u r s t a n Shaw - t h e r i t u a l /
ceremonial pot (See p l a t e . 5 ) , the
P l a t e 5. The r i t u a l / c e r e m o n i a l p o t
r e c e n t l y . e x c a v a t e d t y p e which is d i s p l a y e d i n Igbo-Ukwu museum -
P l a t e 8. H i t u a l w&, @ t e mun)
T h u r s t a n , Shaw ( 1 9 7 0 ) h a s s u y q c s t e d t h e f o l l o w i n g v i s u a l
c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s f o r t h e p o t t e r y i n t h i s c a t e y o r y . A c c o r d i n g t o
h im, t h e v a r i o u s p o t t ~ r y a r e d e c o r a t e d i n a v a r i e t y o f ways.
Nany a r e d e c o r a t e d w i t h g r o o v e s , and somet in ics w i t h b a s s e s o r g r o o v e d
r i d g e s . I-le n o t e s f u r t h e r t h a t :
The d e c o r a t i v e scheme i n c l u d e s e i t h e r c o n c e n t r i c c i r c l e s , o r p o r t i o n s t h e r e o f , frequently w i t h a c e n t r a l b o s s , o r s p i r a l s . The n o r m a l f o r m is a round-bot torned b o w l , w i t h t h e l o w e r p a r t u n d e c o r a t e d ; t h e rim may b e u i d e and f a r i n g ( e i t h e r p l a i n o r d e c o r a t e d i n t e r n a l l y w i t h g r o o v i n g o r s t a m p i n g ) o r a wide f l a t rim b e a r i n g s i n g l e f l a t - t o p p e d g r o o v e d r i d g e w i t h w i d e l y s p a c e d b o s s e s ( 1 9 7 0 : 2 1 5 ) ,
Of a n o t h e r v a r i a t i o n i n f o r m a l h a n d l i n g , h e h a s n o t e d t h a t "The
d e c o r a t i v e scheme c o m p r i s e s r e c t a n g u l a r o r t r i a n g u l a r p a n e l s o f
p a r a l l e l o r c r i s s - c r o s s g r o o v e s , s o m e t i m e s w i t h s m a l l b o s s e s .
Vessels a r e e i t h e r b o w l s w i t h w i d e e v e r t e d and u n d e c o r a t e d rims o r
medium-Sized p o t s w i t h c o m p a r a t i v e l y w i d e n e c k s ; b i f i d rim
( P l a t e 1 0 and 1 2 ) . M ( 1 9 7 0 : 2 1 5 ) , ~
The g e n e r a l p i c t u r e o f t h e p o t t e r y i n t h i s c a t e g o r y is t h e
s k i l l f u l uoc o f a d e c o r a t i v e g r o u n d o f s p i r a l s and c u r v i l i n e r
m o t i f s w h i c h a r e d e p l o y e d r o u n d t h e p o t t e r y fo rm f o r s u r f a c e
r i c h n e s s , T h i s is o v e r l a i d i n h i g h r e l i e f w i t h a n i m a l f o r m s u c h
a s l i z a r d , cow h e a d , and o t h e r f o r m s t o t h e e x t e n t t h a t t h e s u r f a c e
37 I
is made t o be d e c o r a t i v e l y v e r y complex and s o p h i s t i c a t e d . Thus
i t is t h e c o m b i n a t i o n o f t h e p a n g o l i c ram, s n a k e motif, ( o f t e n
c o i l e d up) and a n a c t i v e s u r f a c e o f g e o m e t r i c d e s i g n s i n t h e i r
f o r m a l r i c h n e s s , which makes t h e Igbo p o t t e r y a v e r y r i c h and
s p e c t a c u l a r t r a d i t i o n . I
These p o t t e r y wares a r e f u r t h e r grouped a c c o r d i n g t o t h e i r
f u n c t i o n s and r.un t hus : - H e l i g i o u s , S o c i a l and Domest ic U t i l i t a r i a n
F u n c t i o n s .
R e l i g i o u s F u n c t i o n
The p o t t e r y v e s s e l s t h a t s e r v e r e l i g i o u s f u n c t i o n i n c l u d e
( a ) " i t e amaqhi okul1, (See , P i g . g ) .
F i g . 9 . Fiot knows n o t d i s h ( i t e amashi oku )
( b ) "oku muoIt (See p l a t e 6 ) and I1oku c h i t ' (See . f i g . ,,a,
Fig. I d P e r s o n a l g o d ' s p o t (oku;i='hi
1. I 1 I t e Amaqhi dkull ( P o t Hnows n o t . D i s h )
T h i s is t h e s m a l l e s t among t h e p o t s . When s e e n i m m e d i a t e l y ,
o n e w i l l q u e s t i o n i t s p u r p o s e b e c a u s e i t is i n a way b i g g e r t h a n
a medium-sized e l ec t r i c b u l b . I t is r o u g h l y made, and h a s no
d e c o r a t i o n s . " I t e arnaqhi okull ( p o t knows no d i s h ) is s u i t a b l y .J I
r e s e r v e d f o r d f e r i n g s a c r i f i c e s t o t h e s p i r i t s ( n d i muo). .:.
Couples ' -who a r e n o t b l e s s e d w i t h c h i l d r e n p u r c h a s e i t ,
and s t u f f i t w i t h s a c r i f i c i a l c o n d i m e n t s . Igbo-Ukwu p e o p l e a l s o t h e
b e l i e v e t h a t when r e l a t i o n s m a r r y , t h e s p i r i t o f / a n c e s t o r s w i l l
v i s i t thcrn w i t h t h e n e g a t i v e e f F e c t r ; o f w r a t h and infertility.
T h i s c a n o n l y be redirected by p l a c a t i n g 'Lhc g o d s t h r o u g h t h e
same a n c e s t o r r ; , I Js ing t h i s p o t , / o a c r i F i c e is made and p l a c e d a t t h e
r u x l i n t r r s o c t i o n , T h i s is i n a c c o r d a n c e w i t h t h e l g b o bd ' l ief i n
5 t r t And i n Igbu-Ul<wu religious o r t h o d o x y , t r i n i t y i s
r e p r e s e n t e d by t i l e F i g u r e t h r e e i n t e r m o f I g b o n u m e r i c a l symbol i sm.
I t is a comirron trel ir?P t h a t s p i r i t s c o n v e r g e t h e r e and t h a t any
s a c r i f i c e l e f t t h e r e is more e a s i l y a c c e s s i b l u t o t h e gods . The
P u l f - i l l ~ n c n t O F t l ~ c n e c e s s a r y r i t u a l opanc; up t h e d o o r t o p r o c r e a t i o n .
Hc!rice, " i t e arnaqhi uku11 rn12ans l i t e r a l y t h a t w o n t h o u g h
a p o t and d i s h a r e a l l p o t t e r y v e s s e l s , t h e forrnur d o e s n o t 'know1 - t h e lat-L;ur. T h i s p o t is u s e d m o s t l y f o r r i t u a l wash ing .
I1ll;l:u rnun1I is a n e l u n q a t e d t y p e o f d i s h w i t h c o v e r (Sue p l a t e 9). --
40
i;ornetimes it is i n t r i c a t e l y made s u c h a s t h a t e x c a v a t e d b y
T h u r s t a n Shaw ( P l a t e 5 ). The t y p e s e e n o n t h e p e r f a s t a l s o f
ttilrJu s h r i n e I t h a 5 g i r d s o f Vour L i m s ( P l a t e 9 1. l 'hc c v e n l y
d i s ' i r i b u l ' ? r l g i r d s s e r v o a s d c c o r a t i o n . l lEk i . l~ncz iun , t;hc c h i e f
p r i e s t O F llUdoll s h r i n r - . a t t e s t s t h a t i t i s c a l l e d I1oke okuI1
( g r e a t d i s h ) b c c a u s e it b e l o n g s t o l1L1ke n r u s l I 1 ( g r c a t g o d d e s s l tUdo l l ) .
I-le a l s o p o i n t s o u t t h a t " T h i s d i s h c o n t a i n s t h e h e a r t s o f s a c r i f i c i a l
a n i m a l s w h i c h are. meant f o r t h e g o d d ~ ? s s . T h i s is why it is l o c a t e d
b e s i d e t h ~ ! g r e a t p o t o f t h e d e i t y Udo.I1 I1na ya k a a n m u n y e o b i a n u
were nye Inuu n r i , y a I<a o , j i r i were n lodc l .~e o l c ~ i t e udo? T l l i s p o t
is c o n s e c r e t e d d u r i n y t h e "UdoM f e s t i v n l . I ts u s u a l l o c a t i o n is b e s i d e
1 1 ~ 1 < ~ i t e t t ( g r e a t w i n e j a r ) ( S e e P l a t c 9 ) u h i c h i s p l a c e d i n a h o l e ,
f i l l e d ~ ~ i t , . i w i n e a n d s u r r o u n d e d by c e l e b r a n t s who d r i n k f r o m i t t o
af P i r m t h e i r f i d e l i t y and o n e n e s s .
t
P r e c i s e l y , b l o o d ' s a c r i f i c e is made a l o n g w i t h p r a y e r t o t h e
d e i t y a n d t h e h e a r t o f a n i m a l .is p u t i n t h e d i s h ( I foke ~ l < u ~ ~ / ~ ~ o k u muon)
a n d o f f e r e d t o t h e g o d d e s s a n d a n c e s t o r s who are b e l i e v e d t o
r e s i d e i n t h e t lUdotl s h r i n e ,
3. I1Oku C h i t 1 ( P e r s o n a l g o d ' s d i s h )
I1Uku c h i t 1 ( P l a t e 15) h a s a r e s e m b l a n c e t o t h e t r a d i t i o n a l
medium s o u p p o t . Once a p o t o P t h i s t y p e is made a n d n o t u s e d f o r
t h ~ ! f i r s t t ime, women c a n buy i t f o r t h e i r - c h i . They u s e i t i n
d a i l y r i t u a l i s t i c s a c r i f i c e s , a n d more e s p e c i a l l y d u r i n g t h e p e r i o d
o f " I q o c h i Umu-nwanyill (womenls ' c h i 1 f e s t i v a l ) . ' Women a $ s o u s e it '
f o r d i r e c t c o n t a c t w i t h t h e i r p e r s o n a l g o d s .
When a s k e d t h e p u r p o s e o f "oku c h i M Madan J u l i a n a a n g r i l y
r e s p o n d e d "Obu maka o y i b o b u t e r e akwukwo, u k o were k a n k u , umu
o q h a u u r u were kpudo uwa ihu' f??ana. Mqbe g b o o o b u o k u c h i k a e.ji
e n y c c h i n n i , were r i o y a k a o q o z i e 'ma h i d o r o kwa a n y i i h e oma. 41 Oy t h i s s t a t e m e n t , s h e i m p l i e s t h a t is it b e c a u s e t h e w h i t e man
b r o u g h t e d u c a t i o n a n d t h e p e o p l e a l l w e n t t o c h u r c h a n d t h e c r a z y
y o u t h s t u r n e d t h i n g s u p s i d e down? I n t h e . ' p a s t , i t was w i t h t h e
( c h i p o t ) t h a t o n e s e r v e d o n e l s c h i ~ a i t h f o o d a n d p r a y e d J f o r I
b l e s s i n g s a n d good l u c k . IOku c h i t is u s e d w i t h s p e c i a l c o n d i m e n t s
7 , . .'
o f I fazu c h i v ( a t y p e o P f i s h ) s o u p a n d o f f e r e d t o t ~ c l ~ i l l ) i \
T h e s e f e s t i v a l s a re o b s e r v e d u s i n g t r a d i t i o n a l c a l e n d e r m o n t h s
'.of moon c o u n t i n g . ' To t h i s , " J i n k w o " s a y s I1eqo c h i r u e , a q o o _ ~
I
fl~e ud@"r~;i', a q b a a \/a1! (when i t is ' ' . t i m e f o r any f e s t i v a l , 8 t o
we c e l e b r a t e it). T h i s is t e s t i f i e d , i n C h i n u a Achebe ( 1 9 6 4 : l ) which r
9 s a y s t h a t " ' ~ z e u l u ' n e v e r s l e e p s u n t i l h e sees t h e moon..'f ' And
r e a c h i n g o u t l l n e r v o u s l y f o r h i s . ; m e t a l , gong , h e a n n o u n c e s i t el1
"Oku c h i N c a n b e compared w i t h " I g b o Ikengall ( s c u l p t u r a l f i g u r i n e
t h a t r e p r e s e n t s t h e s t r e n g t h o f t h e r i g h t hand o f a man). Men u s e
i t t u b e c k o n o n . t h e i r a n c e s t o r s f o r s u c c e s s and upward movement i n
l i f e . Women i n l i k e manner u s e "oku c h i M f o r t h e same p u r p o s e .
Thesa v a r i o u s e a r t h e n w a r e s w h i c h o c c u r i n g r o u p B o f o u r p o t t e r y
t y p b h g y thua r e h f o r c e t h e s t r o n g r e l i g i o u s u n d e r t o n e s o f Igbo-
Ukuu pottery I
SQCIAL FUKT ION
The f o l l o w i n g p o t t e r y v e s s e l s s e r v e s o c i a l f u n c t i o n s . They
i n c l u d e "Udo o k o b e u ( S e e p l a t e l o ) , " i t e e g o m See p l a t e 6)
P l a t e 10. M u s i c a l p o i ( u d u o k o b e ) --
a n d "ite - m manyan ( f i g . 5 )., T h e s e gre d r a w n l a r g e l y f r o m o u r
' 3 ' a n d ' A 1 p o t t e r y g r o u p / t y p o l o g y . Women a n d g i r l s ' d a n c i n g g r o u p s OHU MBn.
u s e "Udu ol tobet t EE a p e r c u s s i o n i n s t r u m e n t . - / It is a d i s t i n c t t y p e
o f l lokul l u s e d b y h i g h - c l a s s , r e s p e c t e d women s u c h a s " n d i
O q a r a n y a m a n y i n ( w e a l t h y women). They u s e i t t o s e r v e f o o d t o t h e i r
male f r i e n d s .
C y r i l I k e r e v e a l s t h a t " o n e may l i k e t o know t h a t o u r c u l t u r e
t o l e r a t e s women. h a v i n g o t h e r m a l e f r i e n d s . Her h u s b a n d may know
o f i t a n d w o u l d n c t s a y a n y t h i n g e s p e c i a l l y i f t h e man is f i t t o 10
h a v e her1!. On f e s t i v a l d a y s , women p r e p a r e a l l t h e d e l i c a c i e s t h e y
c a n a f f o r d a n d p u t t hem i n t h i s h i g h l y d e c o r a t e d d i s h a n d s e r v e
t h e i r f r i e n d s . S o when a man s a y s my .wife I1nebu mbo,I1 h e means
t h a t s h e p a s s e s d e l i c i o u s d i s h t o h e r make,'friend.
I T E E G O ( P l a t e 6.)
I t is a t r a d i t i o n a l bank . An e x a m p l e o f t h i s is t h e r e c e n t l y
e x c a v a t e d o n e (Shaw, 1 9 7 0 ) w h i c h is l o c a t e d i n Igtio-Ukwu museum.
T h i s o n e is d i s c o v e r e d t o c o n t a i n a s p e c i a l t y p e o f money known a s
I t i h i l i l t - w h i c h was h i g h l y v a l u e d i n t h e o l d e n d a y s .
T h i s t y p e o f money, e x p l a i n s Onwughara , w a s t % r a d i t i o n a l l y i ;
t h e m o s t h i g h l y . v a l u e d and c o u l d o n l y b e f o u n d i n k h c h a n d s o f t h e
t r a d i t i o n a l lords11 s u c h a s t h ~ c h i e f s a n d t i t l e d m e n . When l l i t e aqol t
is f i l l e d w i t h money, it is b u r i e d i n f lo fe /ohen ( t h e s l e e p i n g room o f
t h e f a m i l y h e a d ) . I t w i l l o n l y b e d u g up a t s u c h t i m e s a s marriage,
t a k i n g o f " o z o H t i t l e or shown t o " d i o k p a l a N ( f i r s t s o n ) a l i t t l e
t ime b e f o r e h i s f a t h e r d i e s .
4 . J I I t e F l ~ i i a n y i ~ ~ (Wine J a r ) (See F i g . 5 )
I n e v e r y ! in ter ta i rment , u d u / i t e N is s e e n i n d i f P e r e n t f o r m s
p l a y i n g d i f f e r c n t r o l e s . I1LJdu rnmanyu" is m a i n l y u s e d For b u y i n g ,
s t o r i n y a n d s e r v i n g wine .
When "udu rnmanyitl is f o u n d i n t h e s h r i n e s s u c h as t h e Itudo
s h r i n e l t , i t is c a l l e d ( l loke u d u / i t e f l ) - ( t h e g r e a t p o t ) ( P l a t e q).
O u t i f it is l o c a t e d o u t s i d e t h e s h r i n e a n d r u p e d , it is . c a l l e d
" a k a k p o n ( o r d i n a r y p o t ) . A n i a k o r (1301) writes t h a t d r i n k i n g is
" o n e O F ,Lhc c e n t r a l f e a t u r e s o f s o c i a l and c e r e m o n i a l l i f e i n
s o u t h - e s s t c r n I ' J ige r i a a n d no s u c i a l e v e n t O F a n y i m p o r t a n c e is t r u l y
c o m p l e t e w i t h o u t pa lm w i n e .I1 I n Igbo-Ukwu, s p e c i a l o c c a s i o n s s u c h
a s ~ u d o l ~ F e s t i v a l , " I q b a mbib i1 I a n d l l o z o t l t i t l e c e r e m o n i e s a r e n o t 1 2..
c o m p l e t e w i t l i u u t t h e d r i n k i n g o f pa lm wint:. T h i s cummun a 1
c o n v i v i a l i t y is a n o v e r t a c t o f f e l l o w s h i p , a n d a s o c i a l e x p r e s s i o n
uF g o o d i n t e n t . T l i ~ p e o p l e b e l i e v e t h a t a n y p e r s o n who p u t s p o i s o n
" n s i l l i n tllis g r e a t p o t llokell i t e / u d o l l w i l l d i e a n d any e v i l p e r s o n - s u c h a s a t h i e f who p a r t a k e s o f it w i l l a l s o d i e . I n e a r n e s t , t h e
a n p o t s e r v e s a s / a q e n t 0.F s o c i a l c o n t r o l .
I1Uke i t e I t ( P l a t e 9 ) f o u n d i n t h e 11Ud0~~ s h r i n e h a s m u l t i p l e
h a n d l e s ( f o u r a r e b i g w h i l e f o u r a r e s m a l l ) . Ekernez iz , t h e c h i e f
p r i e s t o f n U d o u , s a y s t h a t " t h e h a n d s r e p r e s e n t t h e f o u r m a r k e t d a y s ,
namely : A f o r , Nkwo, Eke and Orie. 'This v e s s e l is o f t e n l o c a t e d
i .n f r o n t o f . p e o p l e t s s h r i n e p o s t s . Out t h e r e is eve ry r e a s o n
t o b e l i e v e t h a t t h e y a r e p r i m a r i l y made f o r s h r i n e s and commurdl.
u s e and f o r d i s p l a y i n g s t ~ t u s .
On t h e o t h e r handTHudu akakpon ( t h e o r d i n a r y p o t ) f o r
the.. t i t l e d men is h i g h l y f u n c t i o n a l d u r i n g . . o c c a s i o n s o f
communal: l a b o u r , w r e s t l i n g a c t i v i t i e s o r m a r r i a g e ce remon ie s .
Young men u s e it t o buy wine from t h e ne ighbour iny v i l l a g e s f o r
communal . consumption.
DOMESTIC/UTILITARIAN FUNCTIONS
P o t t e r y wares have a wide r a n g e o f u s e o n d i f f e r e n t o c c a s i o n s
i n t h s d o m e s t i c l i f e o f Igho-Ukwu people . They i n c l u d e l l x t & n j a . - ( f i g . 3. 1, i t e nwanse - (F ig . 1, i t e a 6 2 - ( P l a t e 31 , oku nni - ( P l a t e . 7 . ) , oku i s i e h i - ( ~ i ~ . 7 )Il, a s shown i n t h e Group A and 9
c a t e g o r y o f o u r p b t t e r y t ypo logy .
1. " I t e Nja" (Cooking p o t )
" I t e n j a u is one o f t h e t r a d i t i o n a l house-hold u t e n s i l s
e s p e c i a l l y d e s i g n e d f o r making soups . I t is c o n v e n t i o n a l l y s t r o n g
and smooth and m a r r i e d women own and use it. I t i s i n d i s p e n s a b l e
i n t h e f a m i l y s i n c e e v e r y woman p r e p a r e s food f o r h e r family, .
2, "Udu Rlwanse" (drawing w a t e r p o t )
T h i s is r a t h e r a s m a l l e r t y p e o f wa te r p o t ( i t e m m a r l which
is used i n drawing w a t e r f rom t h e w a t e r c r i s t e r n .
3. " I t e 8ijutf ( b e e p o t ) r -
T h i s is a p o t k e p t o n t h e . t r e e - t o p . I t s e r v e s a s ';..a t r a p f o r
b e e s a n d f o r c o l l e c t i n g honey.
4. "Uku n n i t l ( f o o d b o w l )
a "Oku n n i n i s / n o r m a l - s i z e c l a y p o t which is u s e d f o r d i s h i n g
o u t a n d s e r v i n y f o o d t o t h e f a m i l y .
5. I1Oku Isi Ehi t l (cow head b o w l )
"Oku isi chi" is a g i a n t s i z e bowl. I t is so-named b e c a u s e o f i t s
its b i g s i z e a n d / u s e d u r i n g f e s t i v e d a y s . I n it a r e p r e p a r e d t h e
e n u m e r a t e d cow p a r t s s u c h a s t h e e y e s , s l I c e d . l i v e r , cow h e a d , and
i n t e s t i n e s , "Oku isi e h i " is th'e o n l y d i s h t h a t c a n c o n t a i n t h e
tlnqwongwotl ( e n u m e r a t e d p a r t s ) - h e n c e its name "oku i s i e h i t t .
I t is a l s o u s e d t o p r e p a r e c a s s a v a s a l a d known a s t f n r i unwutt
( f a m i n e f o o d ) which is' c l o s e l y a s s o c i a t e d w i t h t h e p e r i o d b e t w e e n
p l a n k i n g and h a r v e s t .
From a l l i n d i c a t i o n s , it is n o t i c e d t h a t p o t t e r y a r t o b j e c t s
p l a y s i g n i f i c a n t r o l e s i n t r a d i t i o n a l r e l i g i o u s , w e l f a r e and s o c i a l
l i f e o f t h e Igbo-Ukwu p e o p l e . T h u s c o n t a i n e r s are u s e d i n r i t u a l
c i r c l e s , s o c i a l and d o m a s t i c a c t i v i t i e s . I t i s t h o u g h t t h a t t h e i r 1 I
u s a g e is c e n t r . a l t o d o m e s t i c l i f e and a c t i v i t i e s .
ON CHAPTER
. 1I ; ; l~ izel l is a s i t e where p l a s t i c c l a y is c o l l c c t e d . - 2 l From , t h e i n t e r v i e w g r a w t e d t h e w r i t e r by Eze Z.E. Urneokn l i ,
The 1I)U I OF Igbo-IJkwu.
3 . \ l e r o n i c a Ezeayoin is a t r a d i t i o n a l pott1.r f r o m I'Jgbu town.
4 . E x c e r p t f rom t h e t a p e - r e c o r d e d i n t e r v i e w w i t h Ekemez ie t h e C h i r 2 f - p r i e s t o f Lldo s h r i n z .
5 . T r i n i t y i n 'Eghu r e l i g i o o s o r t h o d n x y is r e p r e s e n t e d by t h e F i g u r e t h r e e i n terms o f I g b o n u m e r i c a l symbol i sm.
6 . l i x c ~ r p t f r o m t h e f n t u r v i e w w i t h a n Iyho-'Jkwu h u u s e w i f e Pladarn J u l i a n a .
. T e x t f r o m l;he t a p e - r c c o r r l e d i n t e r v i e w w i t h I~ladon J i n k w o , t h e t r a d i t i n n a l m u r a l i s t .
8 . From t h e in . t ; e rv iew grnrt ' tod t h e r e s e a r c h e r by " t h e sarne t r a d i t i n n a l m u r a l i s t .
9 . L z c U l u i n Arrow Of God is t h e C h i e f I-'riest o f Ulu.
" T h i s statement is r e n d e r e d d i r e c t l y i n E n g l i s h a s t h e i n f o r m a n . t l s s u u r c e .
-11 . T h i s is a l s o a d i r e c t ; s t a t e m e n t r e n d e r e d i n E n g l i s h a s t h e i n f u r m a n t l s s o u r c e .
. " I g b a mbibi1I is o t r a d i t i o n a l ceremony w h i c h is c e l e b r a t e d d u r i n g young g i r l s r ' M b i b i f p u b e r t y r i t e s .
13 . From t h e i n t e r v i e w w i t h t h e C h i n f I - ) r i ~ s I ; o f Udor
CHAPTER TIHREE
r l N A L Y 5 1 . 5 OF METAL OOJECTS - TI-IEIH TYPES AW FUNCTIIINAL CUIVTEXT
'i'fic I l e t o l U b , i ~ c . t s
Thc m e t a l o b j e c t s w h i c h T h u r s t n n Shnw ( 1 9 7 0 ) e x c a v a t e d a re
a s s o c i a t e d w i t h t h e i m p o r t a n t s i t e s o f I g b o I s a i a h , I g b o H i c h a r d a n d
I g b o J o n a h , s o - c a l l e d a f t e r t h e t h r e e b r o t h e r s i n whose compounds
t h e e x c a v a t i o n s w e r e c a r r i e d o u t . The metal o b j e c t s c o n s i s t o f b r o n z e
w o r k s w h i c h t h e m e t a l w o r k e r s p r o d u c e d by t h e l o s t - w a x t e c h n i q u e
w h i l e t h e o t h e r s f o l l o w e d t h e t e c h n i q u e o f s t n i t h i r i g , c h a s i n g a n d
f o r g i n g . h lha t a l l t h e o b j e c t s s h a r e i n common a re t h e i r c o m p l e x
f o r m s a n d h a n d l i n g . Only a f e w o b j e c t s a r e d e s c r i b e d i n o r d e r t o
i n d i c a t e s o m e t h i n g a b n u t t h e i r f o r m a l f e a t u r e s .
The n r o n z c n o p e d P o t :
Tho b r o n z e r o p e d o b j e c t I ' c o n s i s t s o f a n u l o n y a t e d g l o b u l a r
w a t c r p o t ~ i t h i n t e r n a l d e p t h o f 21.?cm, s e t u p o n a s t a n d 13.9 cm
h i g h , a n d b o t h e n c l o s e d by c o p e w o r k h a v i n g r e e f - k n o t s a l l a t t h e
j u n c t i o n s . The w a t e r p o t h a s a n e v e r t e d rim on Lhe e d g e o f w h i c h
t h e r e is a f l a n g e n o t q u i t e v e r t i c a l b u t s l o p i n g v e r y s l i g h t l y
i n w a r d s ; t h e r i m is n o t q u i t e r o u n d b u t l i g h t l y o v a l s h a p e , a
f l a r e d b a s e a n d a v e r t i c a l f l a n g e .I1 A p a r t From r o p e w o r k d e c o r a t i o n s ,
t h e r e are o t h e r d e c o r a t i v e m o t i f s . The l a t t e r c o n s i s t o f i n t e r l a c e
+ 4 . Ir
3 .6 49
=.
d e s i g n s which r u n r o u n d t h e n e c k , d o t t e d d e c o r a t i o n s i n r e l i e f a t
t h e rim and C a t h e r i n e w h e e l m o t i f s w h i c h f i t i n t o t h e l o w e r
s p a c e s o f t h e r o p e w o r k d e c o r a t i o n s .
What is i n t e r e s t i n g a b o u t t h e b r o n z e p o t is t h a t i t was c a s t
i n t h r e ~ ? s e p a r a t e p i e c e s and a s s e m b l e d t o g e t h e r i n t o a c o m p o s i t e
forrn. I n t h i s , t h e b r o n z e p o t is a u n i q u e f o r m w i t h i n t h e Icjbo
b r o n z e c o r p u s . ( S e e p l a t e 11 3 .
n r o n z e Altar . S t a n d :
A c c o r d i n g t o T h u r s t a n Shaw, t h i s b r o n z e o b j e c t c o n s i s t s " o f a n
open-work c y l i n d e r w i t h a d i a m e t e r of a b o u t 16.2cm. w i t h a n e x p a n d e d
f l a n g e a t t h e t o p w i t h a d i a m e t e r o f 22.2 cm. a n d a t t h e b a s e o f
22.4 cm. The u p p e r s u r f a c e o f t h o t o p f l a n g e a n d t h e u n d e r s u r f a c e
o f t h e b o t t o m F l a n g e a r e c o n v e x i n s e c t i o n ; t h e u n d e r s u r f a c e o f t h e
t o p f l a n g e and t h e u p p e r s u r f a c e o f t h e b o t t o m f l a n g e a r e c o n c a v e .
The o v e r a l l w i d t h o f t h e s e f l a n g e s is 4.5 cm. t o 4.7cm.; t h e y
p r o j e c t some 3.0cm o n t h e o u t s i d e beyond t h e c y l i n d r i c a l p o r t i o n ,
a n d a b o u t l.lcm. i n w a r d s o n t h e i n s i d e (1970:113-4)-
What is i n t e r e s t i n g a b o u t t h i s o b j e c t is t h e v e r t i c a l f o r m a t
u s e d by t h e b r o n z e w o r k e r s i n t h e g r o u p i n g o f f o r m s . F o r e x a m p l e ,
t h e c y l i n d r i c a l f o r m o f t h e b r o n z e a l t a r s t a n d is d i v i d e d i n t o
two a r e a s by t h e p l a c e m e n t o f two human F i g u r e s , b o t h m a l e a n d
f e m a l e i n o p p o s i t e d i r e c t i o n s , o n e , ( t h e m a l e F i g u r e ) i n f r o n t , and
t h e o t h e r , ( t h e Female f i g u r e ) a t t h e b a c k . Upen-work d e s i g n s o f
s w i n g i n g m o t i f s , o f s p i d e r and s n a k e f o r m s a r e d e p l o y e d a s i n f i l l e r s
53
s o as t a c r e a t e a complex c o m p o s i t i o n o f h y b r i d fo rms . ( S e e Plate
12).
P l a t e 12. bonze a l t e r stand. TclL~o I s a i a h . t i c i g h t 27.4crn.
U r o n z e S h e l l Surmounted by a n Animal
I n h i s d e s c r i p t i o n o f t h e ' b m n ~ e o b j e c t s , Shaw h a s t h i s t o s a y
o f t h e b r o n z e o b j e c t . A c c o r d i n g t o h i m , " T h i s v e s s e l i n t h e s h a p e
o f a s h e l l ' d i f f e r s froin t h e o t h e r two ( t w o o t h e r b r o n z e s h e l l s )
i n b e i n g c o n s i d e r a b l y s m a l l e r ; i n h a v i n g a c i r c u l a r p r o j e c t i o n s e t
upon t h e t o p o f t h e s e c o n d w h o r l , o n which s t a n d s t h e f i g u r e o f some
animal ; and in baing e infa tml , i,e. i n wihdiny i n an anti-
clockwise d i r e c t i o n f r o m t h e p o i n t e d e n d t o t h e l a r g e r , o p e n e n d - a p o i n t t o which soma i m p o r t a n c e h a s b e u n a t t a c h e d i n rnaking
c o m p a r i s o n s w i t h Khmer b r o n z e s (1970:120).11
S e e n i n p r o f i l e , t h e f i r s t f o r m is a n a n i m a l s h a p e d l i k e a
l e o p a r d and c o v e r e d w i t h d i s c - l i k e d e c o r a t i o n s i n r e l i e f . T h i s g i v e s
t h e a n i r n a l a s e v e r e i f n o t h i d e o u s a p p e a r a n c e . I t s t a n d s o n a s m a l l
c y l i n d e r s t a n d o r pad c o v e r e d w i t h d o t t e d d e c o r a t i o n s i n r e l i e f .
A l l t h e s e come t o rest on t h e b r o n z e s h e l l . The l a s t is d e c o r a t e d
w i t h a con lb ina t i .on o f d i s c - l i k e , t r i a n g u l a r and d o t t e d m o t i f s which
WE! g r o u p e d i n c u r v i l i n e a r b a n d s and t e n d t o c o v e r t h e b r o n z e s h e l l
w i t h their wry d e l i c a t e d e c o r a t i o n s . 'The c l o s e i r n m i t a t i o n aT the
s h e l l mekss t h e b r o n z e fo rm a f a s c i n a t i n g o b j e c t . One cannot but I
admire t h a a r t i s t ' s i n t i m a t e u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f Porm aml i t s I
I r e l a t i o n s w i t h d e c o r a t i v e e l e i a c n t s . (See P l a t e '13).
LargE Ernpze Bowl:
Mads i n l e a d e d b r o n z e , t h i s b r o n z e oh j a c t h a s t h e f o l l o w i n g
dirncnatclna; 1ieigli.t is 18cm; t h i c k n c s s is 3 m r n t o ~+rnrn. I t s l e n g t h
of l ~ r g e a t a x i s is 36.9crn. "There is a s i n g l e s e m i - c i r c u l a r
handle a.6m wide , p r o j e c t i n g 5.3crn from one oP t h e l o n g s i d e s , c a s t
with tha bowl, s e t i n t h e t o p h a l f o f t h e f i r s t hand o f d e c o r a t i o n ;
t h i e handle is d e c o r a t e d w i t h r e p r e s e n t a t i o n s oP t h i c k p l a i n
wire b i n d i n g ; t h i s b i n d i n g is t w i s t e d o b l i q u e l y , n o t c o n t i n u o u s l y
i n one d i r e c t i o n , b u t i n f o u r s e c t i o n s a l t e r n a t i n g i n d i r e c t i o n a s
a r e s u l t o f t w i s t i n g on t r i p l e l o o p s o f w i r e (Shaw 1 9 7 0 : 1 2 2 ) . ~ ~
The zon ing o f dccora l ; ive e l e i n e n t s is v e r y s i m i l a r t o t h o s e o f v oLher b r n n z e o b j e c t s . T h i s is b e c a u s e , w h i l e a l l d e c o r a t i v e e l e m e n t s
may d i f f e r From one oh j e c t t o a n o t h e r , t h e y a r e l a r g e l y p l a c e d w i t h i n
p a n e l s o r bands . T h i s is a d e c o r a t i v e tender-lcy i n many o f t h e Igbo-
Ukwu o b j e c t s . ( S e e P l a t e 14).
brantq bawl'., LOW -smlah. Lsng axia 25. rl
P e r s o n a l . Ornaments :
The F i r s t g r o u p o f b r o n z e o b j e c t s d i s c u s s e d a b o v e re fe rs t o
t h o s e which seem .to h a v e h a d t h e f u n c t i o n o f c o n t a i n e r s . P e r s o n a l
o r n a m e n t s have - to d o w i t h t h o s e b r o n z e o b j e c t s w h i c h may h a v e b e e n
u s e d f o r body a d o r n m e n t i n o n e fo rm o r t h e o t h e r . They c o u l d h a v e
b e e n w o r n i n o r d e r t o e n h a n c e a s p e c t s o f body b e a u t y . T h i s is
p e r h a p s why T h u r s t a n Shaw ( 1 3 7 0 ) p l a c e s them ~ ~ n d e r t h e theme
of p e r s o n a l o r naments ,
[ I r o n z z P e n d a n t (human h e a d ) Ornalncnt :
T h i s s m a l l b r o n z e o b j e c t was e x c a v a t e d f r o m t h e a r c h a e o l o ~ i o a l
s i t e o f I g b o I s a i a h . T h e r e a r e o t h e r complementary p e n d a n t s o f
a n i m a l h e a d s which seem t o f o r m t h i s c a t e g o r y o f b r o n z e o b j e c t s .
T h i s human h e a d b r o n z e p e n d a n t "is e l o n g a t e d , a l t h o u g h w i t h o u t v e r y
much c h i n , and w i t h t h e ' h a i r ' i n a c o n i c a l p i l e o n t o p of t h e
head . The l i p s a r e wise, h o r i z o n t a l and p r o m i n e n t , t h e nose i s
p r o m i n e n t w i t h w i d e n o s t r i l s , t h e e y e s a re almond-shaped, s l o p i n g
downwards and o u t w a r d s ('1970:'142).1t Wi th a h e i g h t o f 7.Gcm and a
w i d t h o f 3.0cm, t h e p e n d a n t f a c e i s c o v e r e d w i t h b o l d s c a r i f i c a t i o n s
r u n n i n g o n b o t h s i d e s o f t h e f a c e a n d t h e f o r e h e a d o n which t h e y seem
t o fo rmq V patterns f rom t h e C e n t r e . Of a l l t h e I g b o a r t o b j e c t s ,
i t s s u r f a c e h a n d l i n g i s r a t h e r c r u d e i f o m con lpares i t w i t h t h e
o t h e r b r o n z e o b j e c t s which l o o k v e r y r c F i n e d and have v e r y d e l i c a t e
d e c o r a t i o n s . The f a c e m a r k i n g s a r e s i m i l a r t o t h e o n e s worn by I g b o
55
Uzo t i t l e l e a d e r s i n s u c h p l a c e s a s Igbo-Ukwu, Agukwu and E b e n e b e
i n t h e Awka a r c a s and beyond. (See P l a t e 15!.
l i l o t e 1. U r o n z e p e n d a n t (human h e a d ) urmmmt. I p b . L a I a h H e i g h t 7.6cm.
Llrnnze P e n d a n t ( r l o u b l e e q q ) Ornament
'Two b r o n z e e g g s f o r m t h e b u l k o f the a r t w o r k , as t h e y l i e
p a r a l l e l t o e a c h o t h c r . They a r e c o n n e c t e d a t t h e t o p h y a n a r c h ,
f r o m w h i c h a l o o p is s u s p e n d e d . The b a c k h a s a n o p e n i n g w h i c h i s
s u r r o u n d e d by a r a i s e d rim. The s u r f a c e o f e a c h e g g is s m o o t h , e x c e p t
wlicre it b e a r s r e p r e s e n t a t i o r s o f f l i e s .
The r e p t i l e is F a i r l y l a r g e , a n d f a c e s downwards. Its h e a d
l i e s b e t w e e n and u p o n t h e e g g s a t t h e i r w i d e s t c i r c u m f e r e n c e . I t
h a s o s y m b o l i c t a i l , and t h e w h o l e body i s c o v e r e d w i t h o v e r - l a p ~ . l i n g
U-shaped d e c n r a t i o n s y m b o l i c a l l y r e p r e s e n t i n g s c a l e s .
C o n v e n t i o n a l f l i e s p e r c h upon t h e decorative s u r f a c e ! o f
c o n n e c t i n g a r c h . I t c o n s i s t s o n e i t h e r s i d e o f a v e r t i c a l row o f
beads. (See P l a t e 16).
9
=
13-'lnte 16. B r o n z e pendant ( d o u b l e egg) o r n a m e n t .
C y l i n d r i c a l Ilrnnze O r n a ~ n e n t
T h i s is another b r o n z e v a r i a t i o n i n t h e b r o n z e p e n d a n t g r o u p
u s e d as body adornment itenls, Its h e i g h t is lL1,9cr11 and h a s a
maximum d i a r n e t ~ r o f 6,4crn. I ts i n t e r n a l d i a m e t e r o f h o l e a t t h e
m i d d l e is 2.3cm w h i l e t h e o v e r a l l w e i g h t is 283cm. I t is a
c u l u m r i a r / c y l i n c l r i c a l form w i t h two f l a n g e s b o t h a t t h e t o p and
b o t t o m . The t o p f l a n g e is s u r m o u n t e d by b i r d m o t i f s which a r e
r e p e a t e d b e l o w . The c y l i n d r i c a l body is h e a v i l y o v e r l a i d w i t h
s e v e r a l m o t i f s i n v e r y h i g h r e l i e f and a r e d e p l o y e d i n a v e r t i c a l
f o r m a t t o e c h o a s y m m e t r i c a l a r r a n g e m e n t . Plost o f t h e m o t i f s w h i c h
a r e a r r a n g e d i n e i g h t co lumns a n d t h r e e z o n e s c o n s i s t o f " r a t h e r
c o n v c n t i o r i a l i z e d r e p r e s e n t a t i o n s O F F i s h , w i t h l a r g e h e a d s a n d
p r a t u b e x a n t d o t s f o r e y e s , Two c o l u m n s o f f i s h , o n o p p o s i t e
s i d e s o f t h e c y l i n d e r , f a c e i n o n e d i r e c t i o n ; t h c o t h e r two c o l u m n s
o f f i s h f a c e i n t h e o p p o s i t e d i r e c t i o n . I n b e t w e e n t h e c o l u m n s o f
f i s h a r e c o l u m n s o f w h a t a p p e a r t o be monkeys ' : h e a d s ; s i m i l a r l y two
co lun ins o f monkeys1 h e a d s o n t h e o p p o s i t e s i d e o f t h e c y l i n d e r
f a c e i n o n e d i r e c t i o n , w h i l e t h e o t h e r two c o l u m n s f a c e i n t h e
o p p o s i t e d i r e c t i o n (Shaw 1 9 7 0 : 1 8 0 ) .
T h i s p a r t i c u l a r p i e c e is among t h e r a r e oh j e c t s i n which
d e c o r a t i v e m o t i f s i n v e r y h i g h r e l i e f a r e u s e d . T h i s p l a c e s it
b e s i d e o t l - ~ c r p o t t e r y f o r m s w i t h d e e p g r o o v e s and m o t i f s which a r e
objects from the Igba-Ukwu carpus, [See Plats 17). L
P l a t e 17. C y l i n d r i c a l bronze orniment. Igbo Jonah. l le ight 10.9crn.
Copper S p i r a l Ornament
The copper s p i r a l ornament ha; a h e i g h t of 16.3cm and was
excava ted from t h e a r c h e o l o g i c a l s i t e of Iqbo I s a i a h . I t c o n s i s t s 2 8
of "a h e l i c a l ?&ist o f wire, verysng in d iamete r from l e s s t h a n 5mm a t . ' I
t h e makema W c k , t a Hmn elmwhere u i t h the o u t e r end fashioned
' n t o e artakela head auallouirq an aqg, s e t below a t w i s t e d neck, and
t h the other end tuisted dswn inaids the c o i l . whera -it becmcs
a square-sectinm!d t a p e r i n g s p i k e , t w i s t e d l o n q t i t u d i n a l l y
t h r o u g h 18~ ' (Shaw 1970: 183). l1
Une v i s u a l c h a r a c t e r i s t i c o f t h e b r o n z e f o r r n / o b j e c t i e t h e
s p i r a l r h y t h m o f t h e s n a k e f o r m as i t c o i l s up i n a v e r t i c a l
t h r u s t w h i c h t e r m i n a t e s i n ,a s h o t - o u t mouth b e a r i n g o n e g g . The
deco ra t ive s u r f a c e is r i c h w i t h g e o m c t r i c p a t t o r n o which r e - e c h o
t h e s p i r a l ry th rns o f t h e s n a k e fo rm, (See P l a t e I 3 1.
Plaks 18. ( C o p y ) C o p p e r s p i r a l s n a k e o r n a m e n t ,
A d d i t i o n a l metal oh jec ts t h a t complenient t h e e x c a v a t e d o b j e c t s
c o n s i s t oT m e t a l g o n g s & i c h combine t h r e e g o n g s b u i l t i n t o a
c o m p o s i t e form by t h e t e c h n i q u e o f f o r g i n g a n d c h a s i n g . Its
s p i r a l h a n d l e r e m i n d s o n e o f t h e s p i r a l and twis ' ted t e c h n i q u e
a s s o c i a t e d w i t h some o f t h e Igbo-Ukwu b r o n z e o b j e c t s . Its f o r m a l
h a n d l i n g is n o t a s r i c h a s t h e e x c a v a t e d o b j e c t s . However, i t
c a r r i e s some f a i n t e c h o o f t h e t r e a t m e n t o f t h e h a n d l e b i n d i n g
t h e t h r e e g o n g s . ( S e e P l a t e 19).
61
Now t h a t w e h a v e d e s c r i b e d some o f t h e Igbo-Ukwu rwtal
o b j e c t s , we w i l l f o c u s o u r a t t e n t i o n o n t h e i r f u n c t i o n s w h i l e
t a k i n g i n t o c o n s i d e r a t i o n t h e i r p o l i t i c a l , s o c i a l a n d r e l i g i o u s /
r i t u a l F u n c t i o n s . l n c l u d e d i n t h i s passage are Iht. r a t t l c ! n t a f r
110 A ' i l l , m e t a l gong (Ugene) . T h e s e c o n s t i t u t e t h e r e c e n t a r t
ob jects. I n a d d i t i o n a r e some o t h e r metal a r t o b j e c t s , w h i c h wcre a ncl
e x c a v a t e d by T h u r s t a n Shaw,/whose f u n c t i o n s a r e i n t e r - c o n n e c t e d i n
t h e realm o f r i t u a l s / p o l i t i c s a n d l e a d e r s h i p .
Unwuejeogwu d o c u m e n t s t h a t i n I t N r i m y t h o l o g y s m i t h i n g was s a i d
t o h a v e b r o u g h t men a g r i c u l t u r e a n d t e c h n o l o g y (Unwue jeogwu, 1 9 8 1 : G 7 ) I 1
T h i s i n s e e n i n Nri myth of a g r i c u l t u r e and s r n i t h i n g . (See C o l e a n d
A n i a k o r , 1304 :15) . O u t e v e r s i n c e C h r i s t i a n i t y came i n t o f u l l
f o r c e , t r a d i t i o n a l r e l i g i o n a p p e a r s t o h a v e c o l l a p s e d s o t h a t t h e
Igbo-Ukwu d o n o t h a v e e l a b o r a t e t r a d i t i o n a l c e r e m o n i e s t h a t r e q u i r e
t h e u s e o f m e t a l .
However i n many o f t h e well- p r o t e c t e d s h r i n e s i n Igbo-Llkwu,
and i n sorne o f t h e t i t l e d men and c h i e f s ' h o u s e s are s e e n some o f
t h e p e o p l e s 1 metal oh j e c t s a n d o t h e r p a r a p h e r n a l i a r e f l e c t i n g t h e
Igbo-Ukwu m y t h o l o g y a n d c u l t u r e .
P o l i t i c a l F u n c t i o n
T r a d i t i o n a l A f r i c a n l e a d e r s m a n i p u l a t e t h e body p o l i t i c
u s i n g a r t o b j e c t s . E x a m p l e s a re s e e n i n F r a s e r ( 1 9 7 4 ) o f " A s h a n t i
G o l d e n S t o o l t 1 and Fagg ( 1 9 6 3 ) o f I1Uenin memmoria l b r o n z e heads.11
62
Thus F r a s e r p o i n t s o u t t h a t " t h e u s e o f a r t h a s n e c e s s i t a t e d t h e
a c c o m p l i s h m e n t o f p o l i t i c a l , r e l i g i . o u s , and s o c i a l g o a l s w h i c h
c o u l d n o t be s u c c e s s f u l l y c a r r i e d o u t by p e r s o n s o r g r o u p s a l o n e
( F r a s e r , l%"7:55) ." T l i e r c f o r c , a r t a l l o w s o r f a c i l i t a t e s p o l i t i c a l
p e r s u a s i o n o r d i n a r i l y m o s t i n v a l u a b l e t u t h e powers t h a t b e , t h e r e b y
m a n i p u l a t i n g t h e body p o l i t i c .
Igbo-Ukwu i s a s t a t e l e s s I g b o s o c i e t y , and a s s u c h h a s d e s i g n a t e d
l e a d e r s w i t h v a r y i n g d e g r e e s o f p o l i t i c a l powers . The t i t l e d men and
c h i e f s a r e guod e x a m p l e s . The t i t l e d men a r e v e r y i m p o r t a n t p o l i t i c a l
. f i g u r e s i n Igbo-Ukwu e s p e c i a l l y t h e t i t l e d p r o p h e t s of g r e a t s h r i n e s
I (Ozo amuma). A t t a i n m e n t o f t h e s e t i t l e s is b a s e d o n i n d i v i d u a l
a c h i e v e m e n t s u c h a s t h e a c c u m u l a t i o n o f yani w e a l t h .
A n i a k o r r e c a l l s t h a t " a r t o b j e c t s a r e p e r c e i v e d a s r e l a t i v c t o
e a c h p o l i t i c a l s y s t e m w h i c h i s a mirrar o f t h e c o n c e p t , a p p l i c a t i o n ,
and m e a n i n g s o f l e a d e r s h i p i n A f r i c a ( A n i a k o r , 1976:15).It C o n s e q u e n t l y ,
t h e t i t l e d men a r e a s s o c i a t e d w i t h i m p o r t a n t m e t a l a r t o b j e c t s ,
In O r e r i ( a n e i g h b o u r i n g v i l l a g e t o Igbo-Ukwu) a n d i n Igbo-Ukwu,
t h e c h i e F s a r e n o t s u p p o s e d t o g o o n v i s i t s . ' O u t when n e c e s s a r y ,
t h e y b e a t t h e metal gong t o p r o c l a i m t h e i r p a s s a g e a s l e a d e r s a n d
their i n v i t a t i o n t o p o l i t i c a l dnd r e l i g i o u s m e e t i n g s .
t h e Also, var ious metal s t a f f s such a s / r a t t l c s t a f f are uscd a s
emblems of p o l i t i c a l and r i t u a l i n s t i t u t i o n s . (I.31atc ,201.
P l a t e 20. ha r a t t l e s t a f f (G) \
T i t l a men, d iv ine r s and the c h i e f s use i t as t h e i r s t a f f of
au thor i ty . There a re two types oF r a t t l e s t a f f . The f i r s t one is
c a l l e d ordinary r a t t l e s t a f f ( O j i Ufeke) which c a n be used by any
man a s w a l k i n g s t i c k . The s e c o n d t y p e i s c a l l e d r i t u a l r a t t l e s t a f f
( U j i rnmuo). I t is u s e d by g r e a t d i v i n e r s , c h i e f s , g r e a t m a s q u e r a d e s
a n d g o d s . T h i s t y p e s e r v e s t h e g o d s a s a g r e a t c h i e f who sits i n ;,
h i s p a l a c e ( U q a r a n y a no e b e y a e z u i k e ) . - I t is o n l y b r o u g h t o u t o n
: (Eke) - and ( A f o ) - m a r k e t d a y s , b e c a u s e i t is g r e a t and r i t u a l i z e d
a n d c a n o n l y come o u t o n m a l e m a r k e t d a y s . T h i s t y p e o f r a t t l e s t a f f
i s kcp- t i n s a c r e d p l a c e s and beynnd t h e r e a c h of-' e i L h e r women o r 3
s l a v e s , I t c a n a l s o b e u s e d a s m e d i c i n e ( O q t ~ ~ u ) .
T h e s e a n d o t h e r metal a r t o b j e c t s a r e a p p a r e n t l y made i n
Igbo-Ukwu, a l t h o u g h many o t h e r s a r e b o u g h t f r o m Awka. Those t h a t
a r e made i n Igbo-Ukwu a r e p r o d u c e d b y t h e s o n s o f I g b o (Urnu I q b o ) ,
a v i l l a g e w h i c h ~ . k e r n e z i e c a l l s l i t h o s e who a r e p o s s e s s e d by t h e s p i r i t o f
c r a f t " ( n d i nka m a r a ) . T h i s is b e c a u s e s r n i t h i n g is i n c r a f e s e y e s
( u z u d i n l a n k a a n y a ) .
SOCIAL FUNCTION
M e t a l a r t i f a c t s h a v e v i t a l f u n c t i o n s i n t h e s o c i a l d e v e l o p m e n t
o f Iybo-Ukwu p e o p l e , F i s c h e l h a s w r i t L e n t h a t " m e t a l w h i c h is t h e
s m i t h t s m a t e r i a l h a s b e e n i n t i m a t e l y c o n n e c t e d w i t h t h e s o c i a l h i s t o r y
o f c u u n t l e s s A f r i c a n g r o u p s ( F i s c h e l , 1982:3)11. Among I g b o Ukwu o n e s
p e o p l e , s m i t h s h a v e d i s t i n c t / s o c i a l s t a t u s . G e n e r a l l y , i n a
s t a t e l e s s s o c i e t y s u c h a s Igbo-Ukwu, p e r s o n a l i n d u s t r y h a s r e m a i n ~ d
t h e y a r d s t i c k f o r m e a s u r i n g o n e s s o c i a l s t a t u s . Hence O a s i l U a v i d s o n
(13G9) h a s n b s e r v e d t h a t "among t h e I g b o p e o p l e , t a l e n t i s b e l i e v e d
t o l e a d t o e n t e r p r i s e , e n t e r p r i s e t o p r o m o t i o n and p r o m o t i o n t o
p r i v i l e g e . " To t h i s end D a n i e l a t t e s t s t h a t n h e was s c a r i f i e d by
h i s z e a l o u s f a t h e r when h e know n o t h i n g . "
T h i s s u p p o r t s t l ic I g b o p r o v e r b which s a y s t h a t I1 l lurry , h u r r y
i s man ' s r e s p o n s e t o t h e u n e x p e c t e d w (nqwa nqwa ka e j i e m e q h a r a
o d a c h i ) . T h i s e x p r e s s i o n p l a c e s e m p h a s i s o n i n d i v i d u a l s u c c e s s
a n d p e r s o n a l a c h i e v e m e n t . Thus mos t Igbo-Ukwu l e a d e r s e x e r t
t h e i r s o c i a l i n f l u e n c e t h r o u g h t h e u s e o f a v a r i e t y o f a r t o b j e c t s .
To be s o c i a l l y a p p r o p r i a t e a s a l e a d e r is t o p u t o n t h e b e f i t t i n g
r e g a l i a i n t h e fo rm o f m e t a l o b j e c t s which g i v e v i s i b i l i t y t o t h q i r
w e a r e r . I t is a l s o known t h a t e v e n t h e d a u g h t e r s o f i n f l u e n t i a l
l e a d e r s s u c h a s t h e 'Uzo ' t i t l e d men h a v e t o w e a r c o m p l e x m e t a l
r i n g s known a s ' o n a f o r ' n j a ' d u r i n g t h e i r Plbibi. p u b e r t y r i t e s .
Aoy S i e b e r has r e m a r k e d a b o u t t h i s w i t h r e g a r d t o I g b o f e m a l e
c l d c r s wllcn h e n o t e d t h a t I t i n s p i t e o f t h e i r econornic w e i g h t a n d . s i z e ,
women d i g n i f y i n g l y wear them. (1972:17)."
I n b u r i a l c o n t e x t s , it is known t h z t l e a d e r s were b u r i e d i n
t h e i r f u l l c o s t u m e s and marry o f t h e p r o m i n e n t i t e m s o f t h e i r h i g h
o f f i c e c o n s i s t e d o f c o p p e r wrist lets. A p a r t f r o m t h i s , metal b e l l s
were u s e d i.n I h e c o n t c x t o f r i t u a l s o r a s s o c i a t e d i n t h e c o n t e x t o f
r i . l ; u a l a c t i v i t i e s w i t h r i t u a l p r i e s t s i n t h e Nsukka area (see fig,
~ d i i c h is c o m p a r a b l e to t h s t a f ~ ~ b a - ~ k w u (Cole a n d A n i a k o r 1984).
Metal bells were a l s o used in ' announ~ing the death o f an important
man . who was u s u a l l y a rnellrber or the msnie t i t l q s s s a c i a t i o n .
I t i n c l u d e d t h e i r u s e i n d a n c e cantexte i n which the l e a d e r of a
worncn t s d a n c e g r o u p would r e s p o n d to it with the expression,
" Y E S , Llgene, I h e a r you." T h i s s h o w s t h e f u n c t i o n q l a e s o c i a t i c t n
b e t w e e n m e t a l o b j e c t s and d a n c e a s s o c i a l s t a t e m e n t s .
I n h i s own i n t e r p r e t a t i o n , T h u r s t a n Shaw h a s suggested t h a t
sorne UP t;hc b r o n z e u l ~ j a c t s e x c a v a t e d from t h e s i t e UP I g b o I s a i a h
secm t o hove P u r i c t i o n c d as a s e t o f r e g a l i a o r For r i t u a l a n d
c e r e m o n i a l p u r p o s e s . He g o e s o n t o s u g g e s t t h a t h a v i n g b u r i e d t h e s e
t r e a s u r e s ( r e g a l i a ) , t h e y c o u l d h a v e b e e n a b a n d o n e d i n a p e r i o d
o f Emergency. A c c o r d i n g t o h im, "The m o s t l i k e l y i n t e r p r e t a t i o n
would sccrn t m be t h a t t h i s d e p o s i t r e p r e s e n t s a s t o r e o f s u c h r e g a l i a
a n d ceremonial o b j e c t s c a r e f u l l y p l a c e d arid p r e s e r v e d , b u t f a r sorne ...
r e a s o n abandoner l . T h i s is s t r o n g l y s u g q e s t e d by t h e way i n u h i c h
t h e o b j e c . t s appea r t o b e l a i d o u t i n a r e c t a n g u l a r a r e a (1970:263) ." I
A s t u d y by M,A, Onl~ue jogwu ( ' 1381) shows t l lat t h e s e r e g a l i a c o u l d . 1
liavc b e e n a s s o c i a t e d w i t h a s u c i e t y where a c c u m u l a t i o n of' w e a l t h
bJ i3S vr?ry i m p o r t a r i t t o p e r s o n a l a n d g r o u p a c h i c v e n i e n t . I.le S ~ O ~ J S . t h a t
modern d a y Ozo t i t l e h o l d e r s r ~ f l e c t t h i s f u r i c t i o n a l s t a t u s a f a r t
US j a c t s . S u c h items a s r i t u a l s / t i t l r ? s t a f f (Seu P l a t e 2 9 ) b r o n z e
b e l l s ( P l a t e 3 0 ) ( I l e n d e r s o n 1 9 7 2 1 , c r o w n s a r e snrne O F t h e i t e m s
wliich w e r e e x c a v a t e d f r o m -t;lie Igbo-Ukwu s i t e s . I n s h o r t , t h e b r o n z e
ob jmt's , y i v e n . e v i d e n c e o f S I ~ & J ~ S i n t e r p r e t a t i o n , Onwue j o g u u l s
s t u d y ( 1 3 8 1 ) and s e v e r a l o t h e r s i n d i c a t e c l e a r l y t h a t tiiese d i v e r s e
a r k o b j e c t s were f u n c t i o n a l l y c s n t r a l t o a l l mat te rs r e l a t i n g t o
p o l i t i c a l I m d e r s h i p nncl a u t h c r r i t y . They F u n c t i o n e d a s p a r t o f r o y a l
r e g a l i a a n d t r e a s u r e s a s s o c i a t e d ~ d i t h idhat Unwuejogwu ( 1 9 8 1 ) r e f e r r e d
t o a s a n I g h o t l i e o c r a c y . A s s o c i d x d and t i t u l a r i n s , t i t u t i o n s p r e s e r t d q y
a r e s t i l l t o b e fpund, i . n sf .? Igbo-Ukwu s u c i e t y which d e r i v e Train
t h i s i m p o r t a n t r i t u a l and p u l i t i c a l i n s t i l u t i o n .
~ ? c l i q i o u s / I i i t u a l . F u i i c t i o n s
l . le . tal o b j e c t s o f I g b o - U k w w e r e d e e p l y a s s o c i a t e d w i t h r i t u a l and
p r i e s t l y f u n c t i o n s , a p a r t f r o m t h e i r d e e p l i n k s w i t h p o l i t i c s and
l e a d e r s l i i p . I4ccurd ing t o U ; ~ s i l D a v i d s o n (11369), t h e k i n g was F i r s t , a
p r i e s ' t b e f o r e b c c o m i n g a p o l i t i c a l l e a d c r . Any wander t h a t i n many
k i n g d o m s o f A f r i c a s u c h as t h o s e O F I F e a n d B e n i n a n d no l a s s
o f Igbo-Ukwu, t h e l e a d e r s were known a s p r i e s t - k i n g s . T h e i r
p a l i t i c a l r t l l e was o f t e n s u p p o r t e d w i t h t h e i r r i t u a l / r e l i g i o u s
P u n c - t i o n s o f a r t o b j e c t s e s p e c i a l l y m e t a l o b j e c t s . I n t h e c a s e o f
Iybo-Ukwu, suc l i r i t u a l f u n c t i o n s o f m c t a l o b j c c - t s were a s s o c i a t e d
w i t h . the myth a f c r e a t i o n . I n t h e c a s e O F Tgbo-Ukwu a r t o b j e c t s ,
suc l i a c r e a t i o n myth is a s s o c i a t e d w i t h Nrf. The p r e v a i l i n g c r e a k i o n
myth i s t h a l ; t h e i r f o u n d i n g f a t h e r Nri c r e a t e d d r y l a n d n e a r Ansinbra
r i v m s u c h - t h a t " A l l t h e f i r s t t h i n g s h a p p e n e d a t A g u l e r i ( t h e r i t u a l
d i r e c . t i o n a d s o u r c e o f Nri t h e a c r a c y ) ' J e f f r e y s 195GC :12%) .I1
Metal o b j e c t s a s s o c i a t e d w i t h Ighu-Ukwu assume' i m p o r t a n c e b e c a u s e
t h e y s e r v e d r i t u a l and r e l i g i o u s f u n c t i o n s i n u p i i o l d i n g t h e r e l i g i o u s
v a l u e s OP t h e p e o p l e b u t a l s o i n i tnpos ing s a n c t i o n s o n human l i v e s .
9 t h o u s a n d y e a r s a y o , t o which tile Igbo-Ukuu i-trt o b j e c t s were t r a c e d
and o t t r i b u t c c J , t h e m e t a l o b j e c t s wcre u s c d i n t h e c o n . t c x t o f
l e x l c r s l i i p , Many UP t h e oh jects s u c h as b r o n z ~ ? r o p e d p o t s ( P l a t e 1 9 ) ,
b r o n z e b o w l s ( p l a t e 2 2 1 , b r o n z e a l t a r s t a n d s ( p l n t e 2 0 1 , b r o n z e
s h e l l s ( p l n t e 2 1 1 , and p o s s i b l y l a r g e b r o n z e b o w l s were u s e d i n t h e
c o n t e x * oP r i t u a l s . I n f a c t , t h e p r e s e n c e o f f l y m o t i f s o n some
o f t h e o b j e c t s may b e a n i n d i c a t i o n o f t h e i r f u n c t i o n a l a s s o c i a t i o n t h e
w i t h f e r t i l i t y and a g r i c u l t u r e . Amung/peuple , it is knoh~n, f o r
e x a m p l e , t h a t Ala a y r i c u l t u r a l a c t i v i t i e s h a v e t a b o o s s u r r o u n d i n g
them. They a r e m o s t o F t e n a s s o c i a t e d w i t h t h e e a r t h d e i t y Ala . a b h o r s
;All a b o m i n a t i o n s a g a i n s t h e r a r e d e s c r i b e d a s 'Nso A l a t ( w h a t the l a n d /
~ l t h o k ~ h : d e f i n i t i v e s t u d i e s h a v e n u t erncrged i n d e - t a i l - a h o u t
t h e f u l l f u n c t i o n s o f t h e Igho-LJkwu o b j e c t s , t h e d e s c r i p t i o n s o f f e r e d
by T h u s t a n Shaw ( 1 9 7 0 ) a s t o t h e n a t u r e o f t h e s i t e s o f f e r s snmc
i m p o r t a n t c l u e s . From I g h o R i c h a r d s e v e r a l m e t a l a r t o b j l ? c t s e x c a v a t e d
a r e f u n c t i o n a l l y a s s o c i a t e d w i t h b u r i a l and s u y y e s t t h e p r i e s t l y
f u n c t i o n s o f t h e p e r s o n a g e - E z e Nri. I g b o J o n a h r e v e a l s a l o t o f
p u t t ? r y ~ d h i c h , a c c o r d i n g t o Shaw ( l97O), a r e a s s o c i a t e d w i t h r i t u a l s
( p l a t e 1 0 ) . Many o f t h e m e t a l o b j e c t s t h u s h a v e s t r o n g r i t u a l and
r e l i g i o u s o r i e n t a t i o n s i n c e s t u d i e s by Unwuu jogwu (1972:198l) show ,
t h a t t h e s e o b j e c t s w e r e f u n c t i o n a l i n t h e c o n k e x t o f r i t u a l and
r e l i g i o n o f t h e p e o p l e . The n o t i o n o f E z e Nri a s a p r i e s t - k i n g
u n d s r s c o r e s t h i s v e r y f u n c t i o n a l c o n c e p t .
1 . , G r e a t shrines o f t h e Igbo-llI<~,~u and ne ighhour j .ng t o w n s h a v e t i t l e d p r o p h e t s ca l l ed n d i t ozo amuma. '
2. . . T e x t f r o m l ; h ~ tape-rec~3rdl : !d int;r irvit?w w i t h I J a n i a l , a n i c h i man from Urer i .
3 :. From t h e i n t e r v i c w t i t h t h e d i v i n e r a n d t r a d i t i o n a l h e a l e r - Nazi I3g1~rudire.
1 I'dVEIUT1313Y AI'D CLI\SSIFICATICIP,I OF MUTIFS
T h i s c h a p t e r d e a l s w i t h t h e inve i l t o ry and c l a s s i f i c a t i o n
O F m o t i f s . The ir ivcrrtory is i m p o r t a n t bncause it e n a b l e s one t o
g a t h c r t o q e t h c r a l l t h e v a r i o u s m o t i f s t h a t occu r i n t h e two a r t
c a t e g o r i e s o f t h i s s t u d y , namely : Iqbo-Ukwu p o t tr?ry arid me-tal
s c u l p t u r e . The e s s e n c e of compi l ing a n i n v e n t o r y o f m o t i f s is t o
e n a b l e one t o p u l l t o g e t h e r a l l t h e m o t i f s s i n c e a r a n g e o f m o t i f s
i n p o t t e r y is a l s o found i n b r o n z e / m e t a l o b j e c l x . I
I ? o t i f s found i n b r o n z d m e t a l and p o t t e r y o b , j e c t s (see f i g , la
R a n y e of motifs i n Igbo-Ukwu metal a n d p o t t e r y a r t ob jec t s -
( S o u r c e : T h u r s t a n Shaw 1978)
Range of motifs in Igbo-Ukwr
( s o u r c e : T h u r s t a n
,
J metal and pot tery a r t objec ts .
Shaw 1978)
Range of m o t i f s i n Igbo-Ukwu m e t a l and p o t t e r y a r t objects. ( s o u r c e : Thurstan Shaw 1978)
Range of motifs bn Igbo-Ukwu metal and pottery a r t objects.
( s o u r c e : Thurstan Shaw 1978)
H a v i n g d o n e t h i s , we s h a l l p r o c e e d t o c l a s s i f y them i n t o
t h e i r v a r i a u s m o t i f t y p e s / c a t e g o r i e s , name ly : hu inan /an ima l ,
g e o m e t r i c , s k e u o m o r p h i c a n d c u r v i l i n e a r .
A n i m a l m o t i f s ( \ T i c l . 13').
All a n i m a l m o t i f s a re r e f e r e n c e s a n d v i s u a l d e s c r i p t i o n o f a l l
t h o s e m o t i f s w h i c h a r e d e r i v e d f r o m humans , i n s e c t s , r e p t i l e s , f l i e s ,
b i r d s and f i s h .
(1) i 4 a l e f i g u r e w i t h s p i r a l m o t i f s o n t h e f o r e h e a d .
( 2 ) F e m a l e f i y u r c w i t h i c h i f o r e h e a d n i o r k i n g s .
( 3 ) S n a k e ' s h e a d
( 4 ) S n a k e s w a l l o w i n g i t s p r e y
(5 )
S n a k ~ s h o l d i n g ~ g g s
( 5b )
( 6 ) S n a i l s h e l l
( 7 ) Human h e a d w i t h i c h i m a r k i n g s a n d e l a b o r a t e coiffure
(8) Ilonkey h e a d
( 9 ) T u r t l e
(10 ) i l i r d w i t h d o u b l e t a i l
( 11 P a n g o l i n
('12) F i s h
F l i e s (13)b
( 1 4 Grasshoppe r
(17) Leopard d e c o r a t e d w i t h s p i r a l s
(19) Egg
(21 ) S p i d c r s t r a p p e d i n c o i l e d s n a k e s .
G e o m e t r i c m o t i f s ( f i g .
l"ia j o r i t y o f .the g e o m e t r i c m o t i f s p o s s s s t r a i g h t l i n e s ,
r e c t a n g l e s , c i r c l e s , a n d t r i a n g l e s . [ J t h c r s h a v e v a r i o u s g e o m e t r i c
s h a p e s o t h e r t h a n t h e o n e s m e n t i o n e d a b o v e .
( 1 ) TLJO s t r a n d i n t e r l a c e
( 2 ) U n d u l a t i n g l i n e s
( 3 ) I n t e r l a c e p a t t e r n
( 4 ) R e v e r s e S
: i d n e y s h a p e s ( 5 )a
( 7 1 , 7a , b, and c S w a s t i k a s
( 0 ) S c a r i f i c a t i o n m a r k s
( 9 ) C i r c u l a r b e a d s w i t h c o n c a v e e n d s
( 1 0 ) O v a l boss
' ( 1 1 ) C o n c e n k r i c c i rc les w i t h l a t i t u d i n a l z i g z a g s
( 12) C o n c e n t r i c qua- c i r c l e s
( 13) C o n c e n t r i c S e m i c i r c l e s
( 1 4 ) C o n c e n t r i c semicircles a l t e r n a t e l y f a c i n g i n o p p o s i t e d i r e c t i o n s
(15) C i r c l e s
( 1 6 ) C o n c e n t r i c t o u c h i n g c i r c l e s a l t c ~ r n ~ l t e l y f a c i n g i n o p p o s i t e
d i r e c t i o n s .
( 1 7 ) D o u b l e C o n c e n t r i c c i r c l e s
(79) C u r v c d l i n e s
( 2 0 ) E l o n g a t e d r a i s e d d o t s
( 2 1 ) C o n c e n t r i c c i r c l e s used a s a c o n v e n t i o n a l i z e d
r e p r e s e n t a t i o n o f f e a t h e r s / s c a l e s .
( 2 2 ) L a d d e r
( 2 3 ) l l a i s e d d o t s
( 2 5 ) R a i s e d d o t s u s e d c o n t i n u o u s l y t o make a g r a n u l a t e d
s u r f a c e
( 2 6 ) i l a i s e d d o t s a r r a n g e d i n r o w s
( 2 7 ) l-jlah a n d h a t c h e d t r i a n g l e s combined
(28) T r i a n g l e s s e t a l t e r n a t i v e l y i n o p p o s i t e d i r e c t i a n s
( 2 9 ) b L o z e n g e s s o m e t imes cnmb i n ~ d w i t h t r i a n g l e s
( 2 3 ) ~
(30 ) H a t c h e d l o z e n g e s a n d t r i o n g l e s made by c r o s s i n g o b l i q u e l i n e s .
( 3 1 ) D i s j o i n t e d z i g z a g s w i t h a row o P c i r c l e b e a d s .
( 3 2 ) P a r a l l e l z i g z a g s
( 3 3 ) F i s h b n n e s
. ( 3 4 ) T r i a n r j 1 . e ~ and s e m i c i r c l e p a t t e r n
(35) T r i a n g l e s , concen t r i c o v a l boss and l o z e n g e s conib i n e d .
C u r v i l i n e a r m o t i f s ( fig.
T h i s ca tegory UF rno t iFs has. ' the c h i r a c . t z r i s t i c OF f l o r i d
curves and a re d e r i v e d f r o m t h c r ~ a t u r a l c u r v e d t h i n g s , They a r e
v i z :
(1) Two edged s p i r a l
( 2 ) D o u b l e ended two-horned p a t t c r n
( 3 ) 7 Curves, r e s u l t i n g i n t o o n e t - l i k e e f f e c t
( 3
( 4 I n t c r l ace p a t t e r n s w i ti1 l o o p s .
Slteuomor pli ic mot i f s ( f i g 16).
Recording t o T h u r s t a n Shaw, this g roup o f * m o t i f s c o n s i s t s o f
I t i m i t a t i n g ob j c c t s made i n o t h e r m a t e r i a l s (Shaw, 1978:120).11
They i n c l u d e t h e f o l l o w i n g m o t i f s :
( 1 ) Weave p a t t e r n
(2) C r o t a l
( 3 ) Sp i r a l l y -wound wire
( 4 ) S t r i n g l i n e s
( 6 ) HeeF knot
(7 ) Three s t r a n d p l a i t s
( 7 )a
Having classified t h e v a r i o u s motiFs, i t is v e r y c l e a r t h a t
one c a n n o t s u b j c c t a l l O F them t o taxonnrnic a n a l y s i s a s a
p r e p a r a t i o n f o r t h e i r i c o n o g r a p h i c a n a l y s i s l a t e r i n t h i s s t u d y ,
l iat l ier , two oh jcc ' i s w i l l b e s e l e c t e d w i t h t h e i r b u i l t - i n ~ n w t i f s .
They w i l l b e used a s examples t a t e s t t h e v a l i d i t y OF t axonomic
analysis v i s - a - v i s h y b r i d i s d m e a n i n g s , the s u b j e c t o f t h e next
CHAPTER 5
TAX~JNUMY/IGL~~~UGC?,~\PI I I U I N T E R I - T A T 1 OF P1OTIF.S O N THE DIIIIOLE EGG O2C)PIZE Al\iD
tZ1TUAL I J l l T
Among t h e complex a s semblage o f a r t n b j e c t s which were
e x c a v a t e d by T h u r s t a n Shaw, two t y p e s have b e e n t a k e n f o r d e t a i l e d
s t u d y and a n a l y s i s . They art! t h e b r o n z e d u u b l e egg and t h e r i t u a l /
c ~ r e m o n i a l p0.t.
I n t h i s c h a p t e r , taxonomy is used t o compile , f o r e a c h
m o t i f , Igbo words t h a t s u g g e s t t h e v a r i o u s meanings a t t a c h e d t o
it b a s e d o n o r a l t r a d i t i o n and f i e l d i n f o r m a t i o n . The f i r s t
t axonomic l i s t u s u a l l y i s g e n e r a l i z e d s i r i ce i t g i v e s s e v e r a l
words , and meanings a s s o c i a t e d w i t h a p a r t i c u l a r m u t i f . However,
f rom i t , one c a n d e r i v e t h e e x a c t word, t y p e ( m n t i f ) and meanings.
We t h e n p roceed t o e x p l o r e t h e s p e c i f i c meanings g e n e r a t e d by t h e
known word, and t y p e . F o r example , a m o t i f s u c h a s P ly is
s u b j e c k e d t o a b a s i c taxonomy i n u r d c r t o i d e n t i f y t h e t y p e o f P ly
i n t h e Igbo-Ukwu o r a l l o r e . From t h i s , we c a n t h e n d e r i v e f u r t h e r
t h e p a r t i c u l a r f l y m o t i f on t h e peopl* b r o n z e o b j e c t arid proceed
.to e x p l o r e i t s v a r i o u s meanings. T h i s is v e r y i m p o r t a n t s i n c e a
f l y m o t i f , f o r example , d o e s n o t r e v e a l t o u s what t y p e o f f l y is
d c p i c t c d on a p a r t i c u l a r a r t oh j e c t . I t on ly a p p e a r s a s a g e n e r a l i z e d
f l y m o t i f which l a c k s v i s u a l s p e c i f i c i t y f o r s y m b o l i c a n a l y s i s .
The F i r s t s t e p is t o i s o l a t e t h e i n d i v i d u a l componen.Ls O F
t h e two c x m p l e s o f a r t o h j e c t s a l r ~ a d y d i s c u s s e d u n d e r l i n g u i s - L i c
a n a l y s i s O F t h e a s s o c i a t e d wurd l ist u n d ~ r taxonomy. The s e c o n d
i n t e r p r e t a t i o n U P i n d i v i d u a l m o t i f s w h i c h o c c u r o n o u r two e x a m p l e s
of a r t o t ~ j e c t s namely : t h c d o u b l e e g g b r o n z e o b j u c t and t h e r i t u a l /
c e r e m o n i a l p o t .
A , PENDArJT ( d o u b l e egq OlifilAMENT
The d o u b l e e g g a r t o b j e c t is composed o f t h e f o l l o w i n g s y m b o l i c
m o t i f s : eygs , t u r t l e , f l i e s a n d b e a d s , I t is F u r t h e r i l l u s t r a t e d
d i a g r a m a t i c a l l y as shown b e l o w ,
Fiotifs f o u n d on t h e d o u b l e eqq bronze object.
E G G S DUUBLE EGG FLIES
BEADS F i g . 17. TUIITLE BRlINZE OD JECT
THE EGG MOTIF (AKWA)
TAXONOPlY ' A t , THE M E A N I I X OF THE ~IJORD ' A K W A '
The word ltakwal1 genc?ra . t e s s e v e r a l m e a n i n g s w i t h i n the 1gb.o-Ukwu
t h o u g h t a n d taxonomy. The f i rst m e a n i n g o f t h e word Iakwa ' is t h e - ,
name o ? I;he l o c a l b e d a c k n o w l e d g e d by t h e p e o p l e of Igho-Ukwu.
The s e c o n d meaning o f t h o word is u s e d t o e x p r e s s g r i e f s u c h a s t o c r y .
The t h i r d m e a n i n g s t a n d s f o r c l o t h i n g m a t e r i a l known a s w r a p p e r ,
t h e f o u r t h s t i l l p o i n t s t o a b r i d g e / p a t h w a y . A n o t h e r mean ing o f t h e
word y e t p o i n t s t o a l o c a l l y woven body cover known a s t o w e l , ~ d i i l e
t h e r e a l m e a n i n g o f t h e word we a r e s e a r c h i n g f o r r e f e r s t o a n
e d i b l e s u b s t a n c e known a s egg.
i l e p r e s e n t i n g it d i a g r a r n a t i c a l l y , i t r u n s t h u s :
F i g . 19.
The a b o v e w o r d s a r e s i m i l a r t o t h e word ' a k w a l ( e g g ) , t h o u g h n o t t h e
p l i o n e t i c s l l y . The available e . t h n o g r a p h i c e v i d e n c e shows t h a u e g g is o n e
o f t h e many o b j e c t s whose e x i s t e n c e is u p h e l d i n Igbo-Ukwu c u l t u r e ,
v a r i e t i e s a r e f o u n d i n a r t i s t ' s c o n c e p t u a l i z a t i o n a n d r e p r e s e n t a t i o n
o f a n egg i n i ts m a t e r i a l symbol i sm.
The e g g e x i s t s i n i ts v a r i o u s t y p e s i n Igho-Ukwu a s w i l l b e
shown b e l o w i n taxonomy ' 0 ' o n . . t h e t y p e s o f e g g s .
B i r d s , r ' e p t i l e s , a n d i n s e c t s l a y e g g s . R u t t h e e g g w h i c h f o u n d
e x p r e s s i o n o n Igbo-Ukwu d o u b l e e g g b r o n z e o b j e c t i s known as l o c a l l y -
b r e d f o w l . An Igho-Ukwu e l d e r p a r t i c u l a r l y i d e n t i f i e d it a s l o c a l l y
b r e d mother h e n ' s egg "Akwa qnekwu pkuka . (See t h e d i ag ram
below f o r i l l u s t r s t i o n o n t h e t y p e o f eggs ) .
TAXONOMY ' 9 ' THE TYPES OF EGGS
INSECT'S EGG TYPES OF EGGS REPTILE'S EGG
W I L D BIRDtS EGG B I R D 1 S EGG DOMESTIC BIRDtS EGG
C LOCALLY-ORED MOTHER HEN1 S EGG
Having done t h i s , we now f o c u s o n t h e l o c a l l y - b r e d mother h e n t s
egg t o g e t a t i ts meaning and i n t e r p r e t a t i o n .
T H E * MEANINGS OF THE LOCALLY R A E D MOTHER HEN'S EGG
Having c l e a r e d h i s t h r o a t , l ya than ie l Edoz ie s a y s "akwa o q a z i bu a n u ,
akwa okuko bu ru ekul (The egg o f a g u i n e a fowl is meat u h i l e t h a t o f t h e
d o m e s t i c fowl is w e a l t h ) . He g o e s f u r t h e r t o s a y t h a t t h e l a t t e r is
imbued w i t h a wide r a n g e of meanings. According t o h i m t h k egg rnzans
"peace , b e a u t y , p r o c r e a t i o n , l o v e , f e r t i l i t y , m e d i c i n e , u n c e r t a i n t y , 1 " ,-.
d e l i c a c y , c o n t i n u ~ i t y and food. 11
!Egg1 is. o n e o f t h e m a t e r i a l s u s e d i n t h e I g b o Ukwu t r a d i t i o n a l
' p e a c e t a l k 1 , E x p l a i n i n g t h i s , Mazi Muo s a y s t h a t I t t h i s is d o n e by
r u b b i n g t h e s l i q s u b s t a n c e o n t h e o p p o n e n t s c h e s t s a y i n g "Kwatawnzir! --.-
21 nu n1 i h i na anrehu .urn8 &ua.. ( S t o p q u a r r e l i n g and make p e a c e 1.
He g o e s o n t o s a y " t h a t " a n egg is a good t h i n g and good t h i n g s come
home "Akwa b u i h e oma n ' i h i na i h e orna k a a nanabataI1 . tie a l s o s a y s
t h a t it is u s e d t o p r e p a r e f e r t i l i t y m e d i c i n e known a s "oda e j i amuta
nwan h e n c e i t is s symbol o f f e r t i l i t y , p r o c r e a t i o n and p r o d u c t i v i t y . - Its s u b s t a n c e is a l s o smeared o n wounds e s p e c i a l l y o n t h o s e
t h e s u s t a i n e d d u r i n g / p l a n t i n g s e a s o n . T h e r e f o r e t h e g o d d e s s u s e s it t o
h c a l her p e o p l e and t o s a v e them f r o m t h e w r a t h o f " I f e j i o k u " the
c u l t o f yam.
The Igho-Ukwu p e o p l e r e c e i v e a n e g g w i t h warm h e a r t s e s p e c i a l l y
when i t is c u l t u r a l l y p r e s e n t e d . The p e o p l e s a y Nonye ma e c h i l 1
(Uho knows tomor row) b e c a u s e tomor row l i k e a n e g g is a ' p a c k ' of
u o c e r t a i n t y . o u t
C p n t r i b u t i n g t o t h i s , C y r i l I k e p o i n t d t h a t !Ian egg is s o 3 '
f r a g i l e and d e l i c a t e and y e t f u l l o f p r o ~ r e a t i o n . ~ ~ T h i s m.::ans
t h a t e v e n t h o u g h no o n e knows t h e c o n t e n t o f an c~gg, i t i s b u b b l i n g
a n d f u l l o f l i f e . I t is p r o v e r b i a l a n d d i r e c t e d t o t h e , l q a d e r s .
Even when s e e n r e p r e s e n t e d i n a ' c h a i n f o r m a t i o n a s is o u r c u s t o m
a r o u n d t h e neck o f o u r p o t t e r y w a r e s , ItIt s e r v e s a s a s y m b o l
o f b e a u t y , I t h e added. Ekemez ie , a n e l d e r , a f f jrms t h i s by say in^; "I t
r e p r e s e n t s a b e a u t i f u l m a i d e n who is, a d o r n e d w i t h beads . . ." 4 ( O n o c h i t e L e an^ i h e oclu umu-nwanyi n t e j i n1oi-w).
The f r a g i l i t y o f a n egg is r e f e r e n c e d i n Igbo-Ukwu e x p r e s s i o n
which s a y s Itbe smart a n d you w i l l n o t b r e a k l i k e a n egg t1 (Pdesie i k e ,
- imaua k a akwa). T h i s i s d i r e c t e d t o o n c who is u n u s u a l l y
s l o w . The Igbo-Ukwu e l d e r s a l s o s a y t h a t " a n e g g is s o d e l i c i o u s t h a t
i t is n o t s e r v e d t o c h i l d r e n f t (Akwa #@~.. ,u$y nk~,,na anahu -
e n y e y a umu aka." T h i s is s o i n o r d e r n o t t o l u r e them i n t o
s t e a l i n g e g g s .
DOUEiLE EGG (AHWA MKPI)
Igbo-Ukwu p r o v e r b s stress u n i t y when t h e y s a y t h a t "a broom
s t i c k d o e s n o t sweep a compound" (Ofu -- mkpuru a z i z a a d i q h i a z a e z i )
a n d I t u n i t y is s t r e n g t h " (Umunna bu i k e ) . T h i s e x p r e s s e s t h e l e v e l
o f c o - o p e r a t i o n which a , g r o u p need t o s u r v i v e , and a r t i s t i c a l l y
t h e y t a c t f u l l y e n c o d e t h i s i n t h e d o u b l e e g g b r o n z e o b j e c t . Hence
Ofod igbo l i s t e d t h a t d o u b l e egg m o t i f s i g n i f i e s " p e a c e , c o o p e r a t i o n ,
c o - e x i s t e n c e , l o v e , and u n i t y b e c a u s e , a c c o r d i n g t o him t h e y a r e t h e
i d e a l s o f good l i f e which a l e a d e r n e e d s i n o r d e r t o r u n t h e . 5
d e l i c a t e a f f a i r o f t h e s o c i e t y . I t
T h i s symbol o f f r a g i l i t y and c o - o p e r a t i o n is a l s o r e f l e c t e d i n
D o u g l a s F r a s e r , (1972). A c c o r d i n g t o h i m , I t the A s h a n t e h e n e u s e s t h e
e g g t o s y m b o l i z e t h e d e l i c a t e n a t u r e o f g o v e r n a n c e and human a f f a i r
( F r a s e r , 1972:137) . L i t t l e wonder t h e egg m o t i f appears i n a l m o s t a l l
t h e t r a d i t i o n a l a c t i v i t i e s i n t h e I g b o w o r l d .
TLIRT LE. (P.lUE)
lPlbel means a l o t more t h a n t h e mere word by which i t is known.
Fig.. 21,
The f i r s t mean ing r e f e r s t o it a s a b e e t l e which is s e e n f l y i n g t h e
a r o u n d t r e e s d u r i n y / f r u i t i n g s e a s o n . The s e c o n d meaning p o i n t s t o
i t a s t h e name o f a c r e a t u r e i n t h e r e p t i l e f a m i l y . i3ut o u t o f t h e
two n1eaninrl)s of t h e w o r d , t h a t ~ d h i c h mE!ans r e p t i l e ( C h e l o n i a ) s t a n d s
a s t h e synihol whose m o t i f a p p e a r s o n t h e Igbo-Ukwu d o u b l e egg a r t
oh j e c t . (See d i a g r a m b e l o w f o r i l l u s t r a t i o n )
(CHELUN'IA) IIEPTILE -3 IIKECT
F i g . 22,
? . TAXUTilU!-lY ' 8 ' , TIlE TYI-'E 111' REPTILE
' F ibe l , - a t y p e o f r e p t i l e ( c h e l o n i a ) is o f two t y p e s , namely: t h e
b u s h t o r t o i s e and t h e w a t e r t u r t l e ( d i f f e r e n t i a t e d f r o m t h e f o r m e r
by i t s l o n g t a i l ) .
Thc two t y p e s o f c h e l o n i a b e l o n g t o t h e k ingdom o f a n i r n a l i a ,
a c l a s s o f r e p t i l i a , a n o r d e r OF c h e l o n i a . B u t w h i l e t h e t u r t l e .
b e l o n g s t o t h e g e n u s s p e c i e o f C h e l o n i a mydas , w i t h a common name o f
t h e g r e c n o r e d i b l e t u r t l e , t h e t o r t o i s e b e l o n g s t o t h e g e n u s s p e c i e
of T c s h ~ ~ d o and has a common name o f t o r t o i s e . ( S e e d i a g r a m b e l o w f o r
i l l u s t r a t i o n ) .
F i g * 23,
F u r t h e r r e s e a r c h i n t o t h e t y p e o f c h e l o n i a r e v e a l s t h a t it is t h e
WATER 'fIJI?TLE{ -
t u r t l e I J J ~ ~ C ~ is commonly g i v e n e x p r e s s i o n o n b r o n z e d o u b l e e g g o b j e c t .
I'MOE' THE REPT $ HUSH TUilTUISF.
THE MEANIPJGS OF THE TURTLE
C o n c e r n i n g t h e t u r t l e , N a z i Ogwudire s a y s "a s n a k e b i t i n g a
t u r t l e is d e s t r o y i n g its mouth (Agwo n l a t u mbc n l a t u k p u o n u y a ) . He
g o e s o n t o s a y t h a t l i t h e t u r t l e s y m b o l i z e s c r a f t i n e s s , t o u g h n e s s ,
m e d i c i n e , and wisdom. 6
B a s e d o n f i e l d i n f o r m a t i o n , t h e t u r t l e is a s y m b o l o f wisdom and
t h i s is e s t a b l i s h e d i n Igbo-Ukwu f o l k - t a l e s and s o n g s . A good e x a m p l e
a p p e a r s i n a t a l e i n w h i c h t h e a n i m a l a d o p t s . t h e c o l l e c t i v e name o f
" a l l o f y o u H a n d t h u s a t e t h e f o o d w h i c h was mean t f o r a l l t h e
a n i m a l s ? The t u r t l e a l s o o c c u r s i n t h e p e o p l e S f o l k t a l e i n which
t h e Igbo-Ukwu p o r t r a y t h e m s e l v e s a s a d e m o c r a t i c s o c i e t y . T h u s Mazi
Gsude h s s n a r r a t e d t h e s t o r y i n w h i c h t h e t u r t l e was s a i d t o h a v e
a c q u i r e d a l l knowledge b u t was s o o n t r a p p e d i n a n e t . I t was o n l y l e t
o f f bhe t r a p t h r o u g h t h e a i d o f t h e b i r d kpanakwukwu who s a n g h i s
8 e s c a p e i n i ts s o n g . To blazi Usude, t h e t u r t l e i s t h e k i n g who n e e d s
t h e a d v i c e o f p e o p l e i f h e is to r u l e w e l l i n s o c i e t y . I n t h e same t h a t
way, t h e f a c t / h e n e e d s p e o p l e a l s o shows t h e p e o p l e l s d e s i r e f o r a
d e m o c r a t i c s o c i e t y .
The t u r t l e is v e r y w e l l - u t i l i z e d a r t i s t i c a l l y as a m e t a p h o r
e s p e c i a l l y o n a r t o b j e c t s , A c c o r d i n g t o Mazi Muo "it makes a 9
p r o v e r b i a l s t a t e m e n t which is u s u a l l y m e t a p h ~ r i c a l , ~ He f ~ ~ r t h e r
n o t e d t h a t " I f t h e t u r t l e is f o u n d on s h r i n e o b j e c t s , i t s e r v e s t o o f
p o r t r a y t h e g o d d e s s / d i v i n e wisdom a n d s t r e n g t h , " T h i s e x t e n d s t o
r i t u a l s a s s o c i a t e d w i t h d i v i n a t i o n .
THE FLY ( I J I J I )
T H E FLY MOTIF ( I J I J I )
,:. ' TAXONOMY ' A 1 , THE PIEANING OF THE WORD IJIJI1
T h e word ' i j i j i l i n Iqbo-Ukwu r e f c r s t o t h e f l y . A c c o r d i n g t o
Mazi C y r i l I k e Itwe s y m b o l i c a l l y u s e t h e f l y m o t i f t o d r i v e home t h e
, l o v a s t r a n g e o f m e a n i n g s i n o u r c u l t u r e . " ! j u t h e w a r n s t h a t t h e r e a r e
many t y p e s o f f l i e s and t h e y , s e r v e d i f f e r e n - t f u n c t i o n s . From t h i s
a r i s e s t h e need t o s u b j e c t t h e f l y m o t i f t o its b a s i c taxonomy a s
shown b e f o r e ,
TAXONOMY '8 , THE TYFJES OF FLIES
An e t h n o g r a p h i c s u r v e y shows t h a t t h r e e t y p e s o f f l i e s a r e
i d e n t i f i a b 1 e . b ~ t h e Igbo-Ukwu e l d e r s . They a r e t h e b i g f l y 'Okproko
( S e e d i a g r a m helow).
Amony t h e t h r e e , t y p e s o f f l i e s , t h e p e o p l e a c k n o u l e d g e t h a t
t h e b i g f l y o f t e n s e e n a r o u n d d e f e c a t e d a r e a s or r u b b i s h dumps is
' t h e m o t i f ] f o u n d o n t h e d o u b l e egg b r o n z e o b j e c t . I t is c a l l e d
IIOkporoke i , j i , i i " b e c a u s e o f its b i g s i z e ,
THE MEANINGS OF B I G FLY
The p e o p l e o f Igbo-Llkwu s a y t h a t "a f l y t h a t has, np a d v i s e r t
f o l l o w s a c o r p s e t o t h e qrave. l1 ( I j i , j i e n w e q h i onye ndumodu n l e s o
o z u l a a n l i n i ) . The p r o v e r b s h o ~ ~ r s t h a t t h e f l y is a s s o c i a t e d ~ ~ i t h - r e v e l a t i o n o f t h i n g s by t h e f a c t t h a t where it p e r c h e s o n
e x c r e t a , i t d o e s s o i n l a r g e number. I t a l s o s u g g e s B f e r t i l i t y
b e c a u s e of i t s r a t e OF r e p r o d u c t i o n and t h i s i s e x t e n s i o n o f
c o n l i n u i t y . The p r o v e r b i s a l s o a w a r n i n g t o t h c unwary who l i k e t h e
f l y may t a k e t h i n g s f o r g r a n t e d a n d m i s t a k e t h e s i m p l e f o r complex .
Fiy.. 25
TAXflNLlMY A ' TI IE HERI'JING CIF TI lE WUIID AI5A
The word ' a k a ' - means n o t h i n g more i n Igho-Ukwu t h a n a b e a d .
T h i s is commonly h e a r d i n t h e peop le ' s e x p r e s s i o n s s u c h a s ' I the
t i t l e d m a n l s b e a d is t h e b e a u t y o f h i s s t a t u s H (Aka o z o s o n l e b u b e
f l zo ) , a n d a t i t l e d woman's b e a d is r e f l ~ c t i v e o f h e r p r e s t i . g e and -
TAXONUF.SY l f l , TI IE TYPE OF R E A D
From a v a i l a b l e f i e l d e v i d e n c e , o n e n o t i c e s t h a t t h e r e a r e two
t y p e s OF b e a d s i n Igbo-Ukwu. Thu Pirst t y p e is known a s ' e s u r u l - w h i l e t h e s e c o n d t y p e is r e f e r r e d t o a s ' a k a 1 ( S e e i l l u s t r a t i o n - below).
ESURU 5 E AD 4J-+ AIW I R IGI1 I R I y151 A K A UKIJOROKO
W h i l e ' e s u r u l a n d ' a k a t a r e u s e d by t h e Igbo-Ukwu p e o p l e , - - i-l; is r a t h e r t h e l a t t e r w h i c h t h e y r e c o g n i z e as " a k a i r i g h i r i . 1 1
( t h e s m a l l t y p e ) w h i c h is d e p i c t s d o n t h e d o u b l e e g g b r o n z e o b j e c t .
THE MEAr\III\IGS (IF "AI/IR IRIGI-IIIII" (Slill\Ll- TYPE )
Recording t o D a n i e l oT L l r e r i , ll:jka i r i q h i r i ' is u s e d t o d e f i n e ' 12
s t a t u s a n d p o s i t i o n . " I t is a l s o u s e d t o show o n e ' s p e r s o n a l i t y ,
w e a l t h and n c h i c v ~ r n c n t . T i t l e d men a n d women b e a u t i f y t h e i r b o d i e s
w i t h i t . I t n o t o n l y e n h a n c e s body bc!auty b u t a n n o u n c e s t h e w e a r e r
a s a p e r s o n o f w e a l t h . T h i s is i l l u s l r a t e d c l e a r l y w i t h t h e Igbo-Ukwu
p r o v e r b w h i c h s a y s t h a t " I f a p o o r man c o n t r i b u t e i d e a s i n a
m e e t i n g , h e s h o u l d a l s o p r o v i d e money when i t is needed." F o r t h i s
r e a s o n , t h e b e a d r e m a i n s a s u p e r i o r a n d v e r y e x p e n s i v e m a t e r i a l
r e s e r v e d Tor t h e w e a l t h y , I l those whose h a n d s h o l d rnoneyI1
(Iddi aka , j i sku),
Igbo-Ukwu r i t u a l / c e r e r n o n i a l p o t is composed o f t h e f o l l o w i n g
s y m b o l i c m o t i f s : r a m ' s head, p y t h o n , S p i r a l , l e o p a r d ' s e l b o w ,
s c a r i f i c a t i o n m a r k , l o n g i t u d i n a l l i n e , and p a n g o l i n . ( S e e d i a g r a m
b e l o w f o r f u r t h e r i l l u s t r a t i o n ) ;
IGRU-UKWU I~ITUAL/CEREMUNIAL PUT
RAIqtS HEAD
'u v PY TI turd LECIPARD I s L O ~ ~ ~ I T P I D I N A L . L INE
ELOOW
cl SPIRAL
\1 PANLULIN
A SCARIFICATIUN MARK
TIjE R A M (E13INI) THE RAM lWT1F (EBI IV I )
F i y . 29
The word ' e b i n i ' i s t h e name o f a c l a s s o f niamalia w h i c h - b e l o r q s t o t h e o r d e r o f h a r b i v o u r . 11; is i n t h e Pawily o f o v i r l a e ,
a g e n u s o f o v i s a n d a s p e c i e o f o v i n e . - - TEXUI\IUIUIY ' O f , TliE TYPE OF O V T P E
T h e r e a r e two t y p e s o f o v i n e . The f i r s t one is known a s t h e
s h e e p w h i l e t h e s e c o n d t y p e r e f e r s t o a ram. Uut t h e - o v i n c m o t i f
f o u n d o n t h e Igbo-Ukwu r i t u a l p o t is i d e n t i f i e d as a ram ( S e e
d i a g r a m b e l o w f o r i l l u s t r a t i o n ) .
TYPE flF W I N E ) R A M
F i g . 30
TI-iE MEAI\IIPJGS OF RAP1
The ram m o t i f a c c o r d i n g t o Ekernezie
" I t i s a s s o c i a t e d w i t h t e l l i n g t h e r i g h t
l.3 means " g e t upw ( b i n i e ) .
h a n d t o g e t u p and 9e.t r e a d y f o r
war." The r a m , t h e p e o p l e s a y , f e a t u r e s g r e a t l y i n t h e i r
t r a d i t i o n a l a c t i v i t i e s b e c a u s e o f t h e f o r c e a t which i t a p p r o a c h e s
a n enemy - a c h a r a c t e r i s t i c q u a l i t y which h a s e a r n e d i t t h e name
S t r e s s i n g t h i s p o i n t , h e s a y s " t h e ram is p r e s e n t e d t o t h e g r e a t
s h r i n e s a n d t h o s e who h a v e d o n e g r e a t t t ~ i n g s . ~ The ram is a l s o a
b e f i t t i n g a t t r i b u t e t o t h e t r a d i t i o n a l l e a d e r s s u c h a s t h e t i t l e d
men. The "ram is s a i d t o b e g r e a t t h i n g b e c a u s e when it a t t a c k s ,
i t comes i n i n c r e a s i n g f o r c e and n o t h i n g is t o o s t r o n g t o s t o p it.
When a s k e d why t h e ram is a s s o c i a t e d u i t h human c h a r a c t e r s ,
E z e Ume a n g r i l y a s k e d bacl<:"::re men and women O F e q u a l s t r e n g t h ' ? : '
r l men and ranis e a t a l i k e w i t h f o r c e and v i g o u r , h e s a y s : A c l o s e
o b s e r v a t i o n r e v e a l s t h a t t h e r a m ' s h o r n i s c o i l e d arid Lze time
e x p l a i n s t h a t i t s e r v e s as "a power g e n e r a t o r , t h a t is why m e d i c i n e s
a r e s t u f f e d i n t o it t o i n c r e a s e its po tcncy . l t I t h a s a v e r y s m a l l
b r a i n w h i c h is e n c a s e d a t t h e b a c k o f its h e a d a n d t h a t is t h e
s e c r e t b e t i i n d i t s g r e a t s t r r ? n g t h . " I t s b l o o d i s s p r i n k l c d a n t h e
d e a d w a r r i o r ' s e y e s and i t s h e a d b u r i e d w i t h h im a s a p o t e n t i i n t h e
o r d e r t o f a c i l i t a t e h i s r e t u r n t a / a n c e s t o r s h e added.I1
THE PYTHON (EliE)
TtIE 1"Y'THOIU I - I U T I F ' C I X '
TAXONOMY ' A ' , 'THE MEAI\JIIUL; L3F 'THE WUI~D' EKE'
# E k e 1 - a s t h e word s o u n d s h a s t h e f o l l o w i n g m e a n i n g s i n Igbo-Ukwu.
The f i r s t r e f e r s t o a m a r k e t d a y . The s e c o n d r e f e r s t o ' e k e ' - as t h e
c r e a t o r , u h i l c t h ~ ! l a s t r e f e r s t o t h e p y t h o n and 1s the one t,he people
s a y is d e p i c t e d on t h e i r r i t u a l p o t ( s e e d i a y r a m be low) .
4 E K E A S TtIE CREATOR
F i g . 32
) EI<E A S A P Y T H O N
!
Having g o t t h r e e d i f f e r e n t rncan ings a t t a c h e d t o t h e word
I - EKE AI; A MARKET DAY (
' e k e ' - a n d t h e u s e d w o r d , we w i l l now p r o c e e d t o e x p l o r e t h e type
E15E .
o f p y t h o n u s e d i n t h e Igbo-Ukwu r i t u a l p o t . .
T A X U R U P I Y '0' , THE TYfJE OF PYTHON
A z o o l o g i c a l e x p l a n a t i o n g i v e n a b o u t t h e p y t h o n shows t h a t i t
i s a c l a s s o f r e p t i l i a w h i c h b e l o n g s t o . the o r d e r o f s q u a n i a t a / o p l i i r l i a
s p e c i e . 1.t f a l l s i n t o t h e f a m i l y o f b i o c l a e , a n d a g e n u s oP p y t h o n .
I t is g i v e n t h e common name o f t h e r o y a l p y t h o n . a .
,*, THE MEAI'JINGS OF THE K U Y A L PYTHOR
n c c o r d i n g t o t h e c h i e f p r i e s t o f Iybo-Ukwu, t h e Igbo-Ukwu o r a l
h i s t o r y h a s it t h a t t h e r e were t w o t y p e s o f p y t h o n . The f i r s t l i v e d
o n l a n d a n d was d a n g e r o u s . The s e c o n d l i v e d i n s i d e w a t e r a n d was n o t
' o n l y d a n g e r o u s b u t had t h e a b i l i t y t o c h n n g e i n t o hunian form. D u r i n g
r i t u a l s , t h e a n c e s t o r s n o t i c e d t h e y were human b e i n q s and b e l o n q e d
t o t h e g o d s , and c o n s c q u e n t l y s o u g h t f o r m u t u a l l i v i n g . t l e n c e ,
t h e p y t h o n s s t o p p e d c a u s i n g h a v o c and were no more k i l l e d by t h e
p e o p l e .
I S o o n 1 , lie c o n t i n u e d , tkhey d i s c o v e r e d t h e y were t h e i r p lc l imordia l
d i ~ t i e s a n d t h e p y t h o n became " a s y m b o l o f t h e i r a n c e s t r a l g u i d a ~ n c e
P a n d o b i n d e r o f t h e communi ty and t h e q o d s . " l!nL o n l y t h i s , t h e
p y t h o n is a l s o a s y m b o l o f t h e p e o p l e ' s u n i t y n o t e d t h e r e s e a r c h e r .
U e c a u s e o f t h e s e , it h a s a l o t o f r i t u a l s i g n i f i c a n c e i n t h e p e o p l e s
c u l t u r e . T h i s is why t h e Igbo-Ukwu p y t h o n s a r e r e g a r d e d a s sacred.
F u r t h i s r e a s o n t h e y a r e n e v e r k i l l e d .
l l t l ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ r , i B k i l l e d a c c i d e n t a l l y , it is b u r i e d i n t h e manner
a s s o c i a t e d l l l i th t h a t o f c h i e f s , o r e l s e , t h e v i c t im becomes lame
o r d e v e l o p s a n a b d o m i n a l p r o t r u s i o n ,and e v e n t u a l l y d i e s t h e
' C h i e f P r i e s t added .
The p e o p l e s a y t h a t t h e y r e v e r t h e p y t h o n b e c a u s e "it is
f r i e n d l y , h a r m l e s s , slow i n movement and r e g a r d i n g t h i s , t h e p y t h o n
is a f r e e - h o r n "Eke h u nwa a f o r o t 1 A l s o t h e h i g h e s t a c t o f o a t h -
t a k i n g c o n s i s t s o f c a l l i n g t h e name o f t h e p y t h o n by s a y i n g " I f I
d i d t h i s , know i t t h a t I h a v e k i l l e d a p y t h o n t 1 ltOhurum mere y a , @i.alu na
e q b u e l a m eke.!' . I n a d d i t i o n , h e f u r t h e r n o t e d t h a t t h e p r e s e n c e o f
a p y t h a n is a s i g n of l o v e and p e a c e which is f o s t e r e d by t h e gods .
THE SPIRAL ( "AGW08AGWOlI~
THE SPIRAL MOTIF t l A G W O R A G W O 1
T A X O N O M Y ' A 1 , THE MEANING OF THE WDRD 1ACiWOf7AGWD1
F i g . '33
Dased o n f i e l d i n f o r m a t i o n , t h e mean ing o f t h e word l aqwmaqwo1 is
s p i r a l . T h i s is a name g i v e n t o n a t u r a l l y - c o i l e d t h i n g s . The
e l d e r s a l s o s a y t h a t I t the s p i r a l m o t i f is u s e d t o embe l l j ; sh i t h e
r i t u a l pots.Il . , ..
TAXONOMY 'El' , THE TYPE OF SPIRAL MOTIF
E z e C h i n y e l u g o i d e n t i f i e s t h r e e t y p e s o f s p i r a l m o t i f s . They
a r e t h o s e der5.ved f rom t h e p y t h o n l s r e s t i n g p o s i t i o n known a s
"agworaqwo o r nkurunka e k e n , t h e c o i l e d h o r n of a ram, and t h e l a s t
from . t h ~ ? yam t e n d r i l s commonly r e f e r r e d t o a s llagworagwo onu jiw
(See t h e d i a g r a m below). '
51 I I j A L t4UTI.F GOT SPIRAL IVIUTIF DLTZIVEU Fltllll TtlE COILED SPIRAL MOTIF >FROM THE IJY TtION1 S tIUi1N OF A RAM IjESTIhJG I:'OSITIUN
TI IAT G O T FRRM THE YGFl TEI 'WRIL
. .
Fig . 34
Given t h e above t y p e s oP s p i r a l m o t i f s , Eze Ch inye luyo
i d e n t i f i e s t h e one a n t h e i r r i t u a l . p o t t o b e a yam t e n d r i l .
Among t h e I g b o , yarn w e a l t h is a n i n d e x o f o n e ' s m a t e r i a l w e a l t h .
T h i s i s o f t e n r i t u a l i z e d i n t h e yam c u l t known a s I1I fe j ioku1l and t h e
c u l t oP t h e r i g h t hand known a s '1kenqa.I t h e
S t r e s s i n g f u r t h e r o n t h e meanings of/yam t e n d r i l , E re Ume C j i a k u
s a y s t h a t "it is a symbol o f growth.I1 A f f i r m i n g t h i s , Eze Ayom t h e
e x p l a i n s tha t /yam t e n d r i l s i g n i f i e s "ou r a s p i r a t i o n t o grow which h a s
come t o s t a y a s a v i t a l p r i n c i p l e OF o u r cosmology and s t re tches
f rom b i r t h llOmumull, t h r o u g h growth l1UtoU, t i t l e t a k i n g f t E c h i c h i l l , 16
d e a t h llLlnw~~ll t o r e i n c a r n a t i o n Itlno i.ltl~a.tt -
Fagg and P l a s s (9964) a l s o n o t e d o f s p i r a l furrns t h a t " t h e y
e x p r e s s g rowth and a r e p a r t 07 an i n c r c , ~ s e cu l t . I 1 I n a d d i t i o n ,
J a q u e t Maquet (1972) s a y s t h a t ' ' s p i r a l fo rms no o b v i o u s l y e x p r e s s a
low oP g rowth and is a f f i l i a t e d w i t h t h e i d e a o f e n e r g y and e x p r e s s e s
A f r i c a n e x p e r i e n c e , e s p e c i a l l y t h a t of t h e u l t i m a t e v a l u e o f f e r t i l e
enc rgy and t h e s t r e n g t h t o grow ( J a q u e t Maquet , '1972:143)1t.
. , .
Fig . 35.
TAXIITKIMY ' A ' , TI IE I4EAiUINI; CJF TI lE WIIRU ' II4PERE A K A AGU'
An [Uri e l d e r s a y s t h a t t h e meaning o f t h e word I1Ikperc-aka aguI1
i s t t h e e lbow o f a l e o p a r d ' s armv
TA XIJIWMY ' 1-3 ' , TI-IE TYPE OF LEOPARD - ~ i v e n t h e d e s c r i p t i o n o f i h c t y p e o f l e o p a r d whose mo t iF is
found 011 t h e Igbo-Ukwu r i t u a l p o t , i t t a l l i e s u i t h t h a t which b e l o n g s
t o a c l a s s OF rnarnalin, i n t h e o r d e r o f c a n i v o r a . I t f a l l s i n t o t h e
f a m i l y o f f e l i d a e , a g e r m o f p a r i t h e r a , and a spec ie of P n n t e r a Padua. -
I t is g i v e n t h e common name o f l r ?op ixd .
I n f u l l e r e x p l o r a t i o n o f i ts m e a n i n g s , N a z i Onwughara O I J ~
e m p h a t i c a l l y p o i n t e d / . t h c f o l . l o ~ : ~ i n g s y l n b o l i c a t t r i b u t e s , n n ~ n e l y :
mclscul ini-I;\, . I 1 Commenting f u r t h e r , h e added t h a t t h e rnean ings o f t h e
l e o p a r d 9 e l b o w c a n o n l y b e u n d e r s t o o d " i f o n e knows e x a c t l y w h a t t h e
a n i m a l is and t o w h a t e x t e n t it is u s e d i n I g b o - U k ~ u . ~ ~
A c c o r d i n g t o h i m , " t h e Igbo-Ukwu d o n o t k i l l o r e a t t h e
l ~ o p a r d and t h e l e o p a r d d o e s n o t harm them." H a t h e r " I t is m o s t l y
u s e d a s a s y m b o l o f s t r e n g t h . " T h i s ag re r?s w i t h D a n i e l F. M c c a l l t s
( 1 9 7 5 ) o b s e r v a t i o n t h a t " i n A F r i c a n a r t , t h e l e o p a r d s t a n d s f o r a
s y m b u l o f t h e c h i e f ' s s t r e n g t h ( M c c a l l , 1975 :313) . "
O t h e r a t t r i b u t e s o f t h e l e o p a r d a r e a s s o c i n t e d w i t h m e n ' s
v a l o m i n d i f f e r e n t a c t i v i t i e s . F o r e x a m p l e , b r a v e rncn arc? a d d r e s s e d
a s l l th t .y who h a v e k i l l e d a l e o p a r d M (Ogbu 17gu). T h o s e who can
t r a n s f o r m t h e m s e l v e s i n t o t h e l e o p a r d f o r m a r p kno~lrn a s I1Ohi Aqutl.
I n a d d i t i o n , Mazi E d o z i e o f I c h i d a e x p l a i n s t h a t ' I the l e o p a r d may seem ; L8
q u i e t , y e t i ' t i s a v e r y a c t i v e anirnal . l l I lcnce i t s u s e on - the
Igbo-Ukwu p o t , f o r w h i c h it s e r v e s a s a m e t a p h o r o f t h e fame and
a c h i ~ ~ v c m c n . t o F t h e community.
I
F i g . : 36
I k c o r d i n g t o o r a l i n f o r m a t i o n , t h e word I i c h i 1 - means t h e
s c a r i l ' i c a t i n n mark b ~ h i c h is ri~nde o n Z;hc face .
TAXIINUMY ' El1 , THE TYI'E OF I ICI-I11 MAIIKS
An Igbo-Ukwu e l d e r i d c n t i f ' i e s t h r e e t y p e s o f r i c h i t - m a r k s ,
name ly : u [ J q b ~ ~ d o i c h i m , " E l e q h e i c h i " , and f lEz iqL~o i c h i ." (See d i a g r a m
b e l o w f o r d e t a i l s ) .
E Z I G O O ICHI ( t h e f u l l f a c e i c h i m a r k ) and t h e o n e d e p i c t e d o n t h e
0GIiAl)U ICHI ELEIiIiT ICIiI r i t u a l p o t ( t h e b e g i n n i n g ( w h i c h c u m e s i n 4
o f i c h i m a r k ) t o 6 l i n e s OF i c h i m a r k s
THE FII~I1NINC;S [IF FULL FACE SCAi .71FICATION P4ARl/1
, l a z i U g w u d i r ~ ! s a y s o f i ts r e p r e s e n t a t i o n o n t h e r i t u a l p o t t h a t
" t h e c i r c l e a n d semi-circle mark r e p r e s c n t t h c s u n (IAnyanuu) a n d t h e
19 monn ( O n ~ o ) . ~ l I ) a n i c l o f Nri s t r e s s e s how p a i n f u l t h e c u t t i n g
.20 o p e r a t i o n is a n d d e c l a r e s t h n t " a n - i c h i man has seen L;od.It flu-t
p o i n t s o u t a l s n t h e c o m p e n s a t i n g p r e s t i g e and immuni ty b e c a u s e , t h e
p r a c t i c e is m o s t l y l i m i t e d t a t h e e l d e r s u n s and d a u g h t e r s . T h i s is
d u e t o thr? g r e a t c o s t o f t h e ceremclny and i t s s y m b o l i c c o n r i o t a t i o n
i n reference t o t h e Nri myth a n d c r e a t i o n l e g e n d . ( S e e J e f f e r y s ,
19%: 122) .
T h a t t h e m a r k i n g is h a b i t u a l l y a s s o c i a t e d w i t h c r e a t i o n l e g e n d is
shown by t h e w o r d s o f a s o n g . The s o n g g o e s t h u s : "Nwa i c h i nycm
a g ~ t ~ u b u q u n e m , i c h i eze nwa d i o k p a l a " ( I c h i c h i l d r e n g i v e me f o n d t h a t
I rnay n o t d i e o r hunger) ." Thus t h e r e p r e s e n t a t i o n o f l i c h i t - mark o n t h e r i t u a l p o t u n d e r l i n e s t h e i m p o r t a n c e a t t a c h e d t o t h e
i d e n t i f i c a t i o n o f t h e p e o p l e as b e l o n g i n g t u IYri l i n e a g e . I t a l s o
n l a k c s r e f e r e n c e t o t h e i r m y t h i c a l o r i g i n s .
S o , a c c o r d i r i g t o the p e o p l e , i c h i l s i g n i r i e s l l t r u s t w o r t h ine.ss, h i g h
i n t e g r i t y u p r i g h t n e s s , and i n n o c e n c e .I1
O r a l h i s t o r y a l s o g o e s f u r t h e r t o s u g g e s t t h a t b e f o r e t h e a d v e n t
o f C h r i s t i a n i t y , - i c h i men were r e g a r d e d a s t h e mos t t r u s t w o r t h y . T h i s
i s a l s o n o t e d by C h i n u a Achebo ( 1 9 6 4 ) i n a s c e n e i n w h i c h N E z e U l u *
k n o w s t h e i m p l i c a t i o n s o l ' the t r u t h and y e t t o l d i t a g a i n s t h i s p e o p l e
22 (Achcihe, 1964 :b ) . A l s o , I'1.A. Unwuejuogwu ( 1 9 0 1 ) r e c o g n i z e s t h e
s i g n i F i c a n c e o f s c a r i f i c a t i o n morls among t h e I g b o o f t h e S o u t h - e a s t
when h e w r o t e t h a t "it is . the c o n c e p t o f peace, liarrnuny anrl t r u t h w h i c h
is r i t u a l l y s y m b o l i z e d and e n a c t e d i n t h e ceremony OF t h e - Uzo t i t l e d
men (Unwue juogwu, 1 9 8 1 : 11) ."
An I s u o F i a e l d e r r e v e a l s t h a t l l J t i i ~ l a s .regards word sound means - I l l 4 l i n c d r a w n frnni s i d e t o s ide ." I t is a l s o a name g i v e n t o r e d
car~iwood. ( S e e d i a g r a m be low) .
THE I'IEANIJ'JG OF TI.1E
LINE Dl~A ldN RED FIIUM S IDE TU SIOF CAMWOOD
T A X l l N [ l r S Y 19' . TI lE TYPE L3F I UHIE
F i g . -39
A n Igbo-Ukwu t r a d i t i n n a l a r t i s t a d d s t h a t " a l i n e t h a t r u n s a c r o s s I J ~ i.c h
i t s widt;h/ is known ils l n n g i t u d i n a l l i n e is w h a t is r e p r e s c n . t e d o n t h e i' ?
r i t u a l p o t
THE MEAN1IU;S OF LONG ITUD II!IRL LINE - As Fur i t s meanings, Re went f u r t h e r t o say t h a t "It adds
c o l u u r t o t h e beau ty o f t h e a r k o b j e c t and e n r i c h e s i t s t ex tu re . r r
TRXOPJI1MY ' A t , 'THE W A M I r d G CIF THE MORD I A K A H O l
A s t u d y o f t h e meaning o r t h e word IAkaboI r e v e a l s t h a t i t
r e f e r s t a an a n i m a l known as I Janyn l i n , The P a n y o l i n , a c u n r d i n g t o
i t s z o o l o q i c n l d e s c r i p t i o n , i s a name o f a c l a s s o f mnmnlia i n t h e
o r d e r o f I J h o l i d o t a . I t be longs t o a f a ~ n i l y o f Manidat?, a genus O F
manis s p e c i e , camrnonly known as pnngc l l in ,
Acco rd ing t o Mazi I l o a k a s i , " P a n g o l i n i s o f two types . The
* "24 f i r s t l i v e s i n t h e savannah, w h i l e t h e second' l i v e s i n t h e f.'orest.
The l a k t c r i s t h e one found on t h e r i t u a l po t .
TI IE l4;IAI:?INl3!; CIF PAIUl;UI-IN ( TI-ll? Fll!K5T TYPE)
I J a n g u l i n h a s many s y m b o l i c m e a n i n g s some o f which a r e :
d e f c n c u l e s s n e s s , h a r m l e s s n e s s and i n n o c e n c e . The Igbu-Ukwu a r t i s t ,
s e e m l y , c h o s e t h e p a n g o l i n m o t i f b e c a u s e o f i t s c h a r a c t e r i s t i c
a t t r i b u t e s . T h i s is b e c a u s e t h e y s e c t h e s o c i e t y a s d e f e n c e l e s s and
i n n l ~ c e n t a n d t h e r e f o r e c o u n t o n t h e g o d s f o r d e f e n c e .
The s y n l b o l i c a t t r i b u t e s o f t h e p a n g o l i n a r e n o t e d by J .Z. Young
( 1 9 8 1 ) who o b s e r v e s t h a t t h e a n i m a l " h a s no t e e t h , h a s v e r y s i m p l e
s t o m a c h , r e d u c e d e a r , v e r y s m a l l e y e s and b r a i n , and is i n t h e
h a b i t of r o l l i n g i n t o a b a l l when d a n g e r s t r i k e s (Young, 1901:45U)v.
Suppur -L ing Plazi I l o a k a s i , C y r i l I k e a d d s L h a t IJwhan i n t r o u b l e s u c h a s
d u r i n g i n t e r - v i l l a g e w a r s o r when e p i d e m i c s s t r i k e , we r u n t o o u r
g o d s f o r p r o t e c t i o n and d e f e n c e - b e c a u s e b e F o r e them we a r e l i k e
IJo o n e e v e r s a y s how h e k i l l e d o r e x p r e s s e s how d i f f i c u l t it is
t o c a t c h t h e a n i m a l , r a t h e r , p e o p l e s a y t h e y g u t a p a n g n l i n
" E b u t c r e rn ; \ k a b o m n
A l t h o u g h t h e a n i m a l is v e r y weak, ' n n t u r e f e c d s i t by
a t t r a c t i n g i n s e c t s t o i ts s p r e a d o u t t o n g u e . I n l i k e m a n n e r , t h e gods
p r o v i d e t h e i r p e o p l e w i t h f o o d s u c h as l o c u s t a n d mushroom i n times t h e a s s o c i a t e c l
O F need. T h e r e f o r e t h e u s e o f / p a n g o l i n m o t i f e s p e c i a l l y o n t h e t h i n g s /
Wj ' thgods ' shows t h ~ godS d i v i n e p r o t e c t i o n and d e f e n c e .
NlJTCS ON CI-IWTEIl F IVE
. E x c e r p t f r o m t h e i n t e r v i e w n o t x s o f t h e r e s e a r c h w i t h t h e t r a d i t i o n a l h c a l u r - N a t h a n i e l E d u z i e f r o m n'neokwa
. From t h a i n t e r v i e w w i t h PIazi Muo - a r e t i r e d h e a d m a s t e r .
. T h e s e s t a t e m e n t s o r e r e n d e r e d d i r e c t l y i n E n g l i s h a s t h e i n f o r n ~ a n , t I s S U L I ~ C E .
. E x c e r p t f r o m t h e t a p e - r e c o r d e d i n i ; ~ ? r v i e w w i t h an i n f ormank.
. From t h e i n t e r v i e w w i t h Mazi UFodigho - a C i v i l S e r v a n t
. From t h e i n t e r v i e w w i t h t h e t r a d i t i o n a l h e a l e r
. I H . 1 1 of ymul is a c u l l z c t i v e name w h i c h t h e c r a f t y t u r t l e a d o p t e d i n a f o l k s t o r y .
. lll/rpanakulc~lll is t h e name o f a b i r d w h i c h n c c u r e d i n E z e C h i k w e l u l s f o l k s t n r y .
. Mazi Osude is a t i t l e d man
. Hazi i4u0 is a l s o a t i t l e d rnan f rom I c h i
. T h i s s t a t e m e n t is r e n d e r e d d i r e c t l y i n E n g l i s h a s t h e i n f orrnnnt I s s o u r c e .
. f ichebo C h i n u n n o t e d t h a t , among t h e I g b o , proverbs a r e thc palm o i l w i t h w h i c h w o r d s a r e e a t e n . T h i s is g r e a t l y d e r n o n s t r a t c d i n c n n v e r s a t i u n s w i t h t h e p e o p l e o f Igba-Ukwu and t h e i r n c i g h b o u r s .
. From t h e i n t e r v i e w w i t h D a n i e l , a n I c h i man f r u m U r e r i .
. [ i x c c r t f rum t h e i n t e r v i e w w i t h t h e C h i s f P r i e s t o f Udo S h r i n e .
, From t he t a p e - r e c n r d e d i n t e r v i e w w i t h Eze Ume.
. E x c e r p t From t h e . t a p e - r e c o r d e d i n t e r v i e w w i t h Ekemezie .
From a n i n t e r v i e w h ~ i t h Eze Ayorn Prum Ugbu.
From t h e i n t e r v i e w g r a n t e d t h e w r i t e r by Mazi Onwuyhara.
From t h e t a p e - r e c o r d e d i n t e r v i e w w i t h Mazi E d o z i e f r o m I c t i i d a .
I'rorn t h e i n t e r v i e w g r a n t e d t h e a u t h o r by a r i t u a l i s t and d i v i n e r .
E x c e r p t f r o m t h e t a p e - r e c o r d e d i n t ~ r v i z w w i t h a n I c h i man - D a n i e l f rom Nri.
A s o n g which is a s s o c i a t e d w i t h t h e c r e a t i o n l e g e n d oP PJri.
Eze-Ulu in Arrow o f God d e m o n s t r a t e d t r u t h f u l n e s s and h o n e s t y which is e x p e c t e d o f e v c r y l i c h i 1 man.
i'ronl t h e i n t e r v i e w g r a n k e d t h e r e s e a r c h c r by a t r a d i t i o n a l a r t i s t i n I'Jkwo m a r k e t .
T h i s s t a te rn -?n . t is r ~ n d e r e d d i r e c t l y i n E n g l i s h a s t h e i n f o r m n n t l s s o u r c e .
T h i s s t a t e m e n t i s a l s o r e n d e r e d d i r e c t l y i n E n g l i s h a s t h e i n F o r m a n t l s s o u r c e .
TAXUNIIMY/CLIIUTEXTURL ANALYSIS UF HYDII I D Ml lT IFS LIN THL TWO AHT LJHJECTS
Leopnrds e l h u w m o t i f r Py thon mu t i f
I I L S p i r a l mo t i f
L - - ~ o n i q d i n a l l i n e ",A A- S i i t i mark m o t i f
F i n a l l y , c h a p t e r s i x c o n s i s t s o f c o n t e x t u a l a n a l y s i s o f
tl-112 m o t i f c n m p o n e n t s which c o n s t i t u t e t h e h y b r i d o n e a c h o f t h e
a r t o b j e c t s a l r e a d y d i s c u s s e d u n d e r taxonomy.
The i n d i v i d u a l l y - i n t e r p r e t e d s y m b o l s i n t h e t a x o n o m i c s e c t i o n
d o n o t e x i s t i n i s o l a t i o n i n t h e i r symbol i sm. R a t h ~ r , t h e y p r o v i d e
e x p r e s s i v e c e n t r e s o f i n t e r a c t i o n s and i n t e r r e l a t i o n s h i p s o f s y m b o l i c
m o t i f s . I n t h i s , s o c i a l f u n c t i o n s n v e r l a p r i t u a l a n d p o l i t i c a l f a c t o r s .
I t is f o r t h i s r e a s o n t h a t t h e d o u b l e - e g g b r o n z e o b j e c t and t h e r i t u a l
p o t s t a n d a s a l i v i n g t e s t i m o n y t o t h e i d e a l s o f l i f e i n Igbo-Ukwu.
T h i s is b e c a u s e , these a r t o b j e c t s r e p r e s e n t t h e l i f e and t h o u g h t o f
a p c u p l e whose l e a d e r c u n t r o l s a n d d i r e c t s t h e a f F a i r s o f t h e s o c i e t y
u s i n g t h e powcr o f a r t o b j e c t s as v i s u a l s u p p u r t .
Look ing a t t h e h y b r i d m o t i f s o n t h e two a r t o b j e c t s u n d e r
d i s c u s s i o n , o n e n o t i c e s t h a t t h e y t a k e t h e Form o f s t y l i z e d o r
n a t u r a l i s t i c r e p r e s e n t a t i o n s o f a v a r i e t y o f a n i m a t e and i n a n i m a t e
f o rms /ob j e c t s s u c h as t h c r a m , p y t h o n , s p i r a l s , l e o p a r d , scar i f i c a -
t i o n m a r k s , l i n e s , p a n g o l i n , e g g s , b c a d s , t u r t l e and f l y m o t i f s .
T h o t t h ~ s e r e p r e s e n t a t i o n s o c c u r s i r n u l t a e n o u s l y o n t h e s e a r t o b j e c t s
anrl i n d i f r e r e n t c o m b i n a t i o n s is n o t e w o r t h y . We s h a l l now r e c o u p l e
a l l t h e n l o t i f s i n t h e h y b r i d c o n t e x t s OF t h e r i t u a l p o t and t h e
double-egg b r o n z e o b j e c t .
The h y b r i d s y m b o l s / m o t i f s l i s t e d above make m e t a p h o r i c
s t a t e m e n t s a b o u t t h e l i f e and t h o u g h t OF t h e Igbo-Ukwu peop le and s o c i e t y
e s p e c i a l l y a s i t p e r t a i n s t o l e a d e r s h i p . Among t h e l i s t c d symbo l i c
m o t i f s , t h o s e o f t h e a n i m a l s domina t e and a r e used i n v a r i o u s ways.
I l l h i l ~ t h e ram, s n a k e and l e o p a r d symbols a r e employed t o r e p r e s r r i t
powcr o r make a l l u s i o n s t o power, t hey a r e used i n c o n j u n c t i o n w i t h
o t h e r m o t i f s u l l i ch make s y m b o l i c r e f e r e n c e s t o o t h e r a s p e c t s OF
powcr and a u t h o r i t y , s u c h a s p r o t e c t i o n , and d e f e n c e . For example ,
t h e r i t u a l p o t is composed o f s e v e n s y m b o l i c items be tween and
belotlr r i b h e d h a n d l e s on t h e l ower p a r t O F t h e s h o u l d e r . These m o t i f s
r e p r e s e n t s e v e n l e v e l s o f symbolism which c a l l Lo mind t h e d i v e r s e r o l e s
o f t h e p r i e s t - k i n g Cze Nri i n r e l a t i o n t o t r a d i t i o n a l l e a d e r s h i p
and a u t h o r i t y . We is o r s h o u l d be a r u l e r o f v a l o u r , p a t i e n c e ,
wisdom etc .
A t one l o v e l , t h e ram m o t i f s h o m t h c l e a d e r a s a v i c t o r i o u s
w a r r i o r , a r e f e r e n c e t o t h e symbolism of powcr a s not1.d by many
r e s u a r c h ~ r s s u c h a s K e i t h Ray ( 1 9 0 9 ) , EJabatunde La~lral (19751, and
Uos ton (1377). According t o K e i t h Ray, t h e r e p r e s e n t a t i o n o f t h e
ram m o t i f is s c e n a s "a p o s s i b l e r e f e r e n c e t o t h e k ing a s a
w a r r i o r (1903:71) ." Lawal a s s e r t s t h a t "a ram is a s s o c i a t e d w i t h
some s u p e r n a t u r a l powers ( k c a l l and Day, 1975:225). It
Henderson, on t h e o t h e r hand, s a y s of t he ram motif t h a t " I t r e c a l l s
a t t r i b u t e s of k ing ly powers (1372:44)." J.S. Boston exp l a in s t h a t U I t
ep i tomizes ' I k e n g a l , t h e s t r e n g t h of t h e r i g h t hand (1977).
Another m o t i f , a s t y l i z e d r e p r e s e n t a t i o n of a leopard s e r v e s a s
a mctaphor f o r t h e k i n g ' s defence and p r o t e c t i o n of h i s people. L
Fraoer and Cole noted t h i s when they wrote t h a t t h e leopard mo t i f s
" a r c cquated wi th l e a d e r s throughout t he con t inen t (1972:316)." They
c i t e t h e case of t h e Oba of Denin who employed t h e leopard motif t o
symbolize h i s power (1372:263). On t h e r i t u a l p o t , on the o t h e r
hand, is a s t y l i z e d r e p r e s e n t a t i o n of t h e l e o p a r d ' s elbow. T h i s not
only p o r t r a y s t h e beauty of t h e rhythmic movement of t h e animal , i t
a l s o he igh tens t h e emphasis placed on t h e power of i t s forearms.
This underscores t h e k i n g ' s a b i l i t y t o d i s p l a y and use power.
There a r e y e t t h r e e o the r symbolic i tems which a t t e s t t o t he
wealth of t h e Igbo-Ukwu s o c i e t y , p a r t i c u l a r l y a s i n d i c a t o r s of
l e a d e r s h i p , s t a t u s and power. They inc lude I i ch i1marks . T h i s
symbolic motif s t a n d s t o i n d i c a t e t h e unquest ionable na ture of t h e
l e a d c r l s " s t a t u s , wealth and a u t h o r i t y ( l982:6) . I t For t h i s r e a son ,
Je fPreys has suggested t h a t "it makes a d i r e c t connota t ion between
t h e c h i e f ' s form and h i s legendary o r i g i n (1951:100) .~~ I t a l s o
symbolizes t he k i n g ' s o the r v a l i a n t a t t r i b u t e s a s shown i n c r e a t i o n
legends i n Onwue jogwu (1981).
The l o n g i t u d i n a l l i n e s w h i c h a d o r n t h e s u r f a c e o f t h e p a t
s e r v e t o i l l u s t r a t e t h e k i n g ' s body a d o r n m e n t which r a d i a t e s and
g i v e s a e s t h e t i c p l e a s u r e . L a s t l y , t h e s p i r a l m o t i f which o u t n u m b e r s
o t h e r m o t i f s h i n t s a t r e i n c a r n a t i o n ant1 cosniology a s shown i n t h e
e x p r e s s i o n "my w o r l d o f s e v e n c y c l e d t (Lha m, IJwa a s a a ) . T h i s n o t i o n
s i g n i f i e s t h e k i n g ' s a s p i r a t i o n t o g row i n a l l d i r e c t i o n s * I t
s t r e t c h e s From b i r t h , t h r o u g h g r o w t h , t i t l e - t a k i n g , d e a t h t o
r e i n c a r n a t i o n . T h e s e are a l l m e t a p h o r s for a d y n a m i c l e a d e r s h i p .
S i n c e t h e Iybo-Ukwu and I g b o p e o p l e v i e w t h e i r w o r l d a s b e i n g
c y c l i c ( q b u r u q b u r u ) , power is s a i d t o b e e x e r t e d and u s e d i n
t h e same p a t t e r n .
THE RITuRL/CEREMUNIRL PUT HY131IID LIIHEEL A l W TI-IE SnCIETY
The h y b r i d w h e e l makes t h i s c l e a r ( s e e F i g . 42 ). I t
i l l u s t r a t e s t h e v a r i o u s m a n i f e s t a t i o n s o f power i n c l u d i n g k i n g l y and
l e a d e r s h i p a t t r i b u t e s . T h i s is t h e m u l t i l i n c n r a s p e c t o f i c o n o g r a p h y .
T h i s is t o s a y t h a t power c a n be o r m a n i f e s t s i n c h o s e n v i s u a l f o r m s
a s s e e n i n t h e l o n g i t u d i n a l l i n c ! o f t h e r i t u a l p o t , - i c h i f a c e
m a r k i n g s , and t h e p r o c r e a t i v e and p r o t e c t i v e s y m b o l i s m o f t h e
p y t h o n .
THE UUUnLE E G G ORCINZE OBJECT HYUFlID blt iEEL AND THE SOCIETY
The d o u b l e g b r o n z e o b j e c t , o n t h e o t h e r h a n d , is e m b e l l i
w i t h Four s y ~ r i b u l i c m o t i f s . They i n c l u d e e g g s , b e a d s , f l i e s , and
. I
s h e d
t h e
t u r t l e . T h e s e s y m b o l i c m o t i f s a l s o m a n i f e s t a s a f o u r - f o l d
s y m b o l i s m w h i c h r eca l l s a t t h e i r v a r i o u s l c v u l s a t t r i b u t e s o f t h e
l e n d e r . The t u r t l e , f o r i n s t a n c e , w h i c h is p l a c e d i n t h e m i d d l e o f
t w o e g g m o t i f s s e r v e s a s a v i s u a l i n d i c a t i o n s y m b o l i c a l l y o f t h e
k i n g ' s inscrutable n a t u r e a s a l e a d e r and m e d i a t o r . T h i s f u n c t i o n
is s e r v e d by t h e s n a k e m o t i f i n t h e r i t u a l p o t . F r a s e r and C o l e
h a v e nuked t h a t t h e s n a k e a n d f i s h s e r v e t h i s s y m b o l i c f u n c t i o n f o r
t h e Uba o f a c n i n i n t h e s a m e l e a d e r s h i p c o n t e x t . The b e a d m o t i f s
s h o w t h e k i n g a s a w e a l t h y l e a d e r when t h e y a re u s e d t o sew
w t i c l e s o f c e r e m o n i a l d r e s s e s a s n o t e d by K e i t h flay ( 1 9 8 9 : 7 4 ) . t f
T h a t t h e y a r e l i n k e d t o c h a i n s may b e d e c o r a t i v e b u t t h i s a l s o e x p a n d s
t h e s y m b o l i s m o f w e a l t h and s t a t u s . T h i s i s v e r y c l e a r i n t h e
h y b r i d w h e e l u f t h e r i t u a l p o t ( F i g . + i ). J u s t a s i n t h e r i t u a l p o t ,
t h e s e P o u r - f o l d l e v e l s o f s y m b o l i s m a re a g a i n powcr c h a n n e l s o r
~ n a n i f c s t a t i n n s o f polder a n d a u t h o r i t y o f t h ~ ! l e a d e r EZP Nri. T h u s .
i n c o n t e x t , t h e s e v a r i o u s m o t i f s , t h e i r f o r m s , a r r a n g e r n c n t s a n d
r e p r e s e n t a t i o n s a r e s o c l o s e l y i n t e r w o v e n a n d j u x t a p o s e d t o t h e
e x t e n t t h a t o n e n o t i c e ; t h e i r c l o s e l y - s t r u c t u r e d n a t u r e a n d
t y p e . The v i s u a l c o m p l e x o f t h e m o t i f s r e f l e c t s v a r i o u s a t t r i b u t e s
o f a l e a d e r , t h e n a t u r e o f l e a d e r s h i p a n d t h e i d e a l s o f g o v e r n a n c e .
F o r e x a m p l e , t h e n e a r i n t e r l o c k i n g
p a n g o l i n , i c h i m a r k s , l o n g i t u d i n a l
o f t h e ram, l e o p a r d , s n a k e ,
l i n e s a n d o t h e r s i n f i g .
m a k s v c r y c r y p t i c s t a t e m e n t s a b o u t Igbo-Ukwu and c r o s s - r e f e r e n c e
t o t h e i r w o r l d , a w o r l d i n w h i c h power is t o b e u s e d w i t h v a l o u r ,
p a t i e n c e , p e a c e , wisdom... T h e s e s y m b o l i c m u t i f s w e r e u s e d
r a n d o m l y f o r a r t i s t i c e m b e l l i s h m e n t b u t c l e a r l y a s s t a t e m e n t s a b o u t
power and l e a d e r s h i p . T h e r e f o r e t h e y e v o k e t h e i d e a l s o f power i n
t h e i r i n t r i c a t e and c o m p l e x v i s u a l Forms. I n t h e i r h y b r i d i s m , t h e y
y i e l d s e v e r a l m e a n i n g s r e s u l t i n g f r o m t h e c l u s t e r i n g o f f o r m s /
m o t i f s i n t h e i r d e c o r a t i v e r i c h n e s s a s shown i n t h e u n i q u e v i s u a l
and s y m b o l i c q u a l i t i e s o f t h e r i t u a l p o t and t h e d o u b l e egg b r o n z e
o b j e c t .
T a k e n t o g e t h e r , t h e two h y b r i d w h e e l s ( ~ i g s 4 2 4 4 ~ c z r e v e a l
c l e a r l y t h e n a t u r e o f a n I g b o s o c i e t y i n w h i c h t h e v a l u e s o f w e a l t h ,
v a n l o u r , i n n o c e n c e , s t a t u s , p r o t e c t i o n , wisdom, c o n t i n u i t y , comrnunica-
t i o n a n d many o t h e r s e n a b l e u s t o u n d e r s t a n d b e t t e r how a s o c i e t y
v i e w s power and l e a d e r s h i p t h r o u g h t h c s t y l i s t i c and s y m b o l i c v~QCXE
of a r t ob j e c t s .
THE SCULPTED FIG'URE OF EZE PJRI WHO D I E D I N 1944
COMCLUSIIINS
T h i s s t u d y b e g a n w i t h a d i s c u s s i o n o f t h e l i f e and c u l t u r a l
h i s t o r y a n d t r a d i t i o n s o f t h e Ighu-1Jkwu p e o p l e . From t h e r e , t h e
p rob lc rns and oh j e c t i v e s o f t h e s t u d y w e r e o u t l i n e d . The p r i m a r y
c o n c e r n was t o d e m o n s t r a t e t h a t a r t o b j e c t s o f t h e Igbo-Ukwu
p e o p l e d e r i v e f r o m a n t i q u i t y s i n c e t h e e x c a v a t e d o b j e c t s a r e
d a t e d t o 805 A.D. Of c o u r s e , t h e r e a r e a l s o o b j e c t s s t i l l i n u s e
t o d a y i n Igbo-Ukwu which a r e u s u a l l y v e r y much r e l a t e d t o t h e
e x c a v a t e d o b j e c t s .
The p r i m a r y p r o b l e m o f t h e s t u d y was a n d r e m a i n s t h e i s s u e o f
f u n c t i o n o f a r t o b j e c t s b u t p a r t i c u l a r l y t h e l a r g e r i s s u e o f
h y b r i d i s m w h i c h o n e e a s i l y n o t i c e s i n t h e g r o u p i n g o f t h e m o t i f s
i n a l l t h e Igbo-Ukwu a r t o b j e c t s . Unc is t h u s s p c c i f i c a b o u t t h e
d e l i b e r a t e g r o u p i n y and j u x t a p o s i t i o n o f m o t i f s t o t h e e x t e n t t h a t
t h e y p r e s e n t u s w i t h c o n i p o s i t e m o t i f s i n t h e i r v i s u a l a s s e m b l a g e .
The s t u d y t h e n s e t o u t t o p r o p o s e a f u n c t i o n a l and i c o n o g r a p h i c m e t h o d s
o f a n a l y s i s a s a means o f h i g h l i g h t i n g t h e e l e m e n t o f h y b r i d i s m
w h i c h many w r i t e r s on Igbo-Ukwu e x c e p t p e r h a p s K e i t h Hay (1989)
h a v e - f a i l e d , t o a d d r e s s . T h e r e is a l s o t h e i s s u e o f s y m b o l i c
p a r t i c u l a r i t y of t h e m o t i f s . Whereas e v e n T h u s t a n Shew (19701
named somg s y m b o l s s u c h a s f i s h (lr f l y m o t i f s , h e d i d n o t e s t a b l i s h
t h e i r p a r t i c u l a r i t y a s t o which f l y o r f i s h . A t a x o n o m i c i n t e r p r e -
t a t i o n was a d o p t e d w i t h i n t h e r a n g e o f i c o r i u g r a p h i c a n a l y s i s s o a s . .
t o s i t u a t e t h e h y b r i d m o t i f s a s s p e c i f i c s y m b o l s . The s t u d y s e t
o u t t o a n a l y s i n g s u c h m o t i f s i n t h e i r v i s u a l a n d c u l t u r a l c o n t e x t s
f r o m f u n c t i o n a l a n d s y m b o l i c p o i n t s o f v i e w by c o m b i n i n g b o t h
t axonurn ic a n d o t h e r r e l a t e d s y m b n l i c i n t e r p r e t a t i o n s .
.. Given t h i s f r a m e , t h e s t u d y b e g a n w i t h t h e d e s c r i p t i v e
n v e r v i e w o f . the Igbo-Ukwu a r t c o r p u s u n d e r two h e a d i n g s ( i ) p o t t e r y and
(ii) m e t a l o b j e c t s . Only s e l e c t e d exarnp les w e r e u s e d . It t h e n
p r o c e e d e d t o e x a m i n e t h e a r t o b j e c t s i n r e l a t i o n t o t h e i r v a r i o u s
f u n c t i o n s w h i c h i n c l u d e d p r e s e n t day a r t o b j e c . t s w h i c h f i t i n t o t h e
v i . s u a l scheme o f t h e Igbo-Ukw e x c a v a t e d o b j e c t s . From h e r e , t h e
s t u d y f o c u s e d o n t h e i n d i v i d u a l m o t i f s w h i c h were c l a s s i f i e d u n d e r
m o t i f t y p o l o g y s o a s t o d e m o n s t r a t e t h e i r v a r i e t y a n d t h e i r b r o a d
c u l t u r a l l i n k s . From h e r e , a few m o t i f s were s e l e c t e d f o r d e t a i l e d
i c o n o g r a p h i c a n a l y s i s . T h i s is d e l i b e r a t e . I t is n o t p o s s i b l e t o
d o same t o a l l t h e m o t i f s , g i v e n s p a c e c o n t r a i n t s .
Howevcr , m o t i f s o c c u r r i n g i n C h a p t e r 4 h a d o n l y g e n e r a l m e a n i n g s
An a s o n e f i n d s i n e x i s t i n o l i t e r a t u r e . / a t t e m p t was t h e r e f o r e made t o
s u b j c c t some o f t h e m o t i f s i n c h a p t e r 5 t o t a x o n o m i c a n a l y s i s b a s e d
o n o r a l t r a d i t i o n . Only a few' cxa rnp les were u s e d . The i n t e n t i o n
was t o show t h a t o n e n e e d e d t o e s t a b l i s h t h e i r p a r t i c u l a r i t y a s
s y r r ~ b o l s . t-laving d o n e t h i s , o n e t h e n r e t u r n e d t o t h i s i s s u e o f t h e i r
U
h y b r i d i s m . Same OF t h e m o t i f s were r e c o u p l e d i n t h e i r v i s u a l
c o n t e x t now t h a t we know them a s s p e c i f i c and n o t g e n e r a l m o t i f s .
Uy a s e r t a i n i n g t h e i r c r o s s r e f e r e n c e s i c o n o g r a p h i c a l l y , i t became
p o s s i b l e t o e s t a b l i s h t h e i r u n d e r l y i n g m e a n i n g s a s h y b r i d m o t i f s
t h r o u g h i c o n o g r a p h i c a n a l y s i s .
I\ few o b s e r v a t i o n s t h e n m e r g e d . F i r s t , t h e Igbo-Ukwu
o b j e c t s a r e p r o b a b l y o n e o f t h e v e r y u n i q u e t r a d i t i o n s i n U f r i c a n
a r t as many writers h a v e d e s c r i b e d them.
S e c o n d , t h e y p r e s e n t u s w i t h m u l t i p l e s y m b o l s / m o t i f s w h i c h a r e u s e d
l;o e ~ l h a n c e t h e v i s u a l q u a l i t y a n d v i g o u r t h e s e o b j e c t s d e n o t e .
T h i r d l y , t h e i r s p e c i f i c n a t u r e a s m o t i f s when p l a c e d i n v i s u a l
c o n t e x t d c m o n s t r a t f f i t h e i r i n h e r e n t s y m b o l i c c r o s s - r e f e r e n c e s t o
Igbo-Ukwu l i f e a n d s o c i e t y , more e s p e c i a l l y t h e u s e and m a n i p u l a t i o n
o f power. T h e i r f u n c t i o n s a n d m u l t i p l e m e a n i n g s l i e i n t h e v i s u a l
s u p p o r t t h e y l e n t ( v i s u a l and p o l i t i c a l a u t h o r i t y ) t h e Eze Nri.
/According t o I ' d . tli I jay, " I t is t h i s p r a c t i c e o f d e l i b e r a t e and c o m p l e x
j u x t a p o s i t i o n o f c r e a t u r e s which g a v e r i s e t o my p r o p o s i t i o n t h a t
s u c h a s s o c i a t i o n c a n b e d e c i p h e r e d i n t e r m s o f m e t a p h o r i c a l
s t a t e m e n t s en~boclyiny r e f e r e n c e t o a s p e c k o f riri m o r a l i t y , b e l i e f ,
powzr r c l r : ! t i o n s and h i s t o r y ( I l ay , 1989: 751."
F i n a l l y , i l le r r? a r e s t i l l f u t u r e p r o s p u c k s f o r Igbo-Ukwu a r t
s t u d i e s a s t h e y r e l a t e t o t h e a r t c o r p u s . I t is l e f t f o r f u t u r e
r e s e a r c h e r s t o d e l v e more d e e p l y i n t o t h e i m p l i c a t i o n s o f h y b r i d i s m
i n t h e s t u d y o f t h e Igbo-Ukwu art c o r p u s . A c o m b i n a t i o n o f
P u n c t i u n a l , t a x o n o m i c and c o n t e x t u a l a n a l y s e s is l i k e l y t o y i e l d
more i n s i g h t s i n t o t h i s u n i q u e a r t t r a d i t i o n .
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Oasden, G.T. 1321. Among t h e Iqbns o f N i g e r i a , U n i v e r s i t y P u b l i s h i n g Company, London.
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