It was not until 1959 that the archaeologist Thurstan Shaw excavated this site, known as Igbo Ukwu, and discovered that it must have been part of a storehouse for ritual objects (Shaw 1977).
Who discovered Igbo Ukwu?
The ancient site of Igbo Ukwu is situated in the modern day homelands of Igbo peoples of southern Nigeria. Archaeological finds were first discovered at this site in 1939 when an Igbo farmer named Isaiah Anozie chanced upon several bronze objects as he was digging a cistern to hold water in the dry season.
Who is the father of Igbo Ukwu?
Eri , the god-like founder of Nri, is believed to have settled the region around 948 with other related Igbo cultures following the 13th century.
When was the first Igbo Ukwu bronze founded?
| History | Archaeologists Thurstan Shaw |
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Was the name of the archaeologist who conducted archaeological excavations at Igbo Ukwu?
| Charles Thurstan Shaw | Died 8 March 2013 (aged 98) | Nationality British | Occupation Archaeologist | Known for Archaeology of Igbo-Ukwu |
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Which tribe is richest in Nigeria?
The Igbos, Yorubas and the Hausas are the richest tribes in Nigeria. Due to the fact that a lot of them are very interested in formal education, they occupy a lot of top positions in Blue Chip companies across the country.
What is Igbo-Ukwu famous for?
Igbo-Ukwu is notable for three archaeological sites , where excavations have found bronze artifacts from a highly sophisticated bronze metal-working culture dating to 9th century AD, centuries before other known bronzes of the region.
What was found at Igbo Ukwu?
In addition to a variety of ritual vessels (whose designs appear to reproduce the form of gourd vessels to which metal handles have been attached), many other bronze items have been found at Igbo-Ukwu, including pendants, crowns and breastplates, staff ornaments, swords, and fly-whisk handles .
What is Igbo Richard?
Igbo Ukwu is an African Iron Age archaeological site located near the modern town of Onitsha, in the forest zone of southeastern Nigeria. ... Igbo-Ukwu was discovered in 1938 by workmen who were digging a cistern and professionally excavated by Thurston Shaw in 1959/60 and 1974.
What was found at the site of Igbo Ukwu?
The Igbo Ukwu site contained an elite burial and shrine complex. It held the earliest known examples of copper alloy or bronze casting in Sub Saharan Africa. The site also increased historians' understanding of both art and culture of West African civilizations.
What are the characteristics of Igbo Ukwu?
Its delicate beaded lines, concentric circles, quatrefoils, and handles and bosses imitating twisted wire are typical of the ornate Igbo Ukwu style. Several similar bowls were found, and all are highly ornamented on the outer surface but smooth inside.
How many villages are there in Igbo Ukwu?
Our town Igbo ukwu is made up of seven villages , called Obiuno, Ngo, Akukwa, Umudege, Ezihu, Ezigbo and Etiti.
What is the significance of Igbo Ukwu in Nigeria history?
The Nigerian town Igbo-Ukwu is famous for its archaeological sites , where for the first time, bronze artifacts were found. The discovered items are examples of Nigerian refined bronze art. Igbo-Ukwu is located near the well-known modern town of Onitsha, which is in the southeast of Nigeria.
Why was the archaeological find at Igbo Ukwu in Nigeria so important to African art history?
government, the archaeological finds at Igbo Ukwu revealed that ancestors of the modern Igbo (Ibo) had , as early as the 9th century, a sophisticated society with surpluses of wealth supporting considerable craft specialization, including a highly developed bronze art with a distinctive style of its own.
What is the difference between Nok art and Ife art?
Nok art is stylized or semi-naturalistic while Ife art is realistic . Ife heads are more idealized in its composition while the Nok heads arc more stylized. Nok heads were made only in terra-cotta while Ife has both terra-cotta and bronze heads. Nok sculptures are older than Ife sculptures.
Who discovered Ife art?
In 1910 the German anthropologist Leo Frobenius visited the Nigerian city of Ife and brought several ancient terracotta heads back to Germany. He claimed a Greek colony in Africa produced the incredibly naturalistic sculpture he discovered (Willett 1967: 14).
