IDNO

P.73756.GIJ

Description

An Alose mud shrine consisting of several (sixteen) conical anthropomorphised shapes/figures. Some human attributes such as eyes, nose, mouth and ears are visible. The figures are embedded on a raised mud platform which is decorated in a loosely woven pattern. Behind the shrine are trees and shrubs and in front of the shrine is a man wearing a hat and “wrapper”.

Place

W Africa; Nigeria; Southeast Nigeria

Cultural Affliation

Igbo [historically Ibo]; Isu

Named Person

Photographer

Jones, Gwilliam Iwan (known as G.I.)

Collector / Expedition

Date

circa 1930 - 1939

Collection Name

Jones collection

Source

Jones, Gwilliam Iwan (known as G.I.)

Format

Print Black & White

Primary Documentation

Other Information

P.73718.GIJ to P.73813.GIJ were kept in box 16, now numbered C334/. P.61280.GIJ to P.61354.GIJ were kept in box 1, now numbered C295/.

Context: Jones describes the modelling of mud shrines and notes that, “Shrines were often constructed of solid mud cones of various sizes and similar cones representing medicines were also common. These were rubbed smooth and occasionally beautified by the addition of eyes, a nose, mouth, ears, a navel and other human attributes. Jones, 1984, p. 79.)

Bibliographical Reference: Jones, G.I., 1984. The Art of Eastern Nigeria (Cambridge University Press)

This catalogue record has been updated with the support of the Getty Grant Program Two. [Alicia Fentiman 10/10/2007]