IDNO

P.73780.GIJ

Description

Two mud figures one male and female resting against the wall of a house. The figure on the left is female and she is holding a baby in her lap and breast feeding. The face of the figure has a high forehead, almond shaped eyes inlaid with shell, nose, mouth and three scarification marks on either side of her cheeks. A necklace adorns her neck. The male figure is standing with his arms placed on either side of thighs. His face is rounded with a high forehead, large eyes, nose, ears, and a necklace around his neck.

Place

W Africa; Nigeria; Southeast Nigeria

Cultural Affliation

Igbo [historically Ibo]; North Ika

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/.

Context: Mud sculptures were found in many Igbo communities where they served diverse ritual purposes, from the level of lineage to broad community cults. There is a photograph taken by K.C. Murray of back to back figures called Igbudu Agwu in the 1940s.

Jones notes the importance of anthropomorphic shrines as , “The conical constructions of mud (called in Ibo Ibudu) are variously aid to mark the shrine (ihu) of a spirit or to be a magical object with protective or fertility powers, were quite frequently modelled it to representations of a human form.

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

Cole, H. & C. Aniakor, 1984. Igbo Arts: Community and Cosmos (Museum of Cultural History, University of California)

This catalogue record has been updated with the support of the Getty Grant Program Two. [Alicia Fentiman 5/3/2008]