IDNO

P.171015.GIJ

Description

Two clay figures, one male and the other female, sitting in the interior of an Mbari house. The male figure is facing the camera. He is a diviner. He has a conical striped hat, and a cloth wrapped around his waist. In each hand he holds a rattle. Between his legs are various objects including a small bowl in which there are beads or seeds. The female figure, his client, is in side profile. She has hair curled in waves. He arms are raised. She is wearing a cloth around her waist and a short-sleeved blouse with a mesh pattern which covers her neck. The wall in the background is decorated with painted rectangular shapes of different shades. To the left is a vertical line of painted triangular shapes. To the right is a wall painted with large triangular shapes of different shades. [Description from record P.754185.GIJ, PB 23/05/2024]

Place

W Africa; Nigeria; Southeast Nigeria; Owerri North; Imo; Ulakwo town

Cultural Affliation

Igbo [historically Ibo]; Oratta Ibo

Named Person

Photographer

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

Collector / Expedition

Date

1936

Collection Name

Jones Collection

Source

Format

Print Black & White Mounted

Primary Documentation

Other Information

P.170921.GIJ - P.171076.GIJ were located together in a brown box, now numbered C766/.

P.171004.GIJ - P.171063.GIJ were located in a 'Duplex' paper folder now numbered C766/4/.

Context: G.I. Jones explains Mbari sculptures on pp 82-92 and Mbari house architecture on p 104 in Jones G.I. The Art of Eastern Nigeria

Bibliographical Reference: G.I. Jones explains Mbari sculptures on pp 82-92 and Mbari house architecture on p. 104 in Jones, G.I., 1984. The Art of Eastern Nigeria. (Cambridge: CUP). [PB 09/05/2024]

Context: Detailed notes by G.I. Jones on this house, each figure and the house plan are in the paper folder C766/1. The numbers 1 - 33 on print reverse and mounts relate to these notes and the plan indicates the positions of the figures. [PB 09/05/2024] . Cambridge: CUP.

Image used in The Art of Eastern Nigeria, fig 25. 'Lady consulting a diviner: Mbari house. Umuhu Ngor. Oratta Ibo' p 91. Cambridge: CUP. 1984