IDNO

P.171790.GIJ

Description

A clay sculpture of a female figure sitting on a plinth on the outer wall of an Mbari house. The figure has geometric uli patterns, including rings, rosettes and circles, on her neck and torso. Her hair is in bunches painted black with a single white dot in each bunch. Her arms are stretched wide and in her raised hands she holds a needle and a mirror. To the left of the image is part of a seated male figure wearing a cardigan, tie, shorts and shoes. [Description from record P.170717.GIJ, PB 14/11/2024]

Place

W Africa; Nigeria; Southeast Nigeria; Imo State; Oratta; Umowa

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

Primary Documentation

Other Information

P.171730.GIJ - P.171808.GIJ were located together in an 'University of Camridge' envelope, now numbered C841/.

Bibliographical Reference: G.I. Jones describes 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).

Bibliographical Reference: H.M. Cole describes Mbari houses and sculptures in Cole H.M., 1982. Mbari: Art and Life among the Owerri Igbo, (Bloomington: Indiana University Press).