SIMILARITIES BETWEEN NOK AND IGBO-UKWU.
i. Objects of basic cylindrical forms are found in some Igbo-Ukwu figures as could be seen in Nok; for example, the ornate staff head with animal representations on pendants in Igbo-Ukwu.
ii. Use of beads and bracelets in the two cultures is a common feature just like Ife.
iii. Locks with holes on some few human heads in Igbo-Ukwu as found in Nok. Although the facial scarification looks more of Ife style.
iv. Symbolism of animal heads or skulls in both Nok and Igbo-Ukwu.
v. High technology of iron smelting present in both culture.
SIMILARITIES BETWEEN NOK AND BENIN
i. Animal representation feature prominently in Benin corpus just like Nok.
ii. Use of beads profusely on figures.
iii. Helm of garment similar to those of Nok (Ife and Owo). Example, standing figure of a messenger.
iv. Eye pupils with holes like Nok (this affects the terracotta from Benin while the pupils in bronze heads show some depressions and texture).
SIMILARITIES BETWEEN NOK AND OWO
Although Nok and Owo are hundreds of kilometers apart, there are some similarities in some of the art works from both traditions. Nok influence on Owo art works may not be as visible as those of Ife and Benin; all the same they both share some significant features.
Such similarities include:
i. They are both terracotta pieces.
ii. Both human and animal figures feature in the two traditions.
iii. Triangular treatment of toe-nails of figure from both Nok and Ow feet.
iv. Treatment of helm of garment similar to Nok (figure from Kuchanfa) can be found in Owo and Ife figures.
IGBO-UKWU ART CORPUS
Introduction:
Igbo Ukwu is an Igbo village where a sculpture tradition and an archaeological site was discovered first in 1939 and dates back to the 9" century A.D (next to Nok in age). Objects found consist of terracotta and metal. Some objects made of copper were smithed but most metal objects from Igbo-Ukwu were cast by lost wax or cire perdue method. Igbo-Ukwu objects are characterized by heavy and intricate surface ornamentations, one of the best and oldest in sub Saharan Africa.
The IgboUkwu objects were the highest singular excavations of about 800 pieces. The works were dug up between 1938 and 1964 and they range from minute works to life size objects.
They are said to have flourished between 50 and 840AD. IgboUkwu bronzes are profusely decorated, some of which were believed to be the ritual paraphernalia of a divine kingship or priesthood, which flourished thousands of years ago. The works are essentially naturalistic; although the art style and composition of metals are different from those of Ife, it certainly seems that there must have been some connections between the two. Igbo Ukwu is very unique in that the bronze has an alloy of copper and the bronze objects are of considerable artistic excellence. Most of the works are decorated with coloured beads of glass and stone with well preserved fabric found surrounding the castings; to further prove the sites to be ancient burial chambers or shrines.
The artists understood the nature and limits of their materials because smithed objects in Igbo.
Ukwu are pure copper while the cast obiects are in leaded bronze. As indicated by Thurstan Shaw, who did a lot of research work into these objects, copper is easier to work by smithing and chasing than bronze, whereas leaded bronze is much easier to cast.
The objects were discovered mainly from three sites, namely Igbo-Isaiah, Igbo-Richards and Igbo-Jonah. The works were excavated from the compounds of these three brothers, whose father was Anozie.
SOME IGBO-UKWU ART
CORPUS- ICONOGRAPHY AND USES
1. Bronze Snail Shell:
This work was discovered at Igbo Isaiah, dated 9 Century A.D.
The length is 20.1cm. It is a profusely decorated vessel in the shape of a snail shell, surmounted by a spotted animal, presumably a leopard. Leopard in the African context is an animal symbol of power and potency. The vessel is probably meant for storing of drinking concoction in the shrine.
2. Highly Decorated Ceramic Pot:
It was discovered and excavated from a filled-in pit with other broken pieces of ceramic objects, decayed bone of what looks like an antelope.
It is a big open-mouthed waterpot, some 45cm in diameter and decorated with the characteristic ancient Igbo-Ukwu style of, deep channeling and projecting bosses.
It has five large strap-like handles extending from the rim to the shoulder, decorated in imitation of basketry.
Between each of these, the shoulder of the pot is decorated with models in relief of a snake, a ram's head, another snake, a chameleon and a mysterious looking rectangular hatched object humped up in the middle, which might be meant to represent a tortoise.
With the features described here, the object looks more of a ritual pot, dumped into a pit along with other objects.
3. The Roped Bronze Pot:
A very spectacular bronze vessel, which is in two parts, the pot and its stand roped together. It is obvious that such pot is forbidden from touching the ground, which if it probably does could have very grievous consequences, like impotency of its content.
This bronze pot cast standing on a base and the rope work that surrounds it as well as its base has been described the most elaborate cast form in Nigerian art.
Details such as the decorative bands round the neck and middle of the pot and the open work of clockwise fan shapes of the base are as significant as the tightly twisted Strands and joint knots of the rope work.
The treatment of the rim and the base of its stand has given the pot a kind of robustness and monumentality that are not common or seen in any other pieces from Igbo-Ukwu.
4. Decorative Bronze Bowl:
This is one of the bronze vessels and containers, which obviously are imitations of containers in other materials. Its form probably copies a calabash prototype fitted with bronze bosses and a handle. This particular one, like many others is a one handled bowl.
It carries heavy decorative patterns all around it.
It has patterns of raised lines, courses of raised dots and spiral motifs, which are in some cases accentuated with raised dots in the middle.
The spiral motifs are still employed on some object associated with an Eze Nri and other Igbo priesthood.
It was equally observed that floral patterns are not common in Igbo-Ukwu and that such components are not identifiable as belonging to some particular plants. They are just elemental leaf forms, cherished mainly for their decorative qualities.
The bowl, just like others like it is probably used for serving some liquid at the shrine.
5. The Human Face Pendant:
A pendant that shows some scarification equally found on other objects from Igbo-Ukwu. It is about 8cm in height. This pendant most relates Igbo-Ukwu arts to the part of Nigeria in which they have been found. Similar pendants has been found elsewhere, for example, the human face pectoral masks of Benin manufacture have been found to be a part of the regalia of the Attah of Igala at Idah and the Eze Nri of Oreri, Anambra State. These two areas are very close to Igbo-Ukwu, an evidence of some interactions between them.
The face scarifications on the human face pendant can be related to the 'ichi' scarifications of the Igbo of the area. As time goes on, some modifications in the application of the scarification came to play. The 'ichi' is now confined to the forehead as opposed to its extension to the cheeks on the Igbo-Ukwu objects. People wearing such marks were said to be respected by other Igbos especially during the trans-Atlantic slave trade when the European slave merchants did avoid buying them. They were known for bravery, thereby making other slaves to revolt or jump over board on their journey to the white man's land.
The pendant is obviously one of the ritual objects at the Igbo-Ukwu site, probably been worn by the priest.
6. CYLINDERICAL ALTAR-STAND IN BRONZE:
This is an open cylindrical work in bronze of about 30cm high. It probably serves as a stand for another object not meant to torch the ground. It has two nude figures (male and female) surrounded by a lace work of curvilinear forms. The legs are rhythmically twisted. The figures are arranged adjacent to each other. There are some concentric forehead markings on the male figure reported to be characteristic of the Tiv and some other ethnic groups in the Cross River area early in the twentieth century. This male figure has some abdominal markings which radiate from the nipple, similar to the abdominal marking of the Igbo and Tiv women up to the beginning of the last century.
0 Comments