Nigeria
Igbo

Bronze bell / lost wax casting
Early-Mid 20th Century
Height: 7.5 inches
Idiophone-Struck Directly – Metal Bell with clapper

This large antique bronze bell comes from central Nigeria and is made in the lost-wax casting method by Igbo (or Igala) metalsmiths. At the top and bottom are sections of crosshatching divided by bands of circular designs. The center is smooth without design. The iron clapper rod is suspended inside with various string materials. Earthen encrustations and a few small areas of green oxidation can be seen.
African ritual bells like this Igbo bronze bell were used for a variety of purposes, such as proclaiming a sacred presence as well as neutralizing hostile or harmful forces. Bells were used as tools of communication, as portable instruments for conveying important messages, and as a form of currency.

The Igbo people generally reside in southeastern Nigeria, which is commonly referred to as Igboland. From oral tradition and analysis of cultural traits and linguistic patterns, the Igbo people are descendants of people from the Sudan and Bantu-speaking peoples from Central and East Africa. While many Igbo members are primarily Christian, specifically Roman Catholic, some Igbo people also adhere to traditional tribal religious beliefs. While the citizens of Nigeria now must abide by federal and state laws, in the traditional government and politics, some Igbo groups have a king called an ‘Obi.’ Traditional Igbo governments were similar to a democratic-republican system, as some groups were ruled by a council of elders, while others were ruled by an assembly of citizens.