Lower Niger Bronze Industries, Nigeria
Igbo (Ibo)

Bronze
ca. 19th century

Height: 36cm / Length: 23 cm / Width: 23 cm
Idiophone – Directly Struck

Possibly 19th century bronze Shrine Bell produced by the ancestors of the Igbo (Ibo) blacksmiths from Awka or Abiriba, who supplied large parts of southern Nigeria with iron and bronze works. (p 244-253 , see pl. 479 “Earth and Ore” by Karl-Ferdinand Schaedler). This bell is decorated with 16 protruding pustules and 4 serpents. It was from the bronze casters of Awka that the so-called ofo cult objects were produced using cire perdue casting (lost-wax process). The workshops of Akwa, east of Onitsha, and those of Nkwerre and Abiriba can presumably be traced back to the culture of the Igo-Ukwu (10th century), which over the years has produced numerous regalia for religious and worldly dignitaries, such as bronze bells, staffs of office, and weapons made of iron. Inside is the original suspended ball-shape clapper that produces notes of deep, rich tonal qualities when rung. This Igbo (Ibo) Shrine Bell was held in a vaulted private collection since the late 1940’s.

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, traditional government and politics, some Igbo groups had 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.