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Cultural Archives

A photograph depicting a market scene with yams on the ground and people standing nearby.

Market Scene with Yams

A monochromatic gelatin silver print depicting a market scene where numerous yams are laid out on the granular ground. A group of men, women, and children stand to the right, wearing draped fabrics wrapped around their torsos and waists, with …

A photograph depicting a steam-powered vessel anchored on the Niger River with men on the riverbank.

Steam Vessel Anchored on the Niger River

A photograph depicting a single-masted, steam-powered vessel moored parallel to an earthen riverbank along the Niger River. The vessel features a vertical smokestack emitting a plume of white smoke, a central multi-level superstructure with railings, and a tall mast with …

A photograph of household vessels, a chest, and a bed under a thatched roof.

Domestic assemblage and sleeping area

A photograph depicting a collection of functional items and a sleeping area in an outdoor or semi-sheltered environment. The foreground contains various vessels, including a large spherical container and a rounded pot, along with a brimmed hat, dark footwear, and …

Group of uniformed soldiers with two artillery cannons.

Soldiers of the Royal Niger Company

A photograph depicting approximately twelve men of African descent in light-colored military uniforms and dark pillbox caps. The subjects are positioned in a loose horizontal formation on a flat dirt expanse. Two light field artillery pieces, featuring dark metal barrels …

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Linguistic Documentation of Igbo Tones and Phrases

An audio recording of Igbo spoken phrases and English translations, originally captured on a wax cylinder in 1911. The audio features a male speaker providing rhythmic Igbo linguistic samples, with Northcote Thomas providing the English translations. The content includes phrases …

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Conversation in Igbo between John and Nwile

An audio recording of a conversation in Igbo between two young men, John (from Onitsha) and Nwile (from Nibo). The recording was made by Northcote Thomas in 1911 in Umuchukwu, also known as Ndikelionwu, in the Awka District of the …

Two Igbo women wearing traditional necklaces and metallic leg guards.

Two Igbo Women in Traditional Attire, Onitsha

A photograph depicting two ladies from the Onitsha area. Both subjects are bare-chested and wear tight-fitting dark bands around their heads, multiple beaded necklaces with a central crescent-shaped pendant, and a diagonal sash across the torso. Their attire includes metallic …

African priest and choir boys at a Christian altar in a corrugated iron church.

African Priest and Altar Boys at a Christian Church

A photograph depicting an African priest and four altar boys worshipping at a Christian church. The priest wears a white alb and a dark embroidered chasuble with floral motifs. The four boys are dressed in dark short capes over white …

A photograph of a palm oil market in Akwete showing individuals and spherical vessels in rope netting.

Palm Oil Market Scene in Akwete

A monochromatic photograph depicting a market scene in Akwete. The image shows a group of approximately 15 to 20 individuals, primarily Igbo men wearing waist-wrapped garments, gathered under an open-sided structure with a corrugated roof. Several large, spherical vessels encased …

Rear view of a bare-chested Igbo man wearing a feathered headband and woven waist cloth at a masquerade

Igbo Man at Masquerade Event

This black-and-white photograph from the Jones Collection shows a bare-chested man photographed from behind during a masquerade event. He wears a cloth headband with a feather tucked into the front, woven materials around his waist and legs, and a narrow …

Trader from Timbuctou and Rich Trading Woman, Onitsha. c. 1889.

Trader from Timbuctou and Rich Trading Woman

This photograph, taken by G.F. Packer in 1889 and housed in the Pitt Rivers Museum, features a trader from Timbuktu on the right and a rich trading woman on the left, possibly a member of the Onitsha women's Otu Odu …