Nigerian ibgo culture/ artifacts

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Igboukwu Roped Bronze pot
The pot dated to the 9th century and was initially revealed by Isaiah Anozie in 1938, after discovering bronze works while plowing beside his home. Professor Thurstan Shaw claimed that the artifact depicted a high level of technical proficiency. Consequently, the invention led to the rise of bronze industry as Igbo members started to see the significance of bronze. The roped pot belongs to an assortment of antique Igbo archeological possessions as it is viewed to be one of the classiest bronze dexterity ever made by man. Therefore, this paper shall carry out research on Igboukwu roped bronze pot in the ancient and current Igbo society.
The creation of the pot was based on the lost wax system that developed artifacts in stages so as to add convolution. The wall of the bowl was made up of decorative items such as insects, and spirals that were cast and placed in a wax model before the development of the central parts of the vessel. On the same note, the pot could be cast into two parts and trimmed together by molding a middle band. Similarly, metal handles were fixed so as to depict the designs of organic gourd vessels that were mainly used in ritual practices (Allen and Hopkins, 306). Hence, the effort deployed in coming up with this particular masterpiece made it be only owned by the incredibly wealthy and powerful people of Igbo society. The pot could be quarried at the burial compartment of an old Igbo gallant man, and this made it not to be an everyday domiciliary item.

The ancient roped bronze pot’s pictures, and examples still exist in the modern Igbo culture. Many photos and illustrations depicting a bowl on a stand, snail-shaped vessel with a mounted leopard, and a bronze bowl with a handle are illustrated on different sites of the Nigerian Museum. The bowl on a stand portrays convoluted design of exterior varnishes in an accurate minutest detail. The snail-shaped bowl shows sufficient artwork that is made up of pictures of beasts and beetles amid the bands of motley designs that asylum the whole piece. Similarly, the bowl with a handle depicts bands of interwoven horizontal and vertical bars in a pattern like that of a basket weave. Therefore, the artifacts make a reflection on the constituents of the affluent symbols of office of an ancient Igbo prestigious man.
Igboukwu Roped Bronze pot changed over the years as technology and inventions were realized in Igbo society. The ancient pot was never decorated with many types of animals and insects as compared to the current pot in the society. The unearthing of bronze made the artists involved in the progression of the pot to decorate it in a way that makes it be a prestigious item held by a few in the society (Allen and Hopkins, 298). Similarly, the development of Igbo religious believes led to the advancement of the pot to resemble a bowl so that it can be able to be applied in religious and cultural functions. The pot handled sacred fluids that were presented to the gods as a sacrifice by the religious leaders of the community. On the same note, some influential ancient leaders of the community requested for unique artifacts of the pot that could act as a symbol of sovereignty among the people. Hence, this made the designers of the pot come up with a nail-shaped vessel with a mounted leopard. The designs of the pot depicted authority and the power that the Igbo leaders had in protecting their people.
The entry of Britons in Nigeria after the country was declared a British protectorate played a momentous part in the progression of the roped pot. The white people became interested in the artifacts of the Igbo people and how they handled their cultural activities. The aggressiveness of many Britons made them carry out studies on the development of the artifacts and came up with many ways of decorating the pot. Therefore, they made an improvement by developing a fly-whisk handle for the pot that made it more magnificent and attractive in the eyes of the indigenous and the white people (Anibeze, n.p). Similarly, they came up with smaller pots as compared to the ancient one. The bowls were used to reward the military commanders who controlled the activities of many societies in Nigeria including that of Igbo.
The current Nigerian regime has played a substantial role in trimming the Igboukwu roped bronze pot and developing many others so as to attract tourists to the country. Therefore, this has made its archeological pieces to be loaned periodically to countries across the globe so that they can be displayed in the main exhibitions. The international exposure has made current innovative generation to try to develop pots that resemble the Igboukwu pot (Glatz, 5). Consequently, this led to the development of the Nok, Ife, and Benin masterpieces that were displayed at an Art Gallery in Washington. On the same note, the high price involved in ensuring the items against breakage and other damages when loaned to other countries has made some countries to develop similar artifacts so that they can display them in shows and exhibitions.
The bronze applied to the ancient pot was a unique one as compared to the current vessels that have been advanced in different countries of the world. The exclusivity is depicted when the invaluable ancient pot had a portion of its base broken that made it impossible for it to be displayed while standing. The museum reached a decision to move it to a depository of the National Museum after being viewed upside down by the public. Hence, the institution failed to give a disclosure on how it was broken and the plans that they had taken to restore its proper posture. Therefore, this shows that the bronze and components used to create the bowl were unique, and this made the museum to take time in reinstating the broken parts.
The difference of the ancient pot and those developed in the current world is on the durability segment. The ancient roped bronze pot stayed many centuries in the soil without being damaged till the time it was discovered and transferred to the National Museum. The modern roped pots are fragile, and they never last for long before they break. Therefore, this shows that the method in which the ancient pot was compounded is different to that applied by current artisans in various nations. On the same note, the decorations of the ancient pot are distinct from those that are created in the modern days among the Igbo people.
In conclusion, the Igboukwu roped bronze pot is an essential artifact in the Nigerian government and among the Igbo people. The bowl has generated income for the nation when its loaned to other countries of the world for it to be displayed in exhibitions. Therefore, its distinctiveness makes it be protected from damage and act as a symbol of embracing the cultural activities of the Igbo people.
Work Cited
Allen Carol & David Hopkins. “Bronze Age Accessory Cups From Lincolnshire: Early Bronze Age Pot?” Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society 66 (2000): 297-317. Web.
Anibeze, Cip. “Visual Anatomy And The Art Of Ancient Igbo Societies Of Southeastern Nigeria”. Journal of Experimental and Clinical Anatomy 4.2 (2006): n. pag. Web.
Claudia Glatz. “Bearing The Marks Of Control? Reassessing Pot Marks In Late Bronze Age Anatolia”. American Journal of Archaeology 116.1 (2012): 5. Web.