In 1938, in the quiet town of Igbo-Ukwu in southeastern Nigeria, a man named Isaiah Anozie was digging beside his home when his shovel struck something unusual. As he unearthed the objects, he found intricately crafted bronze artifacts, unlike anything he had seen before. Unaware of their significance, Anozie used some of these vessels to water his goats and gave others to friends and neighbours.
Several months later, J.O. Field, the British colonial district officer of the area, learned of the finds and purchased many of them, publishing the finds in an anthropological journal. In 1946, he handed over the artefacts to the Nigerian Department of Antiquities. Other bronze artefacts found in Anozie’s compound were collected by Surveyor of Antiquities Kenneth Murray in 1954.
In 1959, British archaeologist Thurstan Shaw led an excavation at the site, uncovering a wealth of artefacts that shed light on a sophisticated and advanced civilization.
The excavation revealed more than 700 high-quality artefacts of copper, bronze, and iron, as well as about 165,000 glass, carnelian, and stone beads, pottery, textiles, ivory beads, cups, and horns.
The bronzes included numerous ritual vessels, pendants, crowns, breastplates, staff ornaments, swords, and fly-whisk handles.
These discoveries challenged previous notions about the technological capabilities of ancient African societies. The intricate designs and advanced metallurgy indicated a high level of craftsmanship and suggested that the people of Igbo-Ukwu had established trade networks that extended far beyond their region.
The story of Igbo-Ukwu is a reminder of the rich and complex histories that lie beneath our feet, waiting to be discovered. It challenges preconceived notions about Africa’s past and highlights the importance of preserving and studying archaeological sites.
