Ethnohistory Archives ~ Page 3 of 35 ~ Ozi Ikòrò

07

Jan 2026

From Defense to Display: The Evolution of Cannons from Military Tools to Symbols of Aristocratic Prestige among the Ijaw and Kalabari

A cannon shown on exhibition in a museum useful to illustrate how artillery pieces shift from tools of war to objects of display and prestige. Photo credit: Jürgen Kehrberger, via…

07

Jan 2026

Anthropology and Ethnography Cultural Heritage Ethnohistory Historical Studies

“The ‘Birmingham of Africa’: Analyzing the Smelting Pits of Kano as a Hub for 19th-Century West African Armaments”

These are historic weapons displayed at the Gidan Makama Museum in Kano, used during colonial conflicts and reflecting Kano’s martial past. Photo credit: Uncle Bash007 via Wikimedia Commons. By the nineteenth…

06

Jan 2026

Anthropology and Ethnography Cultural Heritage Ethnohistory Historical Studies

Trans-Saharan Technology Transfer: The Impact of Turkish Instructors on Indigenous Gun Smelting in the Borno Empire

The Borno Empire, one of the oldest and most influential states in the Lake Chad Basin played a critical role in the diffusion of military technology across West and Central…

02

Jan 2026

Anthropology and Ethnography Ethnohistory Historical Studies

“Eze Uzu” (King of Blacksmiths): Examining the Socio-Political Power of the Awka Iron-Working Guilds During British Pacification

Before the establishment of British colonial rule in southeastern Nigeria, Awka stood as one of the most influential craft centers in Igboland. Renowned for their mastery of iron, Awka blacksmiths…

02

Jan 2026

Anthropology and Ethnography Ethnohistory Historical Studies

Sounding the Departure: The Ritual Significance of “Mkpo na Ala” in Igbo Traditional Funerals of Titled Men

In Igbo traditional society, death especially of a titled man marks not only the end of a physical life but the beginning of a transition into the ancestral realm. Funerary…

02

Jan 2026

Anthropology and Ethnography Ethnohistory Historical Studies

The “Bloomery” Technique: From Ore to Iron

The bloomery technique represents one of the earliest and most influential methods of iron production in human history. Used across ancient Europe, Asia, and Africa including among several Nigerian iron-smelting…

02

Jan 2026

Anthropology and Ethnography Cultural Heritage Ethnohistory Historical Studies

The Guilds and Trade: The Awka and Abiriba Connection

Across precolonial southeastern Nigeria, craftsmanship and trade networks played a central role in shaping regional economies and social hierarchies. Among the most prominent were the Awka blacksmiths of present-day Anambra…

02

Jan 2026

Anthropology and Ethnography Cultural Heritage Ethnohistory Historical Studies

The Impact on the “Yam Revolution”

Igbos in diaspora celebrating Iwa-Ji in Dublin, Ireland. Photo credit; Wikipedia Yam (Dioscorea rotundata and Dioscorea cayenensis) has long been one of the most important food crops in West Africa, especially…

02

Jan 2026

Anthropology and Ethnography Ethnohistory Historical Studies

The Furnace as a Fecund Mother: Rituals and Symbolism

Iron smelting furnace, nineteenth century. By National Archives of Malawi, CC BY-SA 4.0. Across various African metallurgical traditions, furnaces were never seen merely as technological devices but as deeply symbolic entities…

02

Jan 2026

Anthropology and Ethnography Cultural Heritage Ethnohistory Historical Studies

Regional Styles: Cross River Igbo vs. Northern Igbo Carving

Maiden Spirit Helmet Mask (Agbogho Mmuo). photo credit ; Michael carlos museum Woodcarving traditions among the Igbo of southeastern Nigeria are among the most diverse in West Africa. Although the Igbo…