Anthropomorphic monolith (Akwanshi – Atal)

Title of the work: Anthropomorphic Monolith (Akwanshi – Atal)
Origin: Southeastern Nigeria, Ikom area (Cross River State)
Etiological groups: Ejagham/Ekoi – communities called Bakor (e.g., Abanyom, Ekajuk, Nde, Nselle, Nta clans)
Dating: Uncertain chronology: Attributions vary from approximately the 2nd century AD to the modern period.
Material: Rough and durable basalt or local sandstone (laterite)
Dimensions: H. 35 x 11 x 13 cm
Function: Ancestral markers, each monolith represented specific ancestors or clan leaders (“ancestors in the land”), serving as visible presences rather than simple monuments.
Rites, memory, and identity: Placed in circles, often in community or ceremonial sites, they were the object of ritual offerings and collective participation. They also served as spiritual protection for the group.

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Anthropomorphic monolith (Akwanshi – Atal)

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