A Copper Alloy Head Count: Contextualising and Accounting for the Wúnmọníjẹ̀ Compound Discoveries of Ilé-Ifẹ̀, Nigeria

Abstract

The life-sized copper and copper alloy heads of Wúnmọníjẹ̀ Compound, Ilé-Ifẹ̀, Nigeria, stunned the art world upon their discovery in 1938. Finely made and naturalistic, they have attracted significant attention from scholars who have carefully studied their technology, style, and features to better understand their historical significance. Despite this, little remains known of the archaeological context of these objects, or of the contemporary local oral narratives that sought to explain them. Furthermore, discrepancies exist in the published literature regarding how many of these copper alloy heads are in existence. This article thus seeks to demystify this situation. It draws from previously unpublished archival evidence to shed light on the archaeological context of these finds, document contemporary local narratives pertaining to them, and estimate how many are likely in existence. In doing this, the article looks to improve our understanding of the heads’ historical significance and support efforts to locate and repatriate missing examples.

Keywords

• copper alloy/brass/bronze heads
• Bascom (William)
• Willett (Frank)
• archaeological context
• oral narratives