The Lower Niger Bronzes: Beyond Igbo-Ukwu, Ife, and Benin

This book demonstrates that copper-alloy casting was widespread in southern Nigeria and has been practiced for at least a millennium.

Philip M. Peek’s research provides a critical context for the better-known casting traditions of Igbo-Ukwu, Ife, and Benin. Both the necessary ores and casting skills were widely available, contrary to previous scholarly assumptions. The majority of the Lower Niger Bronzes, which we know number in the thousands, are of subjects not found elsewhere, such as le...