The first volume of the most comprehensive documentation of Nigerian tribal art ever published, Art of Nigeria: 511 Tribes Explored – Volume I (A-Bu) represents the opening chapter of an unprecedented five-volume encyclopedia. Over 500 pages introduce foundational Nigerian ethnic groups whose artistic traditions span from the Abayon to the Bura peoples, featuring museum-quality artifacts—many published here for the first time—drawn from author Peter de Jeu’s personal collection amassed during five decades of fieldwork across Nigeria’s 36 states.

This volume establishes the methodological framework for the entire series, documenting authenticated bronzes, ivories dating from 100 to 2,500 years old, terracottas, and wooden sculptures from tribes including the Bachama, Bassa, Afizere, and Adun. Each artifact is contextualized with provenance, scientific testing results, and high-resolution photography that captures intricate details invisible to the casual eye. More than a reference work, this is a cultural archive preserving endangered traditions and connecting contemporary audiences to ancestral creativity.

Essential for collectors authenticating African art, scholars filling gaps in art historical literature, and cultural institutions curating exhibitions on Nigeria’s diverse ethnic heritage, Volume I serves as both scholarly foundation and collectible masterpiece. Presented in bilingual English-French format, this limited-edition publication joins major museum collections worldwide as the definitive reference on early Nigerian tribal art.

What Makes This Volume Unique

• Foundational coverage of A-Bu tribes: Over 500 pages dedicated to major ethnic groups including Abayon, Abua, Achipa, Adim, Adun, Afizere, Bachama, Bassa, and Bura, plus numerous sub-groups such as Bura-Pabir and Bachama-Nzeh variants. Establishes the series’ alphabetical structure and scholarly methodology.

• First-time publications from remote communities: Hundreds of museum-quality objects documented and photographed for the first time in history, sourced from villages often inaccessible to outsiders. Peter de Jeu traveled to regions where few researchers ventured, building relationships with tribal leaders to photograph ritual objects and private collections before they disappeared.

• Authenticated artifacts spanning millennia: Features scientifically tested bronzes, ivories verified to 100–2,500 years old, ancient terracottas, and wooden sculptures. Each piece includes authentication documentation, testing results, and detailed provenance tracing its journey from village ritual to documented collection.

• Five decades of fieldwork and expertise: Author Peter de Jeu arrived in Nigeria in 1968 and spent over 50 years traversing all 36 states, developing deep relationships with communities and documenting artistic traditions as they evolved. This volume represents eight years of production refinement following half a century of sourcing and authentication.

• Bilingual presentation for global accessibility: Complete English and French text ensures this scholarship reaches international museums, universities, and collectors across Francophone and Anglophone regions, establishing a truly global reference standard.

What’s Inside

• Comprehensive tribal coverage: Detailed profiles of A-Bu ethnic groups including Abayon, Abua, Achipa, Adim, Adun, Afizere, Bachama, Bassa, Bura, and their sub-groups, with historical context on migrations, ritual practices, and artistic influences.

• Diverse object types and materials: Bronze masterworks from early Bachama casting traditions, ivory treasures with delicate Adun carvings, terracotta sculptures revealing prehistoric Afizere ceramic artistry, wooden carvings by celebrated and anonymous Bassa and Bura master carvers, and archaeological finds highlighting millennia of creativity.

• Museum-quality photography: High-resolution images capture intricate details of masks, figures, tools, and ceremonial objects, with color fidelity and clarity suitable for exhibition catalog reference and authentication comparison.

• Provenance and authentication documentation: Each object includes collection history, scientific testing results for age verification, and contextual information tracing its origins from village creation to contemporary documentation.

• Cultural and ceremonial contexts: Detailed explanations of symbolic meanings, ritual uses, and social significance within each tribe’s spiritual and communal practices.

• Technical analyses: Material composition studies, carving and casting technique examinations, and comparative analyses of wood, bronze, ivory, and terracotta object production methods.

• Geographic mapping: Maps showing tribal locations, migration patterns, and cultural interaction zones that influenced artistic development across A-Bu communities.

Who’s This Is For

• Museum curators: Building exhibitions on Nigerian or West African art, seeking comparative material for authentication, or developing educational programming on ethnic diversity and artistic traditions.

• Art collectors: Specializing in Nigerian bronzes, ivories, or wooden sculptures; requiring provenance verification and authentication resources; or expanding collections with documented pieces from lesser-known ethnic groups.

• Academic researchers: In anthropology, African studies, art history, or cultural preservation; conducting comparative analyses of West African artistic traditions; or documenting endangered cultural practices.

• Cultural institutions: Libraries, universities, and heritage organizations preserving Nigerian artistic legacy and providing scholarly resources for Nigerian diaspora communities reconnecting with ancestral traditions.

• Nigerian and African diaspora: Individuals and organizations exploring ethnic heritage, tracing family lineages to specific tribal groups, or celebrating ancestral artistic achievements.

• Serious bibliophiles: Collectors of landmark art publications, limited-edition reference works, and monumental documentation projects representing decades of scholarly dedication.