kingdom kingdom west african medieval region southeastern nigeria speaking people unusual history world government leader exercised military power subjects kingdom existed sphere religious political influence administered priest king called managed trade diplomacy behalf people possessed divine authority religious matters kingdom haven rejected communities place slaves set free expanded converts gaining neighboring communities allegiance force royal founder said sky came earth established civilization better known remnants civilization art manifested bronze items culture permanently influenced northern western especially religion british atlantic slave trade rise kingdoms contributed decline kingdom going cultural revival history kingdom considered center culture creation myth originates territory clan trace king figure origins unclear described sky sent god credited giving societal order people history divided main periods period period migration unification decline collapse socio culture revival present foundation archaeological evidence suggests far 9th century royal unearthed dating 10th century god like founder believed settled region related cultures following 13th century king follows directly according oral tradition reign started historian puts reign later names recorded list easily converted chronological terms long installations tradition held seven years pass death successor determined served period signs deceased communicate choice successor grave seven years ensuing death regardless actual date period marks beginning centralized institution fall colonization expansion kingdom achieved sending converts settlements allegiance obtained military force ritual oath religious authority local king ties maintained traveling 14th century influence extended nuclear northern region settlements west bank communities affected strong evidence indicate influence region areas like height kingdom influence roughly reached extent lasted reigns fourth ninth patterns conflict emerged existed tenth fourteenth reigns probably reflected monetary importance slave trade outside world influence going halted native religious doctrine face slave trade economic opportunities declined start 18th century survived reduced weakened form british troops forced reigning renounce ritual power religion known ending kingdom political power government nearly communities organized according title system west east bank developed governing states title hand developed state system sustained ritual power sort state developed central region taboo symbolic code types included human twins animal object temporal speech place rules educate govern subjects meant certain lived different formal administration followers religion rules faith obey representative earth important symbol religion tender palm protection traveling certain objects person object carrying considered protected influence symbols institutions extended unique socio political system proved capable controlling areas wider villages towns centuries people committed peace religious rooted belief violence earth instead declare form violated specific members entire communities form ritual siege title ruler ritual mystic military power ritual figure king traditional sense chosen period waited supernatural powers manifest new installed symbolic journey authorities notified prior commencement journey obtain royal process paying homage necessary deities new tomb collection virgin boy receive clay chosen sitting throne new going seventh day undergo symbolic burial finally white clay symbol purity death buried seated wood lined chamber aspects divine ruler lived relatively followers employed group jesuit like officials called ritual specialists easily identifiable facial traveled ritual peace order earth human crimes exercised authority wide areas power install areas influence called open traveling perform rituals ensure harvest restore harmony local affairs local men represent share moral authority purchasing series ranked titles called men titles known extension political system controlled means agriculture determined guilt innocence disputes priests nobility belonged right hand god dedicated achievement power associated right hand economy maintained vast authority 16th century peace mandated religion enforced presence allowed trade flourish items horses survive fly infested transported long ways distance coast found depicted bronze unearthed ivory indicating wealth trade existed source income income brought traveling unlike african economies period practice slave ownership trade certain parts domain recognize slavery served sanctuary selection tenth slave stepped foot soil considered free network internal external trade economy partly based aspects economy hunting agriculture sky count days names names governing spirits revealed opportunity time use days exchanging goods knowledge culture art kingdom miles south practiced bronze casting techniques elephant head motifs compared come different tradition associated fact earliest body unearthed territory east site dated 9th century making extension older appears artistic religious influence lower found bronze like great sculptures contrast brass time increasingly greater added pay special attention detail depicting birds natural aspects world hatching bird pieces include vessels given handles pieces fine small insects included surfaces looks like bronze wires decorated extra details separately piece gave evidence early bronze casting tradition religion religious beliefs central oral tradition states bounty given given return believed influence food reward ruler holy land followed served place sins entering living far center power send abnormal children ritual having killed case children cut teeth lower teeth people believed sun dwelling place light collective spirit holy beings human perfect agent creator god chose human agents merit knew politics religion culture gender worked humble believed light symbol human perfection seek entrusted lead man tradition tradition based concept peace truth harmony spread ideology traders maintained influence traveling spreading practices communities men identified ritual facial undergone believed earth supernatural force called human crimes year counting ceremony festival counting year royal festival maintain influence communities authority communities sent representatives pay tribute ceremony loyalty end representatives medicine blessing fertility communities festival seen day peace certain activities prohibited planting crops day ceremony splitting wood unnecessary noise regular event gave opportunity speak directly communities ritual known styles style style style carved line ran center forehead chin second line ran face right cheek left repeated obtain pattern meant imitate rays sun style circles patterns added initial represent moon given representatives way honoring sun form ritual origins mythology son established town said pleaded great god hunger ordered cut son daughter heads plant creating blood bond earth deity ordered mark crop managed females sprang daughter head peoples staple crop sprung son head taught plant son daughter required undergo seven days birth daughter female receive son gained knowledge medicine people communities order receive knowledge received exchange annual tributes
Kingdom of Nri