ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Archaeology of Igbo-Ukwu

Archaeology means digging up old things so we can learn about how people used to live a long time ago. Igbo-Ukwu is a place in Nigeria where people lived a really long time ago, over 1,000 years ago.

Archaeologists dug up some really cool things in Igbo-Ukwu that tell us about the people who lived there a long time ago. They found bronze sculptures, which are like metal statues that people made by melting metal and pouring it into a mold. The people who made these sculptures were very skilled and they made them look very detailed, like people or animals.

The archaeologists also found pottery, which are like bowls or cups made out of clay. People used these things to eat or drink from. These pots were decorated with designs that were very pretty, and some of them were even painted red.

Archaeologists also found a lot of beads in Igbo-Ukwu. Beads are small and colorful things that people used to wear around their necks or wrists. They found beads made from glass, stone, and even shell.

All of these things are important because they tell us about the people who used to live in Igbo-Ukwu a long time ago. We can learn about their art, what they used to eat and drink from, and how they used to decorate themselves. It’s like a big puzzle that the archaeologists put together to help us understand what life was like a long time ago.