Preliminary investigations at two archaeological sites in south-eastern Nigeria are presented. These sites are the ancient stone circle in Ikom and the crescent shape of an ancient iron slag heap at Lejja, Nsukka. Here, we discuss the celestial alignments of these objects, and other traditional rites in this part of Nigeria, that seem to suggest some possible astronomical connections
396 J. O. Urama et al.The arrangement of some of the iron slag blocks here is quite interesting. In Fig. 7, wesee the crescent shaped heap of slag with the Oshuru at the centre denoting a possibleconnection with heavenly entities (it could be denoting a crescent moon with a staror planet). One of the slag blocks of the crescent shaped structure is known as theeze-mkpume (‘Chief’ or ‘principal’ slag). This eze-mkpume (being pointed out in Fig. 8)together with Oshuru (the heap of slag blocks located at about the centre of the crescent-shaped structure) and the tall Omaba (masked spirit) house (shown in Fig. 9) has beenobserved to have a perfect alignment with the East-West axis. In village assemblies, theEze (traditional ruler of) Lejja sits on eze-mkpume facing East. The natives argue thatthe efficacy and potency of the monuments are propelled by energy from the rising Sunand it is this logic that informed their orientation.Odegwoo (the tall village shrine, at the centre of the village Square, shown in Fig. 10) isshaped like a pyramid and must be worshiped by two people at a time, with the priestssitting towards the North and South sides of the shrine. Odegwoo is associated withfertility and the logic of the shrine being positioned at the centre of the square and itsworshippers sitting at the north and south sides is linked with the process of procreation.The reasoning is that all reproductive organs are at the centre of the human body andthat it takes two people of opposite sex to procreate. And the north-south orientationis based on the local philosophy that the ‘ingredients’ needed for procreation are veryfragile and should not be exposed to the radiant heat from the Sun (on the East-Wes
