Nsibidi Signs and Secret-Society Literacy

Record summary

Nsibidi is a system of graphic signs associated with the Cross River region and used in varied social, legal, ritual and initiatory contexts. Colonial and later accounts often linked it especially to Ekpe or secret-society institutions, making it relevant to questions about concealed knowledge and symbolic transformation. Sign meanings are not necessarily fixed across communities, and many records were collected outside their original performance settings. Researchers can compare published sign lists, ethnography, objects and contemporary revitalization while avoiding the idea of one universal script.