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Nsibidi signs and meanings

Macgregor presents Nsibidi as an indigenous, precolonial symbolic writing tradition of southeastern Nigeria, utilized socially, legally, and ritually - one of Africa's genuine native scripts. It is purely pictographic, not alphabetic. The same sign can have multiple meanings, and the same concept can be written in different ways. Writing direction is free (horizontal, vertical, or oblique). Antiquity: Some signs are conventionalized, suggesting an ancient system. 
Marriage and Home Life (Figs. 1-29) 1. Conjugal love 2. Conjugal love (with pillow) 3. Conjugal love with pillows for head and feet - a symbol of affluence 4. Conjugal love with pillow 5. Dispute between spouses 6. Violent dispute between spouses 7. One who instigates discord between spouses 8. A woman with six children and her husband; a pillow is between them 9. Two wives with their children (a), of one man (b), with the roof-tree of the house (c) 10. A house (a) in which are three women and a man 11. Two women with many children in the house with their husband 12. Two women on each side of a house; one on each side has a child 13. A woman with child (general sign) 14. The same; if written by a man, it means his wife is with child 15. Palaver (general term) 16. A woman who desires separation from her husband 17. A woman who wishes to divorce her husband 17A. Embracing (per Mr. Maxwell) 18. A courtesan 19. Two women who live in the same house have disagreements every time they meet; a third woman is entering 20. A man who approaches a married woman and proposes cohabitation 21. Three men who vied for the same married woman and quarreled because of her 22. Adultery: a man (a), woman (b), husband (c), compensation (d), recipients (e) 23. A man leaving a woman; he curses her and departs 24. Unrequited love 25. Heart with genuine affection 26. Heart without genuine affection 27. Inconstant heart 28. Two persons concur in love 29. A woman bathing in the river watched by her husband (sign of protection in war)

Common Articles of the House (Figs. 30–44) 30. Juju hung over a door or road to protect a house 31. Firewood 32. Looking glass 33. Looking glass (also for man with mirror) 34. Native mat (bed) 35. Gourd for a drinking cup 36. Native comb 37. Toilet soap 38. Basin and water 39. Calabash with 400 chittims inside it 40. Slaves 41. Fire
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