“Oxford IX” International Symposium on Archaeoastronomy Proceedings IAU Symposium No. 278, 2011 Clive L. N. Ruggles, ed. c  International Astronomical Union 2011 doi:10.1017/S1743921311012841 Traditional rites and their celestial alignments in parts of south-eastern Nigeria J. O. Urama 1 , P. I. Eze-Uzomaka 2 , C. C. Opata 3 , F. A. Chami 4 and J. K. Obatala 5 1 Department of Physics & Astronomy, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria email: johnson@hartrao.ac.za 2 Department of Archaeology & Tourism, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria email: drpamela26@yahoo.com 3 Dept. of History and International Studies, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria email: ccopata@yahoo.com 4 History/Archaeology Department, University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania email: fchami@udsm.ac.tz 5 Astronomy Columnist, The Guardian (Nigeria) and Consulting Editor, The Niger Delta Standard (Nigeria) email: kingceiphus@gmail.com Abstract. 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. Keywords. sociology of astronomy, prehistory: Africa, stone circles: Nigeria 1. Introduction Nigeria’s archaeoastronomy and ethnoastronomy is as diverse as her over 300 ethnic groups. Most of the ethnic groups have astronomy-rich cultures and practices. The sky entities (Sun, Moon and the Stars) are seen to manifest natural and supernatural powers and this inspires reverence and fear. Many creative expressions here, as in other ancient cultures, therefore depict these sky entities, revealing that cosmic nature is intimately integrated into the lives and experiences of ancient Nigerians. In this work, we discuss traditional rites and their celestial alignments in two archaeological sites in southeastern Nigeria—the iron slag heap located at Otobo-Dunoka, Lejja, on the outskirts of Nsukka, Enugu State and the stone circle at Emangebe village, in the Nnam clan area of Central Cross River State. 2. The Ikom stone circle In the Bakor language, these stones are known as Akwanshi —which is interpreted variously as ‘dead person in the ground’ or ‘ancestor in the ground’. This is interesting, because the Akwanshi are definitely not tombstones. There is a strict ritual prohibition against burying people within the stone circles. So far, 27 stone circles have been found and recorded within a roughly 350 km 2 area in Cross River State, Nigeria. Some of these are shown in Figs 1 & 2. The stone circles are believed to be about 2000 years old. These Stones have a pictographic script suspected to be Nsibidi, which is found on many of the Akwanshi —especially at Emangebe. (Nsibidi is closely associated with a 390