In this thread, we will visit history and review ethnographers' works and other writers who worked on the Igbo culture in the 17th centuries.
Africanus Beale is a good way to start as it is short and integrates the recent works of Baikie, Oldfield, Crowther and other earlier works.

Doctor James Africanus Beale Horton African surgeon soldier and became more concerned with politics In his book West African Countries and Peoples 1868 Horton challenged the prevalent notions of the racial inferiority of Africans and also put forward several proposals for the self-governance of different African national and ethnic groups However Horton also saw himself as a loyal subject of the British crown and envisioned Britain as having a strong cultural and technological influence in the development of Africa.

Africanus saw the Igbos (Eboes) as a great example for his argument to present to the British government of that time.

I will present relevant experts as we advance. I hope the Igbo peeps are following.

Location of the Empire of the Egboes1

SITUATED between the Rivers Niger and Old Calabar and bounded on the north by the left or Binnue branch of the first river, on the south by the Atlantic, on the east by Old Calabar and the Dwalla Countries, and on the west by the River Niger, Benin, and Igara, is the extensive and well-watered tract of the territory included in the Empire of the Egboes. According to Dr. Baikie, Egboe extends east and west from the Old Calabar River to the banks of the Niger, or Kwora and possesses also some territory at Abo, in the westward of the stream on the north it borders on Igara and Akpoto, and is separated from the sea only by petty tribes all of which trace their origin from the great race.

It is divided into several districts or counties, each speaking different dialects, although derived from one root. The principal counties are Isuama, Elugu, Isielu, Isiago, Abaga, _Mitshie, and Djuku, all of which are situated on the north; in the middle are Abo, Abazim, Aro, and Amazunie, and in the south are Brass, Nimbe, Okrika, Ebane or Bonny, and Adony. Very little is known of these districts their histories are shrouded in impenetrable darkness; expeditions have been made through the great water course into the interior; but no cross expedition, starting from the eastern banks of the Niger to the Old Calabar River has as yet been attempted.

In the south the districts are intersected by numerous streams and rivulets, which enter to form the delta of the Niger; mangrove swamps are abundant in various places except between Bonny and Old Calabar, the soil is rich and fertile Further up, the country is more open and elevated, and numerously populated. In Isuama most of the towns are built on rising grounds, dry, and well selected; so that Isuama, Elugu, and Isiago, are far healthier and dryer than the seacoast towns


But there are yet several large and important countries in the interior of Egboe of which nothing is known, as the country has not received that attention among civilized settlers that other parts of the Coast have. After the great failure of the expedition of 1841, no adequate attempt was made to open the River Niger until 1854 when a new impetus was given by the complete success of that year, but which, unfortunately, has been followed by tardy operations.

Note
Egba, Igbo, Ebo, and Ibo are the various spellings met with in books describing the race inhabiting this part of the Coast. Among the soft Isuama and Elugu, the soft Ebo and Ibo is used; but among the inhabitants on the coast, such as Bonny and Okrika the harsher name Egbo is prevalent In the interior north of the Territory, the nations are called Igbo, which approaches more to the original name of the inhabitants. 1

The kind of informative article I crave for.

Position of Women in Igbo Culture

This shows that Igbo women were well respected although they could not be kings or chiefs.

Ekealterego:
Location of the Empire of the Egboes1

SITUATED between the Rivers Niger and Old Calabar and bounded on the north by the left or Binnue branch of the first river, on the south by the Atlantic, on the east by Old Calabar and the Dwalla Countries, and on the west by the River Niger, Benin, and Igara, is the extensive and well-watered tract of the territory included in the Empire of the Egboes. According to Dr. Baikie, Egboe extends east and west from the Old Calabar River to the banks of the Niger, or Kwora and possesses also some territory at Abo, in the westward of the stream on the north it borders on Igara and Akpoto, and is separated from the sea only by petty tribes all of which trace their origin from the great race.

It is divided into several districts or counties, each speaking different dialects, although derived from one root. The principal counties are Isuama, Elugu, Isielu, Isiago, Abaga, _Mitshie, and Djuku, all of which are situated on the north; in the middle are Abo, Abazim, Aro, and Amazunie, and in the south are Brass, Nimbe, Okrika, Ebane or Bonny, and Adony. Very little is known of these districts their histories are shrouded in impenetrable darkness; expeditions have been made through the great water course into the interior; but no cross expedition, starting from the eastern banks of the Niger to the Old Calabar River has as yet been attempted.

I believe one of the older journals detailed more about the history and characteristics of the different Igbo clans. I have the book and I will upload the excerpts.

Kindly upload please.

...Still on their smartness. It is observed that Igbos were fiercely competitive and each town would try all to best the other.... You could still see this on Nairaland even today. LOL.
Cc: @Afam4eva, this spirit of competitiveness and battle of greatness did not start with you and your other rivals on Nairaland.

This account gave an example of how Igbo learn and reproduce things very fast.
No be today them dey do aba things... boiz don dey produce stuff dey put fake designers teytey... Read this account in 1854.

the Igbo people at this point was seen as peaceful with a healthy population between 10-12 million people.

Even as far back as the 1800s, the Igbos were regarded as the smartest people in West Africa and their ability to adapt and learn so quickly stunned the Europeans.CC Redbonesmith and others.

ijawcitizen:
Another igbo masturbation thread.

Una no dey tire to claim other people land?
Who cursed you people?

Can you find your way out of this thread? This thread here is for knowledge.... We are reviewing what true ethnologist wrote about the land way before the name called "Nigeria" was conceived in the mind of any soul or spirit. Living or dead.
I have other older historical books to review, please and please if you are not here to gain knowledge from history, please go and find an Ndoki group with a fake name to give them fake "oral history" conjured up from the comfort of your beer parlour.

My next post will touch on the origin of debates of Igbo Hebraic ancestory. The early explorers were the first people to debate Igbo-Hebrew origins. Which Beale summarised well from the works of early ethnologist.

These links are based on language, name and some Igbo philosophy and religion.
CC @ bigfrancis21 Odumchi

I wasn't sadly invited to this party. But to hell with that. I'm not only inviting myself, but I'm taking the high table.

Emm OP. Kedu ebe orji m di?

ijawcitizen:
Another igbo masturbation thread.

Una no dey tire to claim other people land?
Who cursed you people?

identity grabbing has enter into igbo people blood.

pazienza:
I wasn't sadly invited to this party. But to hell with that. I'm not only inviting myself, but I'm taking the high table.

Emm OP. Kedu ebe orji m di?

Odogwu!! We are sorry for this grave error. Biko, one bottle for you to step down.

AdakaBoro8:
identity grabbing has enter into igbo people blood.

Please, kindly find your way out. This is not a place for your bigoted ethnic fight. We are looking at written history from professional ethnologist who studied our culture way before the concept of the word Nigeria was conceived. Please if you have old scholarly works from 1700s and 1800s to disprove this, please bring it forward and if not find your way out.

I have 4 published books of established ethnologist from the 1800s well preserved. Next time when you guys pop up with your propaganda, we will have pages of very old scholarly books to counter your falsehood.

Ekealterego:

Odogwu!! We are sorry for this grave error. Biko, one bottle for you to step down.

Correct guy.

Now to the origins and link to Judaism. Note that the earlier works even link this more strongly than Beale did in this book.
Rev. James Frederick Schön the respected German missionary and linguist (he did most of his works on the Hausa language) was one of the people in the 1800s who believed in the Igbo-Hebrew links.

Read what is written below from Beale though.

We will look at the religion first and the Aro and a written record of a prayer made in Abo (now Aboh).

Religion Continued...
This still speaking of the Aros.
It is interesting to note that the Isuama and Elugu dialect was spoken by most of the visitors. I will peep into what the Aro dialect sound like today and how these dialects influenced them.

Also note here, that European travellers also bought artisans and metal finishes here because they were so impressed by the quality.

The prayers a Woman named Wamah, offered to Chukwu was written down by Taylor and Crowther around 1857.

The Jewish Origins - Note that this part of their work is not based on their written records. This is based on their theory in the 1800s.

I believe this is where the origins of the Igbo Jewish connection stemmed from.

I don spread mat already

This part is important as it documents how they finally came to settle as a tribe from Israel down to the Niger area.

Note that there are still full-blooded Israelites still living in North-Africa till today and still practising their religion. They have been there for centuries.

Igbos are always trying to feel superior

Jewish migration continued....

Those ethnologists and missionary really queried and studied the Igbos in West-Africa and were really stunned by the Hebrew similarities. From the records, the Igbos were also referred to as Heber, Eber (Hebrews) before they were called "Egbo" and then "Ebo".
You could also tell here that the Igalas and Igbos were kind of related too.
Read this below.

This is a footnote, in reference to how religious fanaticism drove the Heber (Ebo) people down to their present location.
They use present or recent activities, like religion and culture to buttress their assertions of previous happenings.

Here Beale stated how the Fulanis (Phula, Fula, Fulata) used the same fantasm to take over the land of the Hausas from Lilubawa near Fula Toro.

They came into the bushes to tend to their herds and living there when suddenly, Fodie (Who I believe in Uthman Dan Fodio) had an apparition to take over all the land around him until they take over the land up until the Atlantic Ocean. (I used to think these stories were just conjectures and propaganda until I read it in this book).

Down to the main issue, these types of fanatism in North-Africa down to Centre Africa promoted this migration according to Beale

Lyrics269:
Igbos are always trying to feel superior

Igbo are not trying to feel or be superior to anybody. Rather, they’re showcasing and celebrating their rich history and culture. You can also open a thread and showcase the rich history of your people, after all, we all had history before the coming of the British.
The fact that others refuse to be proud of their ethnicity, does not mean that Igbo must toe that same path. Igbos are like the sun, you can’t blot it out with your palm. Be proud of your ethnicity and celebrate it, so you can receive the blessings of your ancestors.

@ Op, fire on, I’m here to learn.