Ijdoms

Ijdoms are a class of small ceramic figurines discovered in the Ijdom Archipelago, a coastal region in the southern sea. The name derives from the local Ijd language, where ijdom means guardian or watcher. In archaeological literature, ijdoms are treated as votive or cult objects associated with ritual practices.

Most ijdoms measure about 6 to 12 centimeters in height. They are stylized human figures with oversized round eyes, simplified torsos, and short limbs. Surfaces are often slipped with a pale glaze or slip, and many display geometric incisions or pigment in the hair and clothing. The figures commonly exhibit a consistent frontal pose, with variations in headdress, attire, and ornamentation indicating regional or chronological differences.

They have been recovered primarily from sacrificial and habitation sites around shoreline settlements, with the earliest dated to roughly 900–700 BCE using stylistic seriation and radiometric methods. The corpus shows regional variation, with three main stylistic groups distinguished by headdress and facial features.

Interpretations of their function range from guardians of households or graves to participants in ritual feasts and divination. The objects frequently occur in caches with beads, metal ornaments, and pottery, suggesting a role in exchange networks and ceremonial economies.

Scholarly debate centers on production and provenance: whether ijdoms were produced locally in multiple workshops or manufactured in a single center and distributed widely. Comparative studies link ijdoms to neighboring cultures, though consensus remains elusive. They remain a focal point in discussions of ritual life in the archipelago.