ART OF ANCIENT
WEST AFRICA
WEST AFRICA
Societies with their own
customs and artistic
traditions & styles
WEST AFRICA
ANCIENT WEST AFRICA
Tribal Architecture

Diverse architectural styles
using natural materials (mud,
wood, palm leaves, …)
– Adobe structures, made of earth
mixed with water, have been
built in the countries of Mali,
Niger, Nigeria, Togo, Benin,
Ghana, and Burkina Faso
Adobe mud brick house - Ghana
Dogon villages built on the sides
of cliffs along the Niger river - Mali
Timbuktu - Mali
ANCIENT WEST AFRICA
Architecture


Use of fractal scaling: small parts
of the structure tend to look similar
to larger parts, such as a circular
village made of circular houses
African architecture has been
subject to numerous external
influences (western and Islamic)
Djenne marketplace - Mali
Earthen brick houses – Benin, Nigeria
Wood ribbed house - Cameroon
WEST AFRICA
Architecture

Today, modern western
styles, Islamic styles, and
contemporary African tribal
styles based on earlier
traditions can be found
throughout West Africa
Nigeria: movie house
Djenne Mosque, Mali
Zaria, Nigeria: clay houses
ANCIENT WEST AFRICA
Similarities:

Largely agricultural
societies composed of
farmers, metal workers,
traders, artisans, hunters,
& warriors
– Yams, grains, plantains,
corn, beans main crops

Societies ruled by
powerful royal families
and elders
Yoruba – Nigeria
Man carving dried gourds
used to serve food or drink
ANCIENT WEST AFRICA
Similarities:



Reverence of ancestors
Structured beliefs with gods
and spirits linked to the
forces of nature
– Belief in spirits that
influence existence &
environment
– Belief that death is not
final and in a world of
ancestral spirits
Emphasis on the human
figure
Ancestral Figure
Senufo - Mali
ANCIENT WEST AFRICA
Similarities:


Emphasis on performance art
Tradition of oral literature
passed on from generation to
generation through ritual,
ceremony, and spoken word
• Folktales & proverbs
• Mythologies
• Poetry
• Drama
Racing Mask
Dan – Ivory Coast
ANCIENT WEST AFRICA
Artists:


Worked on commission from
ruler, cult, healer, secret society
Followed framework of local
beliefs and traditions
– Symbolic shapes
– Symbolic colors
– Depiction of human form
Bobo Antelope Mask
Burkina Faso
Role of Art in West Africa

Not seen as art but something
to connect people with the
unseen audience of spirits of
dead and the spirits and forces
of nature
– Intervened
– Offered advice
– Channeled energies
Mossi Fetish Figure
Burkina Faso
Role of Art in West Africa
Works were not seen as an piece of art
but as an item with a societal purpose

Assisted and maintained
physical & spiritual wellbeing of community
– Helped organize society
– Helped solve problems

Identified status within
society
Carved Door
Dogon - Mali
WEST AFRICAN ART
Imagery often abstract or
highly stylized


Represented abstract concepts (a
spirit, a force, …)
Prevailing belief: a likeness of an
individual would trap part of his/her
spirit/essence
Mende Helmet Mask
Sierra Leone
Reliquary Figure, Gabon
SCULPTURE

Main form of artistic expression
 Full-round and relief
 Part of ritual and celebration
 Made of wood and cast metals
Wooden full-round figure
Bronze relief panel
SCULPTURE

Concerned with aspects
of existence
– Continuity of life
– Initiation into adulthood
– Influence over spirits to
control health and the
environment
– Death and ancestral spirits
Chiwara a mythical farming god in the form
of an antelope. Carved figures worn on the
head as part of a ritual when crops are to be
planted to teach young Bamana men social
values as well as agricultural techniques.
Chiwara or Tyi Wara Figure
Bambana - Mali
SCULPTURE
They were danced in pairs and celebrate the union of male (sun),
female (earth) and fiber costume (rain), signifying the cooperation
needed for a successful harvest and community survival
SCULPTURE
9 main forms

Masks
 Ancestral figures
 Fetish (power) figures
 Reliquary figures
 Royal portraits
 Warrior/Hunter figures
 Womanhood figures
 Thrones and stools
 Carved doors
Bamum Mask
Cameroon
MASKS

Part of a costume to
“mask” one’s identity
– Believed to transform
the wearer to interact
with and hopefully
control supernatural
spirits and forces
– Can be worn in three
different ways: vertically
covering the face: as
helmets, encasing the
entire head, or as a crest,
resting upon the head
MASKS



Most made of wood
Human and animal forms
Sometimes painted and other
materials added (shells,
fibers, feathers, metals, …)
Baule Monkey Mask
Ivory Coast
Igbo Funerary Mask
Nigeria
MASKS


Changed individuals
into a spirit, force, or
figure with power
Part of a performance
or ceremony involving
costume, music, and
movement
Ritual ceremonies generally
depict gods, spirits of
ancestors, mythological beings,
good and or evil, the dead,
animal spirits, and other
beings believed to have power
over humanity
The Dama ceremony is part of
funerary rituals that ends mourning
and transitions the spirit of the dead
from the village to the spirit world
MASKS


Some masks are
permanent, some for
one use only
The masks represent
or embody bush
spirits, who are called
upon to benefit
mankind and the
forces of nature on
which life depends
Bwa leaf masks are used once in
ceremonies to encourage the cycles
of nature and then discarded
Bwa Leaf Mask
Burkina Faso
MASKS

Rules were
followed locally
regarding:
– Shapes
– Colors
– Patterns
Crescent = Cycle of moon; start of
the initiation
Black = Adults
White = Initiates
“X” marks = Scarification
Wavy lines = Paths of ancient ancestors
Checkerboard = Teaching of wisdom
Bwa Initiation Ceremonial Masks, Burkina Faso
MASKS
Scarification served as a symbol
of strength, fortitude, or courage
in both men and women
Bwa Initiation Ceremonial Masks, Burkina Faso
MASKS
Yoruba Gelede
Ceremonial Mask
Nigeria and Benin
MASKS
Dan Social
Arbitrator Mask
Ivory Coast &
Liberia
Senufo Ceremonial
Mask
Ivory Coast
Baule Mask
Ivory Coast
FIGURAL SCULPTURES
Used to channel spirits
toward human goals:

Protection
 Stimulate fertility
 Mark initiations
 Commemorate event or
individual
Akuaba dolls are carried and cared for
by Ashanti women who wish to become
pregnant and also after pregnancy to
assure that their child would be born
beautiful
Ashanti fertility figures
(Akuaba dolls)
Ghana
ANCESTRAL FIGURES

Housed the spirit of
a dead ancestor
– Full-round stylized
or abstract human
forms
– Usually carved from
wood
– Followed traditions
• Forms
• Materials
Allowed the ancestral spirit to
remain as a vital force within the
community
Dan (L) -- Baule (R) - Ivory Coast
RELIQUARY FIGURES
Protected the remains
of the dead

Placed in basket with
skeletal remains
 Very abstract
representations of the
human form
Used to scare off evil forces and
individuals who may tamper with
the remains
Reliquary Figures, Gabon
FETISH /POWER FIGURES



Fetishes were protective
figures used by individuals,
families, or communities to
destroy or weaken evil
spirits, prevent or cure
illnesses, repel bad deeds,
and decide arguments
Some figures were used to
hunt out wrongdoers and
to avenge their crimes
A diviner or holy person
would activate the statue,
using magical substances
FETISH /POWER FIGURES
Believed to be able to give
spirits physical form & to
channel their energies
 Full-round stylized human
form
 Carved from wood & nails,
pins, mirrors, blades, …
added to release power
within figure
Nkisi Figure, Congo
ROYAL FIGURES
Portraits to honor kings,
queens, & high-ranking
dignitaries
– Naturalistic & stylized
human forms
– Full-round
– Made of wood,
terracotta, or
cast metals
Terracotta Head of a Queen
Ife Kingdom -Nigeria
Bronze Head of an Oba
Benin Kingdom -Nigeria
HUNTER/WARRIOR
FIGURES
Honored individuals who
have helped to preserve or
protect the society
– Highly stylized human forms
– Full-round
– Made of wood or cast
metals
Male Figure, Mali
Bronze
WOMANHOOD FIGURES
Honored women as leaders
within the society and as
givers and nurturers of life
– Highly stylized/abstract
human forms
– Full-round
– Made of wood or cast metals
In many regions, African mothers have
always owned the land, which is why the
land is referred to as the motherland
Female figure, Baule
Female Figure, Nigeria
Ivory Coast
THRONES
& STOOLS
Royal thrones or seats
symbolize power, status,
heritage, prestige, and
authority within the
society
– Made of wood
– Often believed to house the
soul of the owner
– Thrones used for coronations
and for special ceremonies
• Precious metals (silver,
gold) often added
Asante Throne, Ghana
THRONES
& STOOLS

Only those who own
the stools or thrones
are allowed to sit on
them
DOORS


Carved wooden doors
contained images & markings
that represented traditional
tribal beliefs, icons of
ancestors, or told stories of
village history
Indicators of status within the
community
Dogon door covered with the spirits of
past ancestors who protect and watch
over the family
MUSIC

Usually associated with ceremonies,
rituals, and celebrations

Polyphonic

Drums and percussion instruments,
the balafon (xylophone), stringed and
wind instruments, such as the reed
flute, the kora and the kontingo

Beat and rhythm are the two
main elements
kora
kontingo
balafon
DANCE



Ritual dance enforces and
affirms the belief system of
the society
Dances play a role in
religious rituals; they mark
rites of passage, including
initiations to adulthood
and weddings; they form a
part of communal
ceremonies, including
harvest celebrations,
funerals, & coronations;
Dances also offer
entertainment & recreation
Ceremonial wedding dance, Nigeria
Dogon stilt dancers, Mali
African Fabric Art


Valued trade commodity
Communicated a wearer’s
kingship, group, or status
within the community
African Fabric Art
Woven on looms
 Stenciled
 Block (Stamp) printed
 Screen-Printed
 Painted
 Batiked/Resist
 Tie Dyed
 Embroidered

African Fabric Art
Adinkra cloth - Asante, Ghana

Designs first used to decorate
funereal clothing
 Today it is used to make
clothing for such special
occasions as festivals, churchgoing, weddings, naming
ceremonies and initiation
rites
 Printed by block-printing
(symbol stamps carved from
gourds) printed with black
dye made from tree bark
African Fabric Art

Adinkra
– A symbol or design that tells
a story or stands for an idea
also used to refer to the kind
of cloth that is decorated
with adinkra symbols; the
word adinkra means farewell
or goodbye
An official of the court of the
king of the Asante people
African Fabric Art

Stamp Symbolism
Adwera – Watery Shrub
Purity, Sanctity, Chastity, Cleanliness
Cleanliness, Good Fortune
Abe-Dua – Palm Tree
Self-sufficiency, Resilience,
Vitality, Wealth, & Causation
Adwo – Peace
Peace, Calmness, Continuity,
Spiritual Coolness
Akoko Nan – Hen’s Feet
Parental Discipline, Care,
Tenderness Discipline, Protection
African Fabric Art

Kente Cloth - Ghana

Made from cotton or silk dyed
yarn
Woven on narrow horizontal
loom
Strips 3-5 inches wide & 5 feet
long sewn together to make
wider pieces of cloth
Patterns and
colors have a
symbolic
meaning



King wearing adwinasa kente
African Fabric Art
Color symbolism in Kente Cloth












black -- maturation, intensified spiritual energy
blue -- peacefulness, harmony and love
green -- vegetation, planting, harvesting, growth, spiritual renewal
gold -- royalty, wealth, high status, glory, spiritual purity
grey -- healing and cleansing rituals; associated with ash
maroon -- the color of mother earth; associated with healing
pink -- assoc. with the female essence of life; a mild, gentle aspect
of red
purple -- assoc. with feminine aspects of life; usually worn by
women
red -- political and spiritual moods; bloodshed; sacrificial rites and
death.
silver -- serenity, purity, joy; assoc. with the moon
white -- purification, sanctification rites and festive occasions
yellow -- preciousness, royalty, wealth, fertility
African Fabric Art

Wax resist
– Traced back to Javanese
batiks brought to Africa by
European traders in 17th
century designs created by
stepped applications hot
wax and dye

Tie-Dye
– Designs created on fabric
by stitching or tying areas
to resist dye
African Fabric Art
African Fabric Art

Bogolan Mud Cloth
– Bamana peoples of Mali
– Linear geometric
designs drawn on dyed
cotton cloth using a
process of applied
fermented mud from
ponds and bleaching
African Fabric Art

Yoruba Adire Cloth
– Indigo dyed cloth
– Dye resist processes
• Tie-dye
• Batik with metal
stencil stamps or
hand painted with
wax
African Fabric Art

Kuba embroidered
and appliqué raffia
cloth – Congo
– Fiber made from
palm trees is dyed
and woven into
cloth
– Additional designs
are sewn on the
cloth
ANCIENT WEST AFRICA
Empires



AFRICA
Ghana (750-1200 CE)
Mali (1200-1500 CE)
Songhay (1350-1600 CE)
City States





Ife
Hausa
Benin
Ashanti
Oyo
ANCIENT WEST AFRICA
Ghana (750-1200 CE) the “land of gold”;
an economic intermediary within the gold
trade from south to north
Mali (1200-1500 CE) encompassed most
of West Africa north of the forested region
and also relied on trade of gold and salt
Songhay (1350-1600 CE) centered along
the Niger river was once part of Mali
empire but broke away. The city of
Timbuktu intensified as a center of
Islamic learning, attracting scholars from
around the world
Akan Gold Staff
ANCIENT WEST AFRICA
A center for trade with Northern Africa,
Egypt, and Europe
ANCIENT WEST AFRICA
A center for trade with Northern Africa,
Egypt, and Europe
NOK CULTURE

Nigeria (500-200 BCE)
 Center of agriculture and
ore refining
 Created high stylized
terracotta human figures
– Standing
– Seated
– Kneeling
NOK CULTURE

Terracotta figures made
using addition and then
carving (subtraction)
–
–
–
–
abstract
triangular eyes
perforated pupils
elaborate hair styles and
jewelry
NOK CULTURE

Terracotta heads once
part of entire human
figure sculptures
Seated Figures, 250 BCE
IFE
Nigeria (1300-1600 CE)

First of Yoruba city-states or kingdoms,
established government under a priestly
oba, ('king' or 'ruler')
 Powerful political
center
 Sacred/Holy city
IFE
Nigeria (1300-1600 CE)


Developed lost-wax
metalworking traditions
Created naturalistic
human portrait heads of
royal individuals
– Cast bronze
– Terracotta
IFE
Bronze Royal Portraits and Royal Figure 1300-1400 CE
IFE
Bronze Head
1500-1600 CE
Terracotta Head
1300 CE
BENIN 1400-1600 CE

The kingdom of Benin was
made up of the capital city,
and the outlying districts
– Benin City, the capital,
was a fortified city that
consisted of ramparts and
moats, call iya, enclosing
2485 square miles of
community lands

The Oba of Benin directed
the control of these districts
from the central government
at the capital
The King's court was entirely surrounded
by a special wall and was divided into
many magnificent palaces, houses, and
apartments
BENIN Nigeria (1400-1600 CE)
Benin City - Seventeenth-century engraving illustrating a court ceremony
BENIN
Nigeria (1400-1600 CE)


Created stylized human portrait
heads placed on the altars of kings
and free-standing figures
– Cast bronze and brass
– Terracotta
Created cast bronze relief plaques
and doors
Altars functioned as a tribute to the
deceased and a point of contact with his spirit
BENIN
Portrait Head of an Oba
Brass & Zinc 1700-1800 CE
Edo peoples, Benin - Nigeria
Portrait Heads
1700-1800 CE
BENIN
Mounted Warrior
Brass 1700-1800 CE
Entrance Panel to Royal Palace
Brass 1700-1800 CE
Benin - Nigeria
BENIN
Plaques were mounted
on the walls of the
Oba's Palace and
recorded the history
of the Benin kingdom
Most depict the king
or warrior chiefs
BENIN
Oba with Animals
Brass Altar
1700-1800 CE
Edo peoples
Benin
Nigeria
BENIN
Cast Bronze Leopard
Bronze Male
Portrait
Bronze Oba
Portrait
Oba with Attendants