Early African Art and Sculpture Review

Flashcards covering vocabulary, key terms, and cultural concepts from Early African Art and Sculpture.

Bubalus Period

A period of African rock art characterized by large drawings ($up\,to\,26'$) of wild animals with exaggerated details and rounded feet, found in the Fezzan region of Libya around $8,000\,BC$.

Skeuomorph

A key term associated with the Igbo Ukwu cast bronze shell vessel.

Staff of Oranmiyan

An $18'$ granite gneiss sculpture with iron nails located in Ife.

Oduduwa

A vocabulary term associated with the Ife culture and the Staff of Oranmiyan.

Ogun

A vocabulary term associated with the Ife culture and the Staff of Oranmiyan.

Ori inu

A term referring to the "inner" head in Ife terracotta sculpture.

Ori ode

A term referring to the "outer" head in Ife terracotta sculpture.

Oba Esigie

The Benin King associated with the $16th\,C$ Queen Mother memorial heads.

Iyoba Idia

The Queen Mother of Benin recognized in memorial heads and ivory belt pendants during the $16th\,C$.

Olokun

A vocabulary term associated with the life-sized $16th\,C$ Ivory Belt Pendant of the Queen Mother in Benin.

Babalawo

A term for a divination specialist in Yoruba culture.

Bilateralism

Also known as "Mirror Image," a concept associated with the Yoruba Opon Ifa or divination board.

Opon Ifa

A wooden divination board used by the Yoruba people in Nigeria during the $19-20th\,C$.

Ashe

A key term associated with the Yoruba Iroke, or divination tapper.

Ere Ibeji

Yoruba twin figures shown on an altar in Nigeria.

Hogon

A key term associated with the carved wooden granary doors and locks of the Dogon people in Mali.

Toquna

A type of men's meeting house built by the Dogon people in Mali.

Chi Wara

Bamana headdress masks from Mali representing antelopes, including female, male, horizontal, and abstract styles.

Nyama

A key term associated with the Bamana Komo Society mask, which features animal horns and quills.

Kuduo

An Asante container used for holding gold dust in Ghana during the $18th-19th\,C$.

Abrammoo

Bronze weights used by the Asante for weighing gold dust.

Okyeame

An Asante staff bearer or linguist who carries a "poma" (staff).

Asantehene

The title of the ruler of the Asante, often associated with the golden stool and the Asante Confederacy established in $1702$.

Hwedomtia

A term associated with the seating or ceremonial objects of the Asantehene in Ghana.

Waka Sran

The term for Baule spirit figures from Cote d'Ivoire.

Blolo Bian

The Baule term for a male spirit spouse.

Blolo Bla

The Baule term for a female spirit spouse.

Asie Usu

The Baule term for bush spirits.

Sande Masquerade

A Mende women’s masquerade in Sierra Leone involving masks such as the Soweii and Ndoli Joweii.

Gonde

A Mende mask that serves as the antithesis to the Soweii/Ndoli Jowei.