Ancient Arts of Africa Quiz 2 Terms and Details

Jebel Barkal

‘Holy Mountain’ where Amun lives, linked to the prymordial mound. Nubians believed it is shaped like a skull cap with two uraei, Egyptians believe the natural pinnacle looks like a uraeus and upper white crown. Site of a temple dedicated to Amun with colossal statues.

The Nubian Uraei

Double headed, meaning a synthesis of nubia and egypt, on nubian crowns

The Meroites

Elite class of Nubia (even during the Napatan period), including royal family, bureaucrats, priests. Matrilineal socity

The 25th Dynasty

Kushite kings ruling Egypt 8th-7th century BCE, Piye/Piankhy, Shebitka, Shabaka and Taharqa

Amun

Patron God of Thebes, and then of all Egypt. Ram-headed, sun-crowned. Associated with Kingship = ancestor of all pharaohs. Karnak temple, Jebel Barkal

Sphinx

Mythical creature with a lion body, eagle wings and human head. Often reclining (on elbows). Usually wearing a regal Egyptian wig and associated with protection and power.

Hathor

Egyptian goddess of fertility and love. Cow horns (milk), sun disk headdress. Divine protectress of Nubian kings and queens. Consort to Ra.

Mut

Mother goddess with a lion’s head. Consort of Amun, patroness of Thebes. Linked to royal heritage, especially for Kushite women during the 25th dynasty who served as priestesses at Thebes.

Repousse

Jewelry making technique where the design is hammered from the opposite side of metal

The rebellion of Arnekhamani

King (at Napata) was told by the priests (by Amun) to step down as king and commit suicide. He decided to kill everyone and make a new capital at Meroe. A definitive break from earlier Egyptian traditions.

Apedemak

Lion-headed Nubian warrior god. Husband of Isis and believed later to be greater than Amun. Temple in Naqa commissioned by King Natakamani.

Candace

Nubian term for some queens who hold power as rulers. Such as Queen Amanitore, the mother of King Natakamani - shown at the Temple of Apedemak.

Frankfurt Archaeological Project

2005-2016, revised the dates for Nok culture - earlier than previously thought. Survey of Nok sites - found 30+ more.

Gender in relation to the creation of Nok terra-cottas

Men = iron smelting, Female = ceramics. Creator god made people of clay, therefore child-bearing women create ceramics.

The 9 Stylistic features of most Nok Sculptures

Gritty texture, pierced facial features, Nok eye, abnormal ears, flat nose, prominent forehead, bold mouth, Arican proportion, body adornment

African proportion

Head being 1/4-1/3 the size of the body, seen in art all over the continent

The uses of Nok terracota structures (4)

Ancestral healing, medicinal ritual, roof finial, figures to bless iron smelting

Lost wax casting

Technique of creating a mold out of wax (with a clay core and vents), covering it in clay and firing it. The wax melts out and molten metal poured in, creating a metal object.

Nri

Specialized clan of ritual leaders led by a priest-king (Eze Nri)

Igbo Isaiah

Archaeological site on Isaiah Anozie’s land, possibly a shrine or a storehouse for ceremonial itams. Associated with the Nri clan

Igbo Richard

Archaeological site on Isaiah’s brother’s (Richard) land. A burial chamber for perhaps a priest king, 10 feet below the surface. The corpse was seated on a stool wearing adornments (including a crown), thousands of beads.

Skeuomorph

Common objects replicated in bronze. Such as calabash-shaped bowls, shell vessel, jaguar skull etc.

Ram’s Head Earring (Head of Amun) Crowned with Orb of Sun and Two Cobras

Nubian uraei (double), Amun = kings, divine creator, ancestor of all pharaohs

Pendant with a Ram Headed Sphinx on a Column

Gilded silver, lapis lazuli, sphinx iconography (but ram and sitting up), cloisonne technique (flat metal with framed compartments and jewels inside

Amulet of Hathor Nursing Queen Nefrukekashta

At the queen’s grave. Hathor is the goddess of fertility, love. Vulture = symbol of upper Egypt and sovereignty. Ankh and ureaus and sheath dress. Queen has stripes and curves.

Amulet of Mut

Mut = patroness of Thebes. Wearing unified crown and wig for rulers and sheath dress and frontality = Egyptian iconography.

Hathor-Headed Crystal Pendant

2 inch gold and rock crystal found in the tomb of a Queen of Pianhky. Sun disc and cow horns = Hathor, also wearing the royal wig and ureaus.

Collar with Winged Deity (Isis?)

Made of electrum (natural occurring alloy of gold and silver). Repousse technique, back is fastened with hinges. Found in the tomb of a queen of King Shebitka

Statue of a Nubian King (Taharqa?)

Copper alloy and gold. Shown in motion - different to Egyptian style. Neck piece with ram’s head (amun), a double ureaus skull cap, and panther’s head on waist (military). But also wearing an Egyptian kilt.

Statuette of Taharqa

Bronze and gold leaf on adornments, found at Jebel Barkal. Ram’s head necklace, skull cap, forward moving posture and holding a stauette of Maat.

Ram of Amun with King Taharqa

One of the four statues flanking the entrances to the Temple of Amun. Frontality, scale, text, stasis, ‘blocky’, patterns on horns and wigs are similar, references to the sphinx positioning. Taharqa holding scrolls??

West Wall Featuring King Taharqa Bearing Gifts for the God Amun

At the shrine to Amun at Kawa, images in relief, Amun with sun disk and horns and 3 deities in sheath dresses and upper crowns. Taharqa wearing skull cap with uraei offering a statuette of Maat.

Colossal Statue of King Taharqa

10 feet high, frontality, stasis, standing on bows = Egyptian iconography of smiting enemies. Holding scrolls = replications of the original land deed that Osiris gave to Egyptian kings so that they may rule the land.

Winged Isis Pectoral

Not worn in life - pinned onto mummy wrappings. Isis with ankh and glyph for breath = breath of life, to bring to life on the other side. Repousse technique on gold.

Necklace with Human and Ram’s Head (Mut and Amun?) Pendants

Gold repousse and carnelian red beads. Mut heads on top of rams head.

Gold and Carnelian Bracelet

Diamond shaped beads with central rosette and two lotuses - lotus shaped fastener

Pylon of the Temple to the god Apedemak

Commissioned by the King Natakamani. Flanking with his mother Queen Amanitore, shown as equal. Eagle and vulture dualism, smiting enemies, wearing skull cap, curvy queen, lion between legs

Three-Headed Figure of Apedemak being approached by King Natakamani and Queen Amanitore

He is also being approached by us

King Neb-maat-Re’s Shrine of Jebel Barkal

In honor of Amun, meant to represent Jebel Barkal. Traces of a cult statue inside that was looted. Three registers: papyrus, pharaohs and winged deities and doorway, beads

Ba Statue

Kept outside tomb to make sure the ba (essence) can return at night and ba and ka can be together. Human body with folded wings behind, no arms

Ba Statue of the Viceroy Maloton

Adornments, long dress, sandals, Amun pendant, wings folded behind, arms held out (offering). Viceroy = governor for Meroe in Lower Nubia

The Jemaa Head

Used as a scarecrow after being unearthed. Neck made by coil, head band added, mouth cutaway

Large Head with Braided Buns

Holes in buns possibly for feathers.

Male Figure from Daji Gwana

Reconstructed - shattered when found. Arms close to body, sitting on an overturned vessel. Cod piece, amulet possibly on back, elaborate braided hairstyel

Male Figure with Hat

Holding something, tightness in posture, connected eyebrows. Wearing a hat and possibly a textile with buttons

Cylindrical Female Figure

Breasts and umbilicus, African proportion, same tiered hairstyle (same as Jemaa). Close arms to body, apron and draping jewelry, coil necklaces.

Cylindrical Male Double-Headed Figure

Broken neck on back implies a second head - duality. Wearing a tight hat, possible braids

Male Figure with Deformed Mouth

Possible beard and braids. Head on the bottom is ghostly, probably not a totem pole.

Torso with Snake and Face

Ghostly face on torso, snakes are symbols of transformation and healing.

Human-Bird Figure

Sitting on an overturned vessel, beak instead of mouth. Possible amulet and beads. Same hat as double headed figure.

Roped Vessel on Stand

Vessel made separately - 8 pieces soldered together. Net represents rope that is used for carrying water vessels. Lost wax casting method.

Trition Shell Vessel

Skeuomorph of a shell found in the Indian ocean = trade. Naturalistic shape but artistic decoration, using natural registers. Flies on the top represent attraction to sweet palm wine used in ritual offerings.

Single-Handled Hemispherical Bowl

Weaving design on different registers, skeuomorph

Crescent-Shaped Bowl

Separate registers, details everywhere, organic shape similar to gourds/calabashes

Altar Stand with Female and Male Figures

Duality! Stand for vessel or sculpture. Snakes, bellybuttons and female organs highlighted = reproduction. Echi (scarification on face). Represent the first couple who were killed and used to grow yams.

Leopard Skull

On staff in the ground next to the dignitary with a hole at top (possibly a vessel). Very naturalistic, not a lot of decoration.

Ram’s Head Pendant

Found on the neck of the dignitary, covered in beaded imagery, highly decorated and abstract