Unit 6: Africa, 1100–1980 CE

Adobe

a building material made from earth, straw, or clay dried in the sun

Aka

an elephant mask of the Bamileke people of Cameroon

Byeri

in the art of the Fang people, a reliquary guardian figure

Bundu

masks used by the women’s Sande society to bring girls into puberty

Cire perdue

the lost wax process. A bronze casting method in which a figure is modeled in clay and covered with wax and then recovered with clay. When fired in a kiln, the wax melts away, leaving a channel between the two layers of clay which can be used as a mold for liquid metal

Fetish

an object believed to possess magical powers

Ikenga

a shrine figure symbolizing traditional male attributes of the Igbo people

Lukasa

a memory board used by the Luba people of central Africa

Mblo

a commemorative portrait of the Baule people

Ndop

a Kuba commemorative portrait of a king in an ideal state

Nkisi n’kondi

a Kongo power figure

Pwo

a female mask worn by women of the Chokwe people

Scarification

scarring of the skin in patterns by cutting with a knife

Torons

wooden beams projecting from walls of adobe buildings

Great Zimbabwe

a prosperous trading center and royal complex; items from as far away as Persia and China have been found. Walls: 800 feet long, 32 feet tall; 17 feet thick at base. Internal and external passageways are tightly bounded, narrow, and long

Canonical Tower, Great Zimbabwe

modeled on traditional shapes of grain silos; control over food symbolized wealth, power, and royal largesse. Resembles a granary and represented a good harvest and prosperity; grain gathered, stored, and dispensed as a symbol of royal power.

Zimbabwe

derives from a Shona term meaning “venerated houses” or “houses of stone.”

Great Mosque of Djenné

Crowning ornaments have ostrich eggs, symbols of fertility and purity. Roof has several holes with terra cotta lids to circulate air into the main room. Largest mud-brick mosque in the world.

Benin Wall Plaque

One of 900 brass plaques produced, each between 16 and 18 inches. Shows aspects of court life in the Benin culture.It decorated the walls of the royal palace in Benin.

Golden Stool of Ashanti (Sika Dwa Kofi)

According to a tradition, it was brought down from heaven by a priest and fell into the lap of the Ashanti king, Osei Tutu. It became the repository of the spirit of the nation; it is the symbol of the mystical bond among all Ashanti.

Ndop (portrait figure) of King Mishe miShyaang maMbul

Rubbed with oil to protect it from insects. Acted as a surrogate for the king in his absence. One of the earliest existing African wood sculptures; oldest ndop in existence. King’s charm.

Power figure (Nkisi n’kondi)

Medical properties are inserted into the body cavity, thought to be a person’s life or soul. The figure has a role as a witness and enforcer of community affairs. In order to prod the image into action, nails and blades are often inserted into the work or removed from it.

Portrait mask (Mblo) of Moya Yanso

Presented at performances in which an individual is honored with ritual dances. This one was made by the artist Owie Kimou. An idealized representation of a real person.

Female (Pwo) mask

Male dancers are covered with their identities masked; they are dressed as women with braided hair. During the ritual, men move like women. Marks around the eyes may suggest tears

Mende Bundu mask

Idealized female beauty, both physically and morally. Small horizontal features. Used by the elder women of the Sande society; and for initiation rites

Ikenga (shrine figure)

Carved from hardwoods, considered masculine.embraces traditional masculine associations of strength and potency. It is maintained in the man’s home and is destroyed when the owner dies

Ikenga

This word means “strong right arm” and thus physical prowess.

Lukasa (memory board)

Carved from wood in an hourglass shape and adorned with beads, shells, or metal. Court historian who serves as reader of the board holds the lukasa in his left hand and gently touches the beads that he will discuss with his right index finger. These are controlled by the Mbudye

Mbudye

a council of men and women who interpret the political and historical aspects of Luba society.

Aka elephant mask

Beadwork on a fabric backing; beadwork is a symbol of power. Has features of an elephant and human face. Performance art: maskers dance barefoot to a drum and gong; they wave spears and horsetails. Only important people in society can own and wear it.

Reliquary figure (byeri)

Such figures were placed on top of cylinder-like containers made of bark that held skulls and other bones of important clan leaders. These figures were made to be portable. Emphasis on the head and the tubular nature of the body.

Veranda post of enthroned king and senior wife (Opo Ogoga)

Olowe of Ise carved this for the rulers of the Ekiti-Yoruba kingdom in Nigeria. One of four carved for the palace at Ikere, Nigeria. Wooden sculpture with tall vertical emphasis. Negative space creates an openness in the composition.