African Art History: Prehistoric Rock Art, the Nile Valley, and Christian Kingdoms

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering prehistoric African rock art and ornaments, the Dynastic and mortuary traditions of ancient Egypt and Nubia, Kushite architecture, and Christian monuments in Aksum, Nubia, and Ethiopia.

Nassarius shell beads

Perforated marine shells dating to c. $75,000\text{ BCE}$ discovered in Morocco, representing some of the earliest known evidence of personal adornment.

Apollo 11 Cave animal figure

A prehistoric stone plaque painted with charcoal, measuring approximately $5'' \times 4.5''$ and dating to c. $23,000\text{ BCE}$, discovered in Namibia.

Superimposed elephant and two giraffes

Saharan petroglyphs created after $8,000\text{ BCE}\text{ (?)}$ in the Fezzan Region of Libya, executed in the Large Wild Fauna style.

Large Wild Fauna style

An early Saharan rock art tradition dating to c. $8,000\text{ BCE}$, characterized by engraved petroglyphs of wild animals such as running ostriches at Wadi Teknîwen and antelope in the Libyan Messak.

Horned female figure (Tassili n’Ajjer)

A prehistoric rock painting executed in pigment on stone dating to $8000\text{--}6000\text{ BCE}$ in the Archaic style at Tassili n’Ajjer, portraying a horned and ornamented female.

Pastoralist style (Tassili n’Ajjer)

A Saharan rock painting tradition dating to c. $5000\text{--}2000\text{ BCE}$ at Tassili n’Ajjer, focused on herding pastoral cattle, domestic groups, and activities such as grain gathering.

Horse/Camel period

A late phase of Saharan rock painting at Tassili n’Ajjer spanning c. $1000\text{ BCE}$ to after $700\text{ BCE}$, depicting human figures drawing water, horses, and camels as arid conditions spread.

Coldstream Cave painting

A South African rock painting dating to c. $2000\text{ BCE}$ in Cape Province, South Africa, depicting three figures rendered in pigment on stone.

Tsisab Gorge rock painting

A rock painting in the Brandberg Mountains of Western Namibia dating to c. $2000\text{--}1000\text{ BCE}$, showing an ornamented figure alongside other figures and cattle.

Sweitzer Reneke District petroglyph

An undated rock engraving from South Africa depicting an eland carved into the stone.

Matob Hills rock art

Rock face paintings dating before $1000\text{ CE}$ located at Nanke in the Matob Hills, Zimbabwe, depicting giraffes, a zebra, and abstract shapes.

Rusape rock paintings

Rock paintings executed before $1000\text{ CE}$ near Rusape in the Makoni District of Eastern Zimbabwe, depicting human figures.

San peoples rock art (Drakensberg Mountains)

Rock paintings in the Drakensberg Mountains of South Africa created by the San peoples, featuring dancing figures at Fetcani Glen and scenes rendered in pigment mixed with eland blood.

Female figure with raised arms (Naqada II)

An Egyptian Predynastic terracotta figurine measuring $11.5''$ high, dating to c. $3650\text{--}3300\text{ BCE}$ and produced by the Naqada II Culture.

Kerma beakers

Fine ceramic drinking vessels measuring $4.5''$ high, dating to c. $1650\text{ BCE}$ from ancient Nubia and produced by the Kerma Culture.

Palette of Narmer

A carved ceremonial slate palette measuring $25''$ high from Archaic Dynasty I Egypt (c. $3000\text{ BCE}$), commemorating the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt.

Djoser's Funerary Complex

An Old Kingdom mortuary complex built c. $2620\text{ BCE}$ at Saqqara, Egypt, attributed to Imhotep; it includes the Step Pyramid, a large court, sham buildings, a sed festival courtyard, a funerary temple, the court of the serdab, and North and South palaces.

Engaged columns (Djoser's Funerary Complex)

Attached stone columns adorning the façade of the North Palace within Djoser's complex at Saqqara, Egypt, designed by Imhotep c. $2620\text{ BCE}$.

Pyramids of Giza

An Old Kingdom Fourth Dynasty royal cemetery complex in Egypt, comprising the monumental pyramids of Khufu (r. c. $2551\text{--}2528\text{ BCE}$), Khafre (r. c. $2520\text{--}2494\text{ BCE}$), and Menkaure (r. c. $2490\text{--}2472\text{ BCE}$), along with funerary and valley temples linked by causeways.

Great Sphinx

A colossal stone monument constructed c. $2520\text{--}2494\text{ BCE}$ at Giza, associated with the pyramid complex and valley temple of pharaoh Khafre.

Menkaure and Khamerernebty

A $56''$ high greywacke standing statue dating to c. $2490\text{--}2472\text{ BCE}$, portraying the Fourth Dynasty pharaoh and queen, excavated from the funerary complex of Menkaure at Giza.

Tomb of Nebamun wall paintings

New Kingdom Egyptian paintings on plaster dating to c. $1350\text{ BCE}$ from Waset, Kemet, including a $32.5''$ high hunting scene fragment in the marshes as well as banquet scenes of musicians and dancers.

Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut

A terraced New Kingdom mortuary temple constructed c. $1473\text{--}1458\text{ BCE}$ in Kemet, positioned near the Temple of Mentuhotep II and the Chapel of Hathor.

Queen Iti

A co-ruler from Punt depicted in a painted relief carving dating to c. $1473\text{--}1458\text{ BCE}$ inside the Temple of Hatshepsut.

Sphinx of Hatshepsut

A granite sphinx sculpture dating to c. $1473\text{--}1458\text{ BCE}$, presenting the female ruler Hatshepsut in the traditional pharaonic headdress and beard combined with the body of a lion.

Akhenaten, Nefertiti, and their Daughter Making an Offering to Aten

An Amarna period relief carving dating to c. $1353\text{--}1335\text{ BCE}$ from the Temple of Aten, showing the royal family presenting offerings beneath the sun disk Aten.

Book of the Dead of Hunefer

An illustrated New Kingdom funerary papyrus dating to c. $1300\text{ BCE}$, depicting rituals such as the Judgment Before Osiris and the Opening of the Mouth Ceremony.

Temple of Amun, Gebel Barkal

A major Nubian religious complex dating from c. $1400\text{ BCE}$ located near the 4th Cataract in modern Sudan, dedicated to the worship of Amun.

Ram of Amun protecting Taharqa

A granite statue dating to c. $690\text{--}664\text{ BCE}$ showing the 25th Dynasty Kushite pharaoh Taharqa standing safely beneath the head of the sacred ram representing Amun.

Royal Pyramids at Meroe

Steep-sided Nubian royal tombs with decorative pylons constructed c. $339\text{ BCE}\text{ -- }335\text{ CE}$ for rulers of the Kingdom of Kush.

Aksum Monolith: Rome Stele

A multi-story carved stone obelisk from the Kingdom of Aksum in northern Ethiopia, dating to c. $400\text{--}600\text{ CE}$.

Faras Cathedral frescoes

Christian Nubian wall paintings dating to c. $1030\text{ CE}$, including frescoes of the Nativity, Bishop Marianos with Madonna and Child, and Archangel Michael.

Beta Giyorgis Church

A monolithic, cruciform church carved directly into volcanic rock during the 13th century CE in Lalibala, Ethiopia.