EXPLORE / TRADITIONS
Sub-Saharan African arts
A collection pathway for comparing materials, dates and places. The objects here are a small sample of a much wider and internally varied history.
DATES IN THIS SAMPLE
20–1995
Object dates, not the boundaries of a tradition.
LOOKING PROMPT
Compare the objects below. Which materials and visual choices recur? Which differences resist a single label?
↗Africa, West Africa, Nigeria, Nok-culture style region, unknown female ceramicist · thermoluminescence date 20–620 CE
Head
Creator not recorded
↗Nigeria, Benin Kingdom, Ẹdo peoples, members of the Igun Eronmwon (royal brasscasters) guild · possibly mid-1500s or early 1600s
Ancestral Commemorative Head (uhunmwun-elao)
Creator not recorded
↗Africa, West Africa, Nigeria, Nupe-style pottery, unknown female potter · 1900s
Water Transport Jar
Creator not recorded
↗Ghana, Akan-style sculpture, unknown female ceramicist · late 1600s–early 1700s
Memorial head (nsodie)
Creator not recorded
↗Africa, West Africa, Ghana, Akan-style artist · 1800s
Gold Weight (abrammuo): Geometric Form
Creator not recorded
↗Burkina Faso, Ghana, or Côte d’Ivoire, Lobi–style artist · c. 1900
Figure (baàthíl)
Creator not recorded
↗Central Africa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Luba · early to mid-1800s
Staff of Office
Creator not recorded
↗Africa, Central Africa, Democratic Republic of Congo, Republic of Congo, or Cabinda (Angola), Kongo-style maker, possibly Yombe subgroup · late 1800s–early 1900s
Prestige Cap (mpu ngola)
Creator not recorded
↗Africa, Central Africa, Democratic Republic of Congo, Songye-style carver and nganga (priest) · late 1800s–early 1900s
Male Figure (nkishi)
Creator not recorded
↗Africa, West Africa, Mali, Bamana-style blacksmith-carver · early to mid-1900s
Headdress (chi wara)
Creator not recorded
↗Africa, West Africa, Mali, probably Djenné-Djenno, Inland Niger Delta culture-style maker · possibly 1300s–1600s
Male Figure
Creator not recorded
↗Africa, West Africa, Mali, Bamana blacksmith · late 1800s–early 1900s
Head of a Hobbyhorse (korèdugaso)
Creator not recorded