Nok Terracotta Head 500 BC – 200 AD In the round, subtractive sculpture Found buried in a pit in South Africa Oldest known figurative sculpture south of the Sahara Hollow and produced in standing and sitting positions Modeled individually Heads significantly larger than bodies- Symbolizes respect for intelligence Abstract, odd hairstyles, jewelry Some depict suffering- ward off illness Horizontal neck bands and incised surfaces are seen as signs of beauty Ceremonial function

Head from Lyndenburg, South Africa in 500 CE Reconstructed from fragments and has a humanlike form The eyes, ears, nose, mouth, and hairline were made by applying thin clay fillets onto the head Scarification marks were intentionally used to form patterns One of the earliest art forms showing the African practice of beautifying the body through the creation of scars The head probably had a ceremonial function

Equestrian Figure on Fly-whisk Hilt from Igbo Ukwu, Nigeria, 9th to 10th Century Bronze sculpture depicting a figure seated on a horse, which is a symbol of power in many parts of West Africa. Lower part of the sculpture is an elaborately embellished handle with beaded and threadlike patterns. The rider is intentionally represented much larger than his steed. On the man’s face there are prominent facial marks (scarifications) that represent a superior social position. The object must had probably belonged to an African leader.

The ruler portraiture art ile-ife were types of artwork discovered by Leo Frobenius in the early 1900s These structures were supposed to depict rulers as real as possible; they focused on naturalism. portrayed the subject a bit earlier in their life, in their prime They were thought to be created between the 12th and 14th century The people were of the Yoruba were the main subjects of the artwork Mostly made from bronze, brass, and copper. aka mostly casted though some were terracotta perforations and beads suggest that the heads had crowns made up of beads and human hair

Wall of Great Zimbabwe Great Zimbabwe is a city located in South Africa Encased a Royal Palace for the local monarch (separating commoners from royal families) Over 32 feet tall Enclosed the Conical Tower (which served as a granary) – grain showed power The Conical Tower was also believed to have been built to worship the supreme god, Mwari. Constructed in 1000 BCE to demonstrate power and to protect the commercial market of the city

Monolith with Bird and Crocodile Location: Great Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Carved in the 15th century out of soapstone Stood 1’2 ½” tall The monolith stood in the ancestral shrine of a Great Zimbabwe ruler’s wife. The bird and crocodile symbolize previous rulers who act as the messengers between the living in the dead. The bird is portrayed to be much larger than the crocodile, possibly showing more importance to it.

Great mosque of Djenne Located in Djenne Mali Built in the 13th century originally, rebuilt in 1906 after a fire Used for prayer and worship Has a large courtyard and a roofed prayer hall Made of adobe

Queen Mother Ivory Benin, Nigeria Ca. 1520 Metropolitan Museum of Art A waist pendent worn by a Benin King Esigie’s mother (kings mother) helped him with welfare so the King gave her the title of Queen Mother in return He also built her a separate palace and court Above Ida’s head are Portuguese heads and mudfish, symbols of trade and of the sea god Olokun

It was located in Sierra Leone It was created ca. 1490-1540 It’s a depiction of an execution scene A kneeling figure with a shield in one hand holds an ax in the other hand over another seated figure about to lose his head On the ground before the executioner, six severed heads grimly testify to the executioner’s power

Djenne Archer Tubular limbs, elongated head, bulging eyes, large nose Strange proportions Djenne, Mali 13th-15th century Purpose unknown Terracotta (recording) Islam arrival