Engraving on ochre

SITE: Blombos Cave

South Africa

CULTURE: Paleolithic 

Aniconic Figure

Babalus Period

Northern Africa

Beads from Blombos Cave

South Africa

Paleoithic Period

Gold Rhino of Mapungubwe

Mapungubwe Period

South Africa

Indian Rhino NOT African

Nok Head

Nigeria, West Africa

300BCE-200CE

Imba Huru/ "Great Enclosure"

Shona Tribe

15 century

Oliphant

Afro-Portugese culture

West Africa

Saltcellar

Afro-Portugese culture

West Africa

Djenne Horseman

Djenne Culture

Archielogical site in norther South Africa

Found in 1920

Considered PRE-CONTACT art

Art shows evidence of trade with India

Rose after the fall of Mapungubwe

Dated between 1000-1300

Area is very rich with materials (gold, skins, ebony wood)

Most important to Islam

(East Africa is completely Islamic)

Captial

Oldest West African kingdom

First part of Africa to become free from British (The state, not the kingdom)

Painted Animal Form

Apollo 11 Cave, Namibia

South Africa

Before 21,000 BCE

Conical Tower from Great Zimbabwe

West Africa

Monolethic Stone Scrulpture

Shona Tribe 

Great Zimbabwe

West Africa

It is considered to voice between God and people by the Zimbabwe people

KILWA POT SHREDS

Found on the beach in East Africa (Kilwa Kisiwani)

Crushed pottery can be extremely durable and offer powerful historical insights.

Tell a story of a string of thriving communities along the Eastern Africa coast with link across the Indian Ocean.

These fragments are from a cross-cultural mix of people that created the Swahili culture and language.

IFE HEAD

This is considered as one of the highest achievements of world art.

Comes from Ife, a city in what is now South-Western Nigeria.

Made by the Yoruba city produced it. 

Made of brass when it was very sophisticated to use metal casting.

Was most likely made to represent that of as king or leader.

Its exact function remains unknown.

BENIN PLAQUE-  THE OBA WITH EUROPEANS

A symbol of the impact of the grat European age of expasion and discovery durig the 15th and 16th century. It shows the result of Europeans trading in West Africa.

From the Benin culture that lived in present day Nigeria.

Benin were a hugely successful warrior kingdom and the produced an abundance of exquisite artwork (like this).

These brass portraits also had a huge impact in London after they were taken when British raided the Benin at the end of the 19th century.

AKAN DRUM

It was taken to America during the years of slave trade where it came into contact with Native Americans.

Was brought to England by Sir Hans Sloane (his collection became the british museum in 1753)

The insturment's music profoundly influenced the American culture.

SUDANESE SLIT DRUM

This object is "freighted with layers of history, legend, global politics and race relations."

Aboriginal shield from Australia (owned by the man who first set eyes on Europeans as they descended on Botany Bay).

Brought to England by Captain Cook

THRONE OF WEAPONS

Ife Head

Ife Culture

Nigeria, West Africa

Benin Queen Mother Heads

1550-1650

Benin, West Africa

Akenzual Oba of Benin

King from 1933-1978

Benin, West Africa

Benin Queen Mother Heads

1550-1650

Benin, West Africa

Oba Plaque

Benin, West Africa

Benin Royal Ancestral Altar

Benin, West Africa

Atleast 14 prior to Punative Expedition (only 1 after)

Waist Pendant depicting Queen Mother

Benin, West Africa

hair= heads of Portuguese and mudfish

Asantahene

Asante Tribe

Ghana, West Africa

Boli

Mande Tribe

West Africa

Lydenburg Head

Bantu Culture

South Africa

East Africa

Fantasy Coffin

Ga Tribe

West Africa

Fang Biere 

Fang Tribe

Central Africa

Asante Gold Weights

Asante Tribe

West Africa

Kente Cloth

Asante

West Africa

Proverb Gold Weight

Asante

West Africa

Man Weaving Kente

Asante

West Africa