Art History of Ancient Africa

The modern day countries in the African continent often relate to European colonial political boundaries and not the cultures in them.

North Africa is separated from the rest of Africa by the Sahara Desert. The continent South of the Sahara is called Sub-Saharan Africa.

1 African Art

Art History of Ancient North Africa

•Berber Clothes Pin , Silver & semi precious stones, Morocco, 19th century CE. •Colors & designs tell about who made the artwork.

•Kasbah of Ait Benhaddou Rammed earth with carved decorations. Morocco, 11th century C.E., UNESCO World Heritage Site. •A Kasbah is a walled city also called a medina. •Only the wealthy would live inside the safety of the Kasbah’s walls.

Berbers ruled, 990-1062 AD/CE.

2 African Art

Ancient Kingdoms: Kerma, Kush & Nubia in the modern countries of: Sudan, Ethiopia, Eretria, Somalia & Kenya

•Stelae at Aksum, 7 memorial obelisks, Ethiopia 3-4 AD/CE, carved solid stone, up to 27’ tall (2.5 stories). Represent buildings built as Christianity was adopted. •A stelae is a tall narrow memorial •An obelisk is a stone pillar monument, with a square or rectangular cross section and a pyramidal top

•Meroe Pyramids, 4 BC/E -3 AD/CE , Sudan, Nubian Kingdom began 4000 BC.

•Nubia ruled Egypt 728-656 BC/E

Art History of Ancient N.E. Africa

3 African Art

Makonde Helmet Mask, 20th Century A.D. , Mozambique

Curved Peaked Lidded Basket, 20th

century, plant fibers, Burundi

Bag, 20th century, Cow hide, glass beads, iron & plant fiber, Maasai, Kenya,

Tie on Skirt, early 20th century, animal skin, glass beads, sinew thread & metal bells, Iraqw, Tanzania

Art History of Ancient East Africa

4 African Art

Ruler Spirit Head Shrine, Ife, Nigeria, 1000 A.D. Clay, 5” x12” Unbroken line of Ife kings/Oni to present day.

Tada Figure, Nigeria, 1300–1400 AD/CE., Copper, H. 21”. 1st to use naturalism.

King/Oba, Edo, Nigeria, Brass, c. 1400 . H. 10”.

Roped Pot, Hausa/Fulani, Senegal. 9th–10th bronze, H.13”,

Art History of Ancient West Africa These sculptures were made before European contact.

Their detailed natural look inspired the European Renaissance

5 African Art

Great Mosque at Djenne, Mali, original 1300 A.D. rebuilt 1907. World Heritage Site.

Resurfaced every year by the whole community. How long would a building survive in Lompoc if it had to resurfaced by the whole community?

Architecture & Textiles

Akan & Ashanti Kente Cloth, Ghana, 1600 A.D.,

Meaning in pattern & color

Mud Cloth, dyed with minerals, Mali, 1900’s A.D.

Art History of Ancient West Africa

6 African Art

Great Zimbabwe, city walls, 1200-1400 AD/CE, stone no mortar, h. 32’ x 17’ thick, 800’ long, no straight lines, largest prehistoric sub-Saharan building

Lydenburg Head with Lion, 500 AD/CE, h. 38cm South Africa, mask or helmet

Art History of Ancient Southern Africa

7 African Art

Fiel Dos Santos, The Bird Wants to Survive, Mozambique, 1990’s A.D. “Swords to Plowshares”, turns guns into art

Pierre Legrain, Tabouret, French, 1923 A.D., gives no credit to copied African artist

Bwami Mask, 1900’s A.D. mixed materials, h. 44”

Ngombe Chair, Zair, 1900 A.D. wood, brass & iron

The stress of European colonialism (invasion & settlement) changes African art to make it less naturalistic and more geometric. Europeans steal ideas from African artists but give no credit.

8 African Art

Art History of Post Colonial Africa

Quiz 1. What are the names of the of the modern day countries

that were in the ancient Nubian Empire? (3 pts.) 2. What are the name of the people who ruled Morocco from

990-1062 AD? (1 pt.) 3. What is the massive geographic formation that separates

North Africa from Sub-Saharan Africa? (1 pt.) 4. What is the name of the civilization that created the

Shrine Head of the Ruler 1000 AD and the Tada Seated Figure 1300 AD in what is modern day Nigeria and has an unbroken line of rulers for the last 1000 years? (1 pt.)

5. Name the World Heritage Site in Mali that needs to be resurfaced every few years and has existed for 700 years. (1 pt.)

6. Name the larges Sub-Saharan structure that is a walled city shaped like a maze. (1 pt.)

7. Is African artwork more detailed and naturalistic before after European or after and why? (2 pts.) 9 African Art

Quiz 3 pts. Sudan, Eretria, Ethiopia, Somalia and Egypt

1 pt. Berber

1 pt. The Sahara Desert

1 pt. Ife

1 pt. The Great Mosque at Djenne

1 pt. Great Zimbabwe

2 pt. less naturalistic because life was worse not better

+_______

10

10 African Art