Learn about the geography of West Africa!
The Art of Africa
This mask depicts the king’s mother, whose ruthless political prowess ensured that her son became king.
Benin ivory mask (Edo peoples)
These flags were made for military companies affiliated with the British along the coast of present-day Ghana.
Asafo Flags: Stitches Through Time
Are these little-understood figures representations of diseased people, or an attempt to ward off illness?
Lost History: the terracotta sculpture of Djenne ...
This cloth—first woven by a wise spider—sends social messages through a system of specific patterns.
Kente cloth
What do the moon landing and rock art have in common?
Origins of rock art in Africa
Ethiopia’s Christian heritage predates much of Europe’s, and includes churches hewn from living rock.
Christian Ethiopian art
Arts practices on the African continent have evolved both independently of and in response to European imperialism.
African art and the effects of European ...
Initially, Westerners saw African art as a mere “curiosity,” but this began to change with the advent of modernism.
The Reception of African Art in the ...
The high rate of twining among the Yoruba peoples gave birth to a genre of spiritual objects for mourning parents.
Ere Ibeji Figures (Yoruba peoples)
These figures were carved for Akan women unable to conceive—they’d ritually feed, carry, and care for them.
Akua’ba Female Figure (Akan peoples)
Learn about the geography of North Africa.
About North Africa
Learn about the geography of Southern Africa.
About Southern Africa
Learn about the geography of Central Africa.
About Central Africa
Learn about the geography of East Africa.
About East Africa
What kinds of cultural biases have shaped African collections in Western museums?
Western appreciation of African art
The artistic enhancement of functional objects can reflect and reinforce an individual’s social status.
Art and the individual
In transitional periods, art objects are often employed to assist rites of passage and reinforce community values.
Rites of passage
Art has always played a role in African politics—both in large kingdoms and smaller, village-based societies.
Art and politics
In addition to local indigenous religions, Christianity and Islam are also practiced throughout Africa.