👩🏾‍🎨African Art Unit 6 – Ancient African Civilizations and Their Arts

Key Ancient African Civilizations

• Ancient Egypt developed along the Nile River Valley (3100 BCE-30 BCE) with a strong central government, complex religious beliefs, and monumental architecture
  • Old Kingdom (2686-2181 BCE) built the Great Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx
  • New Kingdom (1550-1069 BCE) expanded empire and produced renowned art and literature
• Nubia, located in present-day Sudan, had a rich culture and powerful kingdoms (2500 BCE-350 CE) that rivaled and sometimes conquered Egypt
  • Kerma culture (2500-1500 BCE) known for distinctive pottery and burial practices
  • Kingdom of Kush (1070 BCE-350 CE) with capital at Meroe, famous for iron production and pyramid building
• Nok culture in present-day Nigeria (1000 BCE-300 CE) is one of the earliest known iron-working societies in West Africa, known for terracotta sculptures
• Aksumite Empire in present-day Ethiopia and Eritrea (100-940 CE) was a major trading power that minted its own currency and adopted Christianity
• Great Zimbabwe (1100-1450 CE) in present-day Zimbabwe was the center of a thriving trade network and known for its massive stone architecture

Timeline and Historical Context

• The Neolithic Subpluvial (7500-3500 BCE) was a period of increased rainfall in North Africa that allowed for the development of agriculture and pastoralism
• The Bantu Expansion (3500 BCE-1000 CE) saw the spread of Bantu-speaking peoples from West Africa across sub-Saharan Africa, leading to cultural and technological exchange
  • Spread of iron-working technology and agricultural practices
  • Development of new languages and cultural traditions
• The rise of the Trans-Saharan trade routes (300 BCE-1500 CE) connected West Africa with the Mediterranean world, facilitating the exchange of goods, ideas, and religions
  • Trade in gold, salt, ivory, and slaves
  • Spread of Islam into West Africa (from 700 CE)
• The Indian Ocean trade network (100 BCE-1500 CE) linked East Africa with the Middle East, India, and Southeast Asia, leading to cultural and economic exchange
  • Trade in spices, textiles, and precious stones
  • Development of Swahili culture along the East African coast
• The Atlantic slave trade (1500-1900 CE) had a devastating impact on African societies and economies, leading to the forced migration of millions of Africans to the Americas

Major Art Forms and Mediums

• Sculpture was a prominent art form across ancient Africa, with regional variations in style and material
  • Terracotta sculptures from Nok culture and Ife in Nigeria
  • Bronze and brass castings from Benin Kingdom in Nigeria
  • Stone sculptures from Great Zimbabwe and the Kongo Kingdom
• Metalworking, particularly in iron, bronze, and gold, was highly developed in many ancient African civilizations
  • Intricate gold jewelry and ornaments from Nubia and Asante Kingdom
  • Sophisticated iron tools and weapons from Nok culture and Meroe
• Pottery and ceramics were used for both functional and artistic purposes, often decorated with intricate patterns and designs
  • Distinctive black-topped red pottery from Kerma culture in Nubia
  • Terracotta figurines and vessels from Nok culture and Djenne-Djenno in Mali
• Textiles, including woven and dyed cloth, were important for clothing, trade, and artistic expression
  • Kente cloth from Asante Kingdom in Ghana, known for its colorful geometric patterns
  • Raffia cloth from Kuba Kingdom in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, decorated with embroidery and appliqué
• Rock art, including paintings and engravings, is found across Africa, depicting animals, humans, and abstract designs
  • Tassili n'Ajjer rock art in Algeria, dating back to 6000 BCE
  • San rock art in South Africa, known for its detailed depictions of animals and human figures

Symbolism and Cultural Significance

• Ancient African art often served religious and spiritual purposes, representing deities, ancestors, and supernatural forces
  • Egyptian gods and goddesses depicted in statues, reliefs, and paintings
  • Yoruba ibeji twin figures, believed to house the spirits of deceased twins
• Art was used to convey social status, political power, and cultural identity
  • Benin bronze plaques depicting the Oba (king) and his court
  • Kongo nkisi power figures, used in rituals to protect the community
• Masks played a significant role in many African cultures, used in ceremonies, initiations, and performances
  • Dogon masks from Mali, representing animals and mythical creatures
  • Baule masks from Ivory Coast, used in funerary and entertainment contexts
• Symbols and motifs in African art often held specific cultural meanings and were used to convey ideas and values
  • Adinkra symbols from Asante Kingdom, representing proverbs and philosophical concepts
  • Nsibidi ideograms from the Cross River region of Nigeria, used for communication and decoration
• The human figure was a central subject in ancient African art, often depicted in stylized or abstract forms
  • Elongated figures in Fang reliquary sculptures from Gabon
  • Naturalistic portrait heads from Ife in Nigeria

Technological Innovations in Art Production

• Lost-wax casting, a technique for creating metal sculptures, was developed independently in several ancient African civilizations
  • Used to create intricate bronze and brass sculptures in Benin Kingdom and Ife
  • Allowed for the production of large-scale works, such as the Benin bronzes
• Terracotta sculpture techniques, including hand-building and mold-making, were refined in various regions
  • Nok culture terracotta figures, some of the earliest known sculptures in sub-Saharan Africa
  • Djenne-Djenno terracotta sculptures, known for their expressive faces and elaborate headdresses
• Advances in metalworking, such as smelting and forging, enabled the creation of sophisticated tools, weapons, and artistic objects
  • Iron production in Meroe, Nok culture, and the Bantu-speaking regions
  • Gold-working in Nubia, Asante Kingdom, and Great Zimbabwe
• Textile production techniques, including weaving, dyeing, and embroidery, were developed to create intricate and colorful fabrics
  • Strip-weaving techniques used to create kente cloth in Asante Kingdom
  • Resist-dyeing techniques, such as tie-dye and batik, used in various regions
• Stone-carving techniques, such as chiseling and polishing, were used to create monumental architecture and sculptures
  • Great Zimbabwe's massive stone walls and towers, constructed without mortar
  • Elaborately decorated stone stelae from Aksum in Ethiopia

Influence on Later African Art Movements

• Ancient Egyptian art had a lasting impact on the art of Nubia and other neighboring civilizations
  • Adoption of Egyptian artistic conventions and motifs in Nubian art
  • Influence on the development of Meroitic art in the Kingdom of Kush
• The spread of Islam in Africa (from 700 CE) led to the development of Islamic art traditions, which incorporated elements of pre-existing African art forms
  • Integration of geometric patterns and calligraphy in West African art
  • Adaptation of traditional African motifs in Islamic textiles and ceramics
• The Nok culture's terracotta sculptures influenced later art traditions in West Africa, particularly in the Yoruba and Ife cultures
  • Stylistic similarities between Nok and Ife terracotta sculptures
  • Continuation of terracotta sculpture traditions in the region
• The artistic traditions of the Benin Kingdom, particularly in bronze casting, had a significant impact on the art of neighboring cultures
  • Influence on the brass castings of the Yoruba city-states
  • Adoption of Benin artistic styles in the art of the Igbo and other nearby groups
• The rock art traditions of the Sahara and southern Africa influenced the development of contemporary African art movements
  • Inspiration for the modernist paintings of South African artist Walter Battiss
  • Incorporation of rock art motifs in the works of contemporary African artists

Notable Artifacts and Discoveries

• The Great Sphinx of Giza, a monumental limestone statue from ancient Egypt, is one of the largest and oldest monumental sculptures in the world
• The Benin Bronzes, a collection of over 3,000 brass and bronze plaques and sculptures from the Benin Kingdom, are renowned for their technical sophistication and artistic beauty
  • Looted by British forces during the Benin Expedition of 1897 and dispersed to museums worldwide
  • Ongoing efforts to repatriate the bronzes to Nigeria
• The Nok terracottas, a collection of over 2,000 terracotta sculptures from the Nok culture in Nigeria, are among the earliest known figurative sculptures in sub-Saharan Africa
  • Discovered in the mid-20th century during tin mining operations
  • Provide insight into the artistic and cultural practices of the Nok people
• The Igbo-Ukwu bronzes, a collection of intricate bronze artifacts from the 9th century CE, were discovered in Igbo-Ukwu, Nigeria, in 1938
  • Include elaborate bronze vessels, jewelry, and ceremonial objects
  • Demonstrate the high level of artistic and technological achievement in ancient West Africa
• The walls of Great Zimbabwe, a massive stone complex built by the ancestors of the Shona people, are a testament to the power and wealth of the ancient city-state
  • Constructed between the 11th and 15th centuries CE using dry-stone techniques
  • Include the famous Great Enclosure, a circular stone wall over 800 feet in circumference

Legacy and Global Impact

• Ancient African art has had a profound influence on the development of modern and contemporary art worldwide
  • Inspiration for the cubist and abstract works of Pablo Picasso and other European modernists
  • Incorporation of African motifs and aesthetics in the works of African American artists, such as Aaron Douglas and Romare Bearden
• The study of ancient African art has challenged Western perceptions of Africa as a "primitive" or "ahistorical" continent
  • Recognition of the sophistication and diversity of ancient African art traditions
  • Growing appreciation for the contributions of African civilizations to world history and culture
• The looting and dispersal of African art during the colonial era has led to ongoing debates about cultural heritage, repatriation, and the role of museums
  • Calls for the return of looted artifacts, such as the Benin Bronzes, to their countries of origin
  • Efforts to decolonize museum collections and practices
• Ancient African art has played a role in shaping cultural identities and political movements, both within Africa and among African diasporic communities
  • Use of traditional African symbols and motifs in the Black Arts Movement of the 1960s and 1970s
  • Incorporation of ancient African art in the cultural nationalism of post-independence African states
• The legacy of ancient African art continues to inspire and inform contemporary African artists, who draw on traditional forms and techniques while engaging with current social and political issues
  • Works of Yinka Shonibare, who uses African textiles to explore themes of colonialism and globalization
  • Sculptures of El Anatsui, who creates large-scale installations from recycled materials, evoking traditional African textile patterns