san wall art south africa

Yoruba Gelede Mask

Liberia - We People Divination Object (Brooklyn Museum)
Liberia
We people
Early 20th century, 22 1/2 x 16 1/2 x 3 1/2 in.
Medium: Clay, feathers, porcupine quills, cloth, metal, cowrie shells, leather, glass, rattan, rice heads, hair, wood, pigment, glass

This object is composed of a great variety of materials deliberately combined so as to create a frightening and otherworldly effect. The slits in the clay above the inset cowrie shells make a second set of eyes, a reference to supernatural vision. Gbaule are divination objects used to determine the causes of illness and to identify and execute witches, thereby protecting the community from harm. A male diviner holds the gbaule in his hands while in a trance. He is asked questions, and the movement of the gbaule to the left or right indicates an affirmative or negative response.

Nigeria - Edo Brass Head for use in the Worship of Osun (Briitish Museum)
Edo peoples,
18th century AD
Benin, Nigeria

Osun is one of a number of deities worshipped in Benin. His power lies in plants of the forests. Magical specialists, or ebo, use herbs and plants to create magical or medicinal potions.

In the eighteenth century, the Obas (kings) of Benin developed a new form of representing their magical and mystical powers through brass heads such as these. This example has snakes issuing from the eyes and nostrils, and a crown of birds, both creatures being closely associated with Osun. Birds were often sited on the top of palaces and have prophetic and protective powers. The stone axes on the forehead are associated with lightning and its destructive powers

Central African Reliquary Ensemble
This piece was part of an exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2007 entitled "Eternal Ancestors: The Art of the Central African Reliquary

Northern Sudan artifact Face of Sarcophagus of Pekherkhonsu

Kushite/nubian mummy In Australia

^^Great, you've started posting again, I nearly missed this.

Wonderful to see this thread .

[flashhttp://www.youtube.com/user/nubianking2020?feature=mhum=200,200][/flash]

[flashhttp://www.youtube.com/user/nubianking2020?feature=mhum][/flash]

Well, it did not work. This is not the sudanese forum
Here is a bbc report of Sudan Museum, however the Report is actually Sudanese Herself Zainab.

http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/V30ZnD5jTgU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V30ZnD5jTgU

Again, here is short video of the museum of Khartoum

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V30ZnD5jTgU

This is the last time

^^Zaniab badawi,she's on the tv quite often (Hardtalk). Great Presenter.

Semna Temple in Northern Sudan, it was dedicated to the god Dedwen.

GREAT thread. I'm going to lift a few pictures from here.

PhysicsMHD:

GREAT thread. I'm going to lift a few pictures from here.

I have seen your trend and i think it is a very good one, and the reason i brought to trend back is for you to take over, and you obviously have a passion for African History, i will be going back to Northern Sudan and Egypt for a long time, and i probably be to busy to post. However i probably stop by here from time to time to see what you have posted.

Statue of the nile valley deity Horus.

Statuary found at the temple at Jebal barkal and now housed in the museum of Khartoum

The two statues above of the bird like god horus and the statue of women body with the head and the other two statues behind her, is house in the National Museum of Khartoum northern sudan.

Christian painting of the bishop Marianos of faras with the virgin mary of christ is dated 9th or 10 century AD. This was the christian kingdom of faras northern sudan.

Different highlight of the musawarrat es sufra structure, mainly showing the columns, which is classically African in origin and detail.

Inside the lion temple in Northern Sudan, and the temple of horus in upper egypt closer to sudan.

Fragment from a Figure, Head, 16th–19th century
Nigeria (?); Nnam
Basalt

H. 25 in. (63.5 cm)
From the Collection of Nina and Gordon Bunshaft, Bequest of Nina Bunshaft, 1994 (1995.64.18)

Over 300 monoliths carved from basalt in this style were created in the Cross River region of Nigeria between 200 to 1900 A.D. These lithic monuments, which vary in size ranging from around two to over six feet in height, are usually found in circular groupings facing inward. The depiction of human features in stone is unusual in sub-Saharan Africa; additionally, the scale, number, and arrangement of the Cross River monoliths distinguish them from other groupings of anthropomorphic sculpture.

This particular example, with its elegant low-relief detailing around the eyes and the ornate cicatrization along the cheeks, led to its attribution to a class of objects created by members of the Nnam, one of eight clans that comprise the Bakor ethnic group of the Cross River region. Frequent motifs that appear on Nnam-style monoliths include a single spiral, double spiral, concentric circle, diamond, and triangle. This work is fragmentary and is the top half of what was originally a taller monolith. There is a clear differentiation between the sculpture's front and back, with the rear being devoid of inscription. The marks themselves refer to cicatrization patterns, which comment upon the wearer's level of initiation, ethnic, clan, and family identity. These markings may also relate to symbols that would have been painted on the body during festivals and ceremonies. All of the stones depict bearded figures, which suggest venerability and wisdom.

Though these objects have played an important role in the ritual life of successive generations of members of local communities, their original purposes can only be conjectured. They may represent the spirit of deceased ancestors. It is also possible that they were created as memorials to important political and historical figures. Local people maintain that the stones were created by otherworldly powers and emerged out of the ground like trees. The difficulty that carving and transporting these stones would have represented to their makers—as compared to wood, which would have been more easily available and workable—is a further indication of their importance.

Source: Fragment from a Figure, Head [Nigeria (?); Nnam] (1995.64.18) | Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History | The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Ceremonial Sword (Udamalore), 17th–19th century
Nigeria; Yoruba, Owo subgroup
Ivory, wood or coconut shell inlay

L. 19 1/4 in. (48.9 cm)
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Klaus G. Perls, 1991 (1991.17.122)

This opulent ivory sword is an udamalore, literally a "sword of the well-born." It was carried by a high-ranking chief of Owo, a Yoruba state in present-day Nigeria that rose to regional power in the eighteenth century. Worn on the hip, it indicated the power and status of its bearer at public ceremonies and celebrations.

Consisting of a figurative handle and a curved, openwork blade, this udamalore is a stunning example of the works created at this celebrated ivory-carving center. The human head that constitutes the pommel displays a delicate coiffure of repeated chevrons, while the eyes are augmented with dark inlaid wood. Triangular projections sprouting at the top and bottom of the head may be a reference to Sango, the Yoruba deity of thunder and warfare. Similar triangular extensions are found on the heads of figural dance staffs carried by Sango devotees. Their appearance on the udamalore may refer to the chief's affiliation with this deity and his dominance in political and military matters. The solid base of the blade is decorated with two knot patterns, while the openwork section depicts an Owo chief in ceremonial dress, wearing his own udamalore horizontally on the left hip. The space around the figure is pierced, but the sword's gently curved outline is maintained by delicate bands of ivory. In his right hand, the chief holds a curved sword, while a bird perches on his left hand and pecks at his crown. The upraised sword is an uda, used in combat, while the bird refers to the protective spiritual power associated with elderly Yoruba women. In combination, these emblems suggest a ruler who is physically and spiritually equipped to face all the challenges he may confront.

Source: Ceremonial Sword (Udamalore) [Nigeria; Yoruba, Owo subgroup] (1991.17.122) | Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History | The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Linguist Staff (Oykeame), 19th–20th century
Ghana; Akan, Asante
Gold foil, wood, nails

H. 61 5/8 in. (156.53 cm)
Gift of the Richard J. Faletti Family, 1986 (1986.475a-c)

Magnificent gold-covered staffs like this one are carried by high-ranking officials within the courts of Akan chiefs in an area of West Africa once known as the Gold Coast. Because they are a society that originally had no written tradition, the Akan peoples place an enormous emphasis on speech. The spoken word, in the form of axioms and stories, is the repository of Akan custom and values, and a complete mastery of proverbial lore, combined with an eloquent and insightful way of conveying it, is considered the mark of intellect of highly esteemed individuals. Those who possess this knowledge and an articulate command of language may be appointed as court linguists, the most important nonroyal court officials.

Court linguists play an invaluable role in Akan circles of leadership. Their vast knowledge and superior diplomacy make them essential as counselors, ambassadors, legal experts, and historians, and most Akan rulers keep several in their employ. The linguists' staffs of office, carved of wood and covered in gold foil, are said to be modeled after the cane used by the first court linguist, a woman who carried a cane because of her great age.

The finials of these staffs commonly illustrate proverbs that assert the ruler's legitimacy and capabilities or praise the linguist's experience and sagacity. This staff is surmounted by two human figures flanking a large web, with a spider positioned at its center. The finial refers to the saying, "No one goes to the house of the spider Ananse to teach him wisdom." Ananse the spider, who brought wisdom and taught weaving to the Akan, is the originator of folk tales and proverbs and is thus linked to linguists. Here, Ananse is the ultimate repository of erudition, as is the linguist at an Akan court, neither of whom should be challenged in that domain.

Although this artwork appears on the 20th-century segment of the Timeline, it is ascribed a date of 19th–20th century.

Source: Linguist Staff (Oykeame) [Ghana; Akan, Asante] (1986.475a-c) | Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History | The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Janus-Faced Headdress, 19th–20th century
Boki peoples; Nigeria
Wood, cotton, metal, cane, pigment

H. 14 5/8 in. (37.1 cm)
Purchase, Evelyn A. J. Hall Charitable Trust Gift and Joseph Pulitzer Bequest, 1987 (1987.284)

This Boki headdress is the finest known example of its kind. Fewer than a dozen of these carved wood crests with cloth-wrapped attachments are known. It is unusual for masquerade ensembles to retain the mixed-media attachments with which they were seen in their original setting, and in this example they are not only beautifully executed but in an excellent state of preservation. Carved from a single piece of wood, the mask depicts two heads that share a single neck attached to a basketry cap. The neck, the areas below the chins, and the sides and tops of the heads have been covered with indigo-dyed, embroidered, strip-woven cotton cloth. Above each brow is a broad, curved "crown" made of basketry covered with similar embroidered cloth. Six cylindrical forms, also made of basketry wrapped with embroidered cloth, rise from the top of the head. The "crown" and the six cylindrical forms probably represent an elaborate hairstyle. The faces are broad and curved, with projecting open mouths and raised scarification marks on the temples, forehead, and cheeks. The faces are identical except for slight differences in the scarification marks and the patterns of embroidery on the coiffure. Both faces have metal inlaid eyes, and small brass pins inserted for the teeth. On one face, a row of small brass bells is attached along the jawline, while on the other is a row of teeth.

There are a few known masquerade associations among the Boki, including nkang, egbege, and bekarum. This striking headdress probably belongs to the egbege association, a society reserved for women and responsible for a number of female affairs, most significantly the institution of fattening-houses for prospective brides. The origins of some motifs in this and other Boki works may be traced to numerous enigmatic stone monoliths known as akwanshi, located just south of the Boki peoples. The origin and significance of the monoliths is unknown; locals testify that the sculptures simply appeared out of the ground, but scholars believe they were carved sometime during the nineteenth century. Several of the monoliths feature raised scarification patterns on the cheeks, forehead, and temples similar to those found on this headdress. These patterns are said to have been historically common in the area. The attachment of brass bells and teeth to the jawline may also allude to antiquated fashions, as akwanshi feature long plaited beards that were ornamented with pendants of bone and brass. The elaborate linear patterns on the neck, chin, and coiffure are a reference to a sacred script known as nsibidi. The same patterns can be found throughout the region in other headdresses, embroidered and appliquéd on cloth, and even chalked on walls.

There are still many gaps in the research regarding Boki material culture. Consequently, a concrete interpretation of the janiform composition of this Boki headdress remains unclear. Many scholars suggest, however, that the dual-headed representation may refer to the omnipotence and omnipresence of divine forces, as well as to male/female duality.

Source: Janus-Faced Headdress [Boki peoples; Nigeria] (1987.284) | Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History | The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Temple of dangeil/northern sudan highlighting the ancient nile valley god hapi, who was the god of the nile water, and temple highing the interior of the temple of Isis.

Its nice art ,

I never really notice this of the similarities of the Bent pyramid in egypt and some of the remaining pyramids in Nuri complex in Northern Sudan, however the tomb in the Bent pyramid is inside the pyramids, whereas the tombs in the Nuri Pyramid complex in underground. The reasons why it was built the tombs underground was due to their religious concepts of the after life, and the tombs pretty much reflected their idea of the afterlife.

The first two pictures of pyramids is in Northern Sudan.

The next two is in Egypt

This is statue is dated during the Middle Kingdom, it is the statuary of Lady Sennuwy which was found in Kerma Northern Sudan, and now housed in the Boston Museum of Fine Arts In the United States.

Closer look of the statue of Lady Sennuwy found in Northern Sudan housed in the Boston Museum of Fine arts, in the United States.