Glossary
Aka Elephant Mask
A Bamileke beaded mask, featuring elephant characteristics like a trunk and large ears, worn by members of the Kuosi society during important ceremonies to symbolize royal power and wealth.
Example:
The vibrant beadwork and imposing size of the Aka Elephant Mask convey the immense prestige and authority of the Bamileke chiefs and elite members who wear it.
Ancestor Figures
Sculptural representations created to honor, remember, and connect with deceased family members or community founders, often believed to embody their spirits.
Example:
Many Pacific Island cultures carve intricate wooden Ancestor Figures to be placed in homes or sacred spaces, serving as a link to the past.
Bundu Mask
A wooden helmet mask worn by women of the Sande society during initiation ceremonies for young girls, symbolizing female beauty, wisdom, and the transition to adulthood.
Example:
The shiny, dark surface and neck rings of the Bundu Mask represent the ideal of healthy, well-fed skin and the ripples of fat considered beautiful in Mende culture.
Community Participation
The active involvement of a group of people in the creation, maintenance, or use of an artwork, fostering social cohesion and shared identity.
Example:
The annual repainting of the Ndebele houses in South Africa, with their distinctive geometric patterns, is a powerful act of Community Participation.
Conical Tower and Circular Wall of Great Zimbabwe
A massive stone architectural complex in southeastern Africa, characterized by its dry-stone masonry, serving as a royal residence and trading center.
Example:
The impressive scale and intricate construction of the Conical Tower and Circular Wall of Great Zimbabwe demonstrate the sophisticated engineering and wealth of its builders.
Cultural Symbols
Visual elements, objects, or motifs within artworks that carry specific meanings and represent shared values, beliefs, or identities within a particular society.
Example:
The lotus flower in Buddhist art is a powerful Cultural Symbol representing purity, spiritual awakening, and rebirth.
Divine Kingship
A political and religious concept where a ruler is seen as having a direct connection to, or even being an embodiment of, a deity or spiritual force.
Example:
The Japanese Emperor's historical claim to be a descendant of the sun goddess Amaterasu is a classic instance of Divine Kingship.
Female (Pwo) Mask
A Chokwe wooden mask, typically worn by men in ritual dances, that embodies the ideal qualities of womanhood, fertility, and ancestral reverence in a matrilineal society.
Example:
The delicate features and elaborate coiffure of the Female (Pwo) Mask celebrate the beauty and wisdom associated with female ancestors in Chokwe culture.
Great Mosque of Djenné
A large adobe (mud-brick) mosque in Mali, West Africa, renowned for its distinctive Sudanese-Sahelian architectural style and its annual community-led re-plastering ceremony.
Example:
The annual festival of Crépissage de La Grand Mosque highlights the vital role of Community Participation in maintaining the Great Mosque of Djenné.
Hierarchy of scale
An artistic convention in which the most important figures in a composition are depicted as larger than others, regardless of their actual physical size.
Example:
In ancient Near Eastern art, a king might be shown towering over his defeated enemies, demonstrating his superior power through hierarchy of scale.
Ikenga (Shrine Figure)
An Igbo wooden shrine figure, typically featuring ram horns, that embodies a man's personal achievements, strength, and success, particularly his 'right hand' or individual prowess.
Example:
A successful Igbo man might commission an Ikenga (Shrine Figure) to celebrate his accomplishments in farming or trade, symbolizing his personal power and destiny.
Lukasa (Memory Board)
A mnemonic device used by the Luba Mbudye society, consisting of a carved wooden board with beads and shells, used to recall and transmit oral histories, genealogies, and maps.
Example:
A Luba historian would trace the patterns on a Lukasa (Memory Board) with their finger, using the tactile and visual cues to recount complex narratives of their past.
Masks in Ritual
Artistic coverings for the face, often elaborate and symbolic, worn during ceremonies to transform the wearer and facilitate communication with the spiritual realm or embody specific characters.
Example:
The vibrant, animalistic masks used in the Dogon Sigi festival are central to their Masks in Ritual, connecting the living with ancestral spirits.
Ndop (Portrait Figure) of King Mishe miShyaang maMbul
A carved wooden portrait figure of a Kuba king, serving as an idealized representation and a commemorative record of his reign and accomplishments.
Example:
The serene expression and specific royal attributes of the Ndop (Portrait Figure) of King Mishe miShyaang maMbul convey the king's wisdom and authority.
Oral Tradition
The practice of transmitting history, knowledge, and cultural values from one generation to the next through spoken narratives, songs, and performances, often aided by mnemonic devices.
Example:
The epic poems of Homer, like The Odyssey, were initially part of a rich Oral Tradition before being written down, passed through generations by bards.
Portrait Mask (Mblo)
A Baule wooden mask, often highly individualized and idealized, used in performance to honor a specific esteemed individual within the community.
Example:
The refined features and serene expression of a Portrait Mask (Mblo) aim to capture the inner beauty and moral character of the person it represents.
Power Figure (Nkisi n’kondi)
A Kongo wooden figure, often studded with nails or blades, believed to house spirits and be activated through ritualistic insertions to resolve disputes or cure ailments.
Example:
The numerous nails embedded in a Power Figure (Nkisi n’kondi) visually represent the many oaths taken and disputes settled through its spiritual intervention.
Reliquary Figure (Byeri)
A Fang wooden guardian figure placed atop containers holding ancestral bones, serving to protect the sacred relics and connect the living with the deceased.
Example:
The watchful gaze and poised stance of a Reliquary Figure (Byeri) suggest its role in safeguarding the ancestral remains and spiritual power within its container.
Ritual and Ceremony
Formalized actions or performances, often involving art, that are conducted for religious, social, or political purposes to reinforce beliefs or social structures.
Example:
The elaborate dances and costumes of a Mardi Gras Indian tribe in New Orleans are part of a vibrant Ritual and Ceremony that celebrates their heritage.
Royal Iconography
Artistic symbols and imagery specifically used to represent and emphasize the power, status, and divine connection of rulers.
Example:
The elaborate crown and scepter of a pharaoh in ancient Egypt are prime examples of Royal Iconography, clearly communicating their elevated position.
Sika Dwa Kofi (Golden Stool)
The sacred golden stool of the Ashanti people of Ghana, believed to contain the soul of the Ashanti nation and symbolizing the unity and power of the kingdom.
Example:
The Ashanti people's fierce protection of the Sika Dwa Kofi (Golden Stool) illustrates its profound significance as a Cultural Symbol and embodiment of national identity.
Spirit Vessels
Artworks or containers believed to house or contain spiritual entities, which can be invoked or activated for specific purposes like healing or justice.
Example:
A shaman's medicine bag, filled with various natural objects, might be considered a Spirit Vessel in some traditions, holding potent energies.
Veranda Post of Enthroned King and Senior Wife (Opo Ogoga)
A Yoruba carved wooden architectural support, depicting a king enthroned with his senior wife towering over him, emphasizing her crucial role in supporting his reign.
Example:
The prominent size of the senior wife in the Veranda Post of Enthroned King and Senior Wife (Opo Ogoga) highlights the significant influence and spiritual power attributed to women in Yoruba society.
Wall Plaque, from Oba’s Palace
A cast brass relief sculpture from the Benin Kingdom, depicting the Oba (king) and his attendants, used to decorate the royal palace and assert the king's authority.
Example:
The detailed depiction of the Oba's regalia on the Wall Plaque, from Oba’s Palace underscores the importance of Royal Iconography in Benin art.