Museum of African Art

The terra-cotta heads and figures identifiable with many of the African peoples over a full two millenniums is testimony not only of the long tradition of modeling clay but of the high craftsmanship of their makers and the artist value of their work. The significant evidence of the high level of craftsmanship attained in a very distant past are pieces recovered from excavations in central Nigeria. These revealed the Nok culture, dating from the first millennium B.C. But the clay heads and figurines confirm as well the levels attained by African art in general by this period.

South of the Sahara, clay was worked from earliest times by hand. The potter’s wheel was not known. Even today, hand modeling remains the tradition among the people. The final stage of creating process - firing has always been done in an open fire. Ovens are not a part of folk tradition but may be found today at centers where the fold crafts have been industrialized.

While the simple ornamentation is typical of pottery made for household use, the cult pottery is more richly decorated, from incision-made geometric designs to high reliefs, most often of human and animal figures. Small sharp-edged and spherical adornments are not uncommon.

The basic work of potters has always been to produce the pottery for daily household use (for preparing and serving food, for storing and transporting grains and fluids, etc.). The wide use of fired-clay to serve many purposes may be appreciated from the many objects still being made: traditional candlesticks and lamps, floor tiles, pipes for smoking, small boxes where money is kept, even musical instruments, such as clay drums which have an exceptional sound.

On the whole, the best pieces, those showing the greatest artistic achievement, are those made for ritual purposes. In these, the level of excellence required and the inspiration of his religious beliefs combined in the African craftsman to make him an artist.