Check out a this list of our African Pieces and their information.

David Owsley Gallery
of Ethnographic Art
African
Large Print Labels
with Images
Firespitter Mask
(Kponyugo)
about 1965–1973
Unidentified African artist
West Africa, Ivory Coast,
Korhogo, Senufo people
wood, baboon skin,
feathers, quill
The synthesis of characteristics from several
animals indicates that this mask was among the
most prestigious and powerful masks of the men‘s
Poro Society, which protects the community from
malevolent spirits. The fearsome jaws and teeth of
the crocodile and the tusks of the warthog
express the supernatural powers the mask
embodies.
2
Masked performers also attempt to intimidate
community members who threaten to disrupt the
social and political order.
Museum Purchase: Alice W. Nichols Acquisition
Fund
1973.023.001
3
Royal Tusk, 1850–1875
Unidentified African
artist
West Africa, south to
mid-western Nigeria,
Benin Empire, Edo
people
elephant ivory
As early as the
thirteenth century the people of the Kingdom of
Benin created ancestral altars dedicated to
male lineage heads. The most lavish of these
belonged to the oba, or king, who had the right
to one tusk from every elephant killed. Tusks are
filled with images of the king‗s representatives in
royal regalia, foreigners in clothing reminiscent
of sixteenth-century Europe, and animal motifs
alluding to the powers of kingship.
Gift of David T. Owsley
1978.013.068
4
Janus Mask
about 1900
Unidentified
African artist
West Africa,
Nigeria, Cross
River, Ekoi or
Ejagham people
animal skin
stretched over wood, pigment
The Janus mask has two faces, a male and a
female. The darker, male face has open eyes
and mouth, and vertical scarification on the
forehead. The white, female face is blind with
two large discs at the temples and three small
projections above the eyebrows.
Gift of David T. Owsley
2013.001.031
5
Pensive Seated Man, 1100–1599
Unidentified African artist
West Africa, western Sudan, Mali, Djenné
people
terracotta
The significance of Djenné figures is not known,
because few scientific archaeological digs
have occurred in this region of Africa. These
sculptures could represent mythological people
or ancestors, acting as guardians to their
owners.
6
The terracotta man is detailed with an incised
band of marks around his forehead and raised
circular protrusions along his arms and across his
upper back.
Gift of David T. Owsley
2013.001.001
7
The African Metalsmith
Metalworking in Sub-Saharan Africa began
early in the first millennium BCE. Historically, the
most common metals worked in Sub-Saharan
Africa were iron, copper, bronze, brass, and
gold.
Metalsmiths were treated with a mixture of awe
and fear because the transformation of raw ore
into an object of use or great beauty was
difficult and uncertain and was considered to
involve ancestral spirits or sorcery. The objects
displayed here highlight the metalworking skills
of the last two centuries.
8
Ancestor
Altar (Asen)
1900s
Unidentified
African
metalsmith
West Africa,
Benin, Fon
people
brass, iron,
tin, galvanized nails, bottle caps
The Fon use altars (asen) such as this one as
memorials to the dead. The altar is placed
inside the family shrine where the living
interacted with their ancestors. On top of the
altar‘s circular platform are four small figures: a
seated woman holding a staff, two kneeling
drummers, and a standing figure.
9
There is an empty seat, possibly a visual
reminder of the deceased‘s absence. Around
the skirt of the altar‘s platform are six holes for
pendant objects now missing; two brass hearts
remain suspended.
Gift of David T. Owsley
1978.013.041
10
Royal Scepter (Recade)
Unidentified African
metalsmith
West Africa, Benin, Fon
people
Brass on a wood support
Gift of David T. Owsley
via the Alconda-Owsley
Foundation
2013.013.002
11
Cuff Bracelet
19th century
Unidentified African
metalsmith
West Africa, Burkina
Faso, Mossi culture
copper alloy
Gift of David T. Owsley
2012.007.000
12
Bracelet, 1935
Unidentified African
metalsmith
West Africa, northern
Ghana or southern
Burkino Faso, Gurunsi
people
copper alloy (brass)
Gift of David T. Owsley
1991.068.225
13
Altar Bell (Eroro)
Unidentified African
metalsmith
West Africa, southern
Nigeria, ancient
Kingdom of Benin,
Edo people
brass
Gift of David T. Owsley
1982.018.010
14
Large Bronze
Anklet with Bell
(Symbolic
Currency)
Unidentified
African
metalsmith
West Africa,
Ivory Coast or
Liberia, Dan,
Guere or Dida people
copper alloy
David T. Owsley Collection
L2009.009.026
15
Bracelet with incised
geometric designs
first half of the 20th
century
Unidentified African
metalsmith
Central Africa, Gabon
or Cameroon, Fang
people
copper alloy
Gift of David T. Owsley
1980.029.011
16
Large Anklet,
(Symbolic
Currency), 1956
Unidentified
African
metalsmith
Central Africa,
Democratic
Republic of the
Congo, Équateur province,
Mbandaka (formerly Coquilhatville)
copper alloy
The anklet probably served as bride-wealth and
would have been given by the groom to the
family of the bride. Weighing over ten pounds,
this particular piece of jewelry was not likely to
have been worn. As symbolic currency, the
anklet functioned as a reservoir of wealth that
was easily stored or transported.
Museum Purchase
1957.006.013
17
Two-headed Rattle,
Ogboni Society
late 1800s–early 1900s
Unidentified African
metalsmith
West Africa, Nigeria,
Yoruba people
bronze
Gift of David T. Owsley
1997.020.003
18
Figurative Weight:
Shield Weight
1700–1899
Unidentified African
metalsmith
West Africa, Ivory
Coast, Ghana,
or Togo, Akan
people
cast brass
Gift of David T. Owsley
1999.014.026
19
Figurative Weight:
A Man Climbing a
Tree, 1700–1899
Unidentified African
metalsmith
West Africa, Ivory
Coast, Ghana, or
Togo, Akan people
cast brass
Gift of David T.
Owsley
1999.014.018
20
Ogboni Figurative
Weight: Shield
Weight, 1700–1899
Unidentified African
metalsmith
West Africa, Ivory
Coast, Ghana, or
Togo, Akan people
cast brass
Gift of David T. Owsley
1999.014.025
21
Society Staffs (Edan
Oshugbo), about 1900
Unidentified African
metalsmith
West Africa, Nigeria, Yoruba
people
bronze
Most Edan Oshugbo are
paired male and female
figures joined by a chain. Upon being admitted
to the Ogboni Society, the initiate
commissioned an Edan Oshugbo to be made.
The Ogboni Society is responsible for settling
conflict and plays an important role in
maintaining a beneficial relationship with the
spiritual world. Edan figures are sometimes
placed on paths or at entrances of homes of
persons in unresolved disputes, a system
comparable to a house arrest.
Gift of David T. Owsley
1973.024.066a–c
22
Herbalist’s Staff, 1800s
Unidentified African blacksmith
West Africa, Nigeria, Yoruba
people
wrought iron
Wrought iron staffs used by Yoruba
healers and diviners often depict a
gathering of birds. The large bird
towering above the fifteen smaller
birds evokes the medicine-related
deity who is also associated with
female ancestors. Herbalists and diviners alike
try to influence the female ancestors whose
power may be beneficial or destructive.
This staff has a natural patina and rust. The
bottom portion of the staff is forged into a
blade-like shape. The large bird, having four
legs and a tail in addition to wings, probably
23
represents a combination of a bird and
chameleon, a symbol of transformation.
Gift of Dr. Adele King
2003.006.002
24
Crown with multiple birds
and humans and long
strands of a veil
late 1900s
Unidentified African artist
West Africa, Nigeria, Yoruba
people
white glass beads
Among the Yoruba beaded
crowns express the king‘s
divine descent. The
complexity of this hat with its
many figures and beaded
veil indicates its use in formal rituals. Four female
figures, flanking the hat‘s corners, each hold a
gourd-like object, and have pointed hats and
prominent breasts. Twelve birds adorn the sides
of the hat, three on each side. At the top of the
hat sits a single bird.
Gift of David T. Owsley
2013.001.028a–b
25
Belt or Sash
Unidentified African artist
West Africa, southern Nigeria, Yoruba people
glass beads
David T. Owsley Collection
L2009.015.004
26
Beaded King’s
Hat, about
1960–1980
Unidentified
African artist
West Africa,
southern
Nigeria, Yoruba
people
glass beads
Part of a total costume, hats have special
symbolism and often serve as the focal point of
the wearer‘s attire. The disk-like projections of
the hat denote authority and prestige
associated with a king. The colorful beads used
for the hat were probably imported from Europe
and traded among different cultural groups.
Gift of David T. Owsley
1991.068.264
27
Sword Sheath Finial
about 1950–1975
Unidentified African artist
West Africa, southern
Nigeria, Yoruba people
glass beads
Gift of David T. Owsley
1991.068.061
28
Crown (Ade), 1900s
Unidentified African artist
West Africa, southern
Nigeria, Yoruba people
red, blue, and green plastic
and glass beads
The outside of the hat‘s
background color is made
of red seed beads. Two
faces, on opposite sides of the hat, are
composed of mostly green beads, with white
protruding facial features and gold, diamond
shapes on their foreheads. Four birds flank the
top of the hat at cardinal points, and have
green bodies, with black, red, and white
beaded wings and round, white, glass beads for
eyes. The top is adorned by a single bird, with a
green body and yellow, blue, and red wings.
Gift of David T. Owsley
2013.001.027a–b
29
Cap
Unidentified African
artist
Africa, Democratic
Republic of the
Congo
plant fiber, bone,
shell, oyster shell,
cotton, plastic
The cap is adorned with oyster shells and round
beads of yellow, red, and black. Descending to
the bottom of the hat vertically are the red,
disc-shaped beads. Circling the hat in horizontal
rows are the yellow beads. The bottom of the
hat is lined with the black, disc-shaped beads.
Attached to the front of the hat are six buttons
of various earth tones, in a flowerlike shape.
Gift of David T. Owsley
2013.001.024
30
Helmet Mask
(Efe/Gelede)
about 1940–
1962
Unidentified
African artist
West Africa,
southwestern
Nigeria and
Benin, KétouMeko area, Yoruba people
wood, paint
Belonging to the Yoruba people, such masks
are danced in pairs by men. Efe and Gelede
societies pay tribute to mothers, elderly women,
and female ancestors. Ancestral spirits may
benefit or harm the living, and Efe and Gelede
performances seek to ensure the ancestors‘
31
assistance to heal, reproduce and maintain
social order.
Snakes are a common motif in the Kétou-Meko
area since both powerful female ancestor spirits
and snakes are nocturnal. This mask uses the
snake‘s open coils as a visual pun on the way
women wrap their head-ties.
Museum purchase
1963.013.001
32
Palm Wine Container
Unidentified African
artist
Central Africa,
Cameroon
carved buffalo horn
In the Cameroon Grasslands, palm wine
containers were made from buffalo horn and
carved in relief. Drinking palm wine was a
sacred activity reserved for the king and his
associates. The human and animal figures
carved in bands on this horn allude to
characteristics associated with royalty. The bull
and elephant in the second band from the
horn‘s open end suggest the king‘s strength. The
faces on the next band may symbolize success
in battle. The lizards and spider represent the
king‘s link to ancestral spirits. The opening of the
horn has a higher, curved edge with a hole,
perhaps to suspend it from a cord for carrying.
The tip of the horn is left uncarved.
Gift of David T. Owsley
2013.001.020
33
Mask for the Okuyi
Society (Mukudj)
Unidentified African
artist
Central Africa, southern
Gabon, Ogooué River,
Punu people
wood, paint
Mukudji masks are worn
by men as part of an
acrobatic masquerade
danced on stilts. Once an important element of
funeral rituals, the masks now are used in
popular entertainment. This mask‘s heartshaped female face, slits for eyes and mouth,
diamond scarification on the forehead, and
raised hairdo represent Punu ideals of feminine
beauty. The kaolin used to whiten the face links
symbolically the human and spiritual realms.
David T. Owsley Collection
L2009.009.059
34
Face Mask, 1850–1950
Unidentified African
artist
Central Africa,
Democratic Republic
of the Congo, Lega
people
tortoise shell
David T. Owsley
Collection
L2009.009.089
35
Face Mask, 1850–1950
Unidentified African
artist
Central Africa, southern
Gabon, Ogooué River,
Punu people
wood, kaolin, pigment
David T. Owsley
Collection
L2009.009.025
36
Elephant Helmet Mask
(mbap mteng)
about 1950–1970
Unidentified African artist
Central Africa,
Cameroon, North-West
province, Bamileke
people
textile, beads
The members of the Kuosi,
or ―elephant mask,‖ Society, wore beaded
masks and garments during important funerals
and public performances. Kuosi members
assisted the ruler, or fon, to maintain the strict
socio-political order of Bamileke communities.
The mask‘s ears and long panels allude to the
elephant, a symbol of royalty and strength. The
heavily beaded surface represents wealth. The
geometric designs may refer to leopard spots.
Gift of David T. Owsley
1982.018.016
37
Horizontal Helmet Mask, Komo Society
about 1950–1970
Unidentified African artist
West Africa, Mali, Bamana people
wood understructure embellished with blood,
feathers, animal tusks, mud, quills, cowrie shells,
woven textile, iron spike, organic materials
The mask was once worn by a member of the
Bamana men‘s Komo Society, one of the most
powerful of several Bamana men‘s associations.
The Komo Society is in charge of manipulating
the life force or energy—called nyama—that
38
the Bamana believe is necessary for all action
yet has the potential to be intensely destructive.
The mask‘s complexity of form and layers of
applied materials oppose the Bamana
aesthetic ideals of clarity and purity. Its
fearsome appearance is meant to terrify those
who see it. Viewers are encouraged to act
according to Bamana social norms so nyama
does not harm them.
Gift of David T. Owsley
1980.029.002
39
Masquerade
Many African cultures mark important
community events with masquerades—music
and dance performances. Events may include
rites of passage (births, initiations, weddings,
funerals), agricultural activities (planting,
harvest), and royal ceremonies.
Masks house the deities, nature spirits, or
ancestral spirits. When a costumed dancer puts
on a mask, the spirit takes over the dancer.
Although masks represent male and female
spirits, most masks are worn by men. The masks
displayed here may be grouped into three
forms: face masks, helmet masks, and
headdresses.
40
Horizontal Helmet
Mask, Kono Society
1900s
Unidentified African
artist
West Africa, Mali or
Ivory Coast, Bamana
people
wood, patina
The Bamana Kono
power association
uses these simple and abstract masks in
ceremonies intended to enhance fertility of
crops and women. The Kono Society also
employs masks in social control—the term
scholars use to describe a variety of policing or
governmental functions that help bring order to
the society.
Kono masks are large and highly stylized. The
masquerader wears the mask horizontally,
along with a costume covered with feathers.
41
Like other Bamana power association masks,
Kono masks aid members in harnessing
energy—called nyama—and using it for good.
Gift of David T. Owsley
2001.021.002
42
Male Helmet Mask
(Mboom), about 1950–1970
Unidentified African artist
Central Africa, Democratic
Republic of the Congo,
Kuba people
wood, copper, textile,
beads, animal fur, and
cowrie shells
One of a triad of royal masks, the mask
represents Mboom, a central figure in the Kuba
creation story. Mboom competes with
Mukyeem for the affection of Ngaady
(Mukyeem‘s sister). After Mukyeem defeats
Mboom, Mukyeem becomes the first Kuba king
and with Ngaady creates the Kuba people.
Mboom represents the commoners. When the
three masks are danced during initiation rites
and at funerals, Mboom‘s defeat by Mukyeem
reinforces Kuba political structure.
Gift of David T. Owsley
1982.019.018
43
Male Helmet Mask
(Mukyeem)
about 1950
Unidentified
African artist
Central Africa,
Democratic
Republic of the
Congo, Kuba
people
leather, beads, fur, cowrie shells, and raffia
Kuba masks serve multiple purposes: they teach
Kuba history and values, protect the
community, maintain social order, and
entertain. This mask represents Mukyeem, the
founding ancestor and first king of the Kuba
people.
The mask‘s wearer is invested with the spiritual
power of the figure it represents. Only Kuba elite
44
are allowed to wear masks. Their masquerades
dramatize the appropriate relationship between
the elite and commoners.
Gift of David T. Owsley
1982.018.014
45
Helmet Mask (Sowei)
before 1970
Unidentified African
artist
West Africa, Sierra
Leone or Liberia,
Mende people
carved and oiled
wood, traces of paint
The small, refined
features, high
forehead, rings around the neck, and
elaborately carved hair of the mask correspond
to the traits of beauty valued in Mende women.
The high forehead symbolizes poise and success
as well as the determination needed to face
life‘s challenges.
Only Mende women who belong to the Sande
Society are allowed to wear the masks. Women
of the Sande Society oversee the initiation of
46
girls to adulthood. The protective spirit that
embodies the masks ensures girls learn the skills
and responsibilities expected of all Mende
women.
Gift of David T. Owsley
1982.018.019
47
Female Face Mask
(Mwana Pwo)
1950–1970
Unidentified African
artist
Central Africa,
Democratic
Republic of the
Congo or Angola,
Chokwe or Lwena
people
wood, braided
raffia
Mwana Pwo (Young Woman) masks are
danced by men during male initiation rites. The
masks embody the spirit of female ancestors
and increase the fertility of those who see them.
The inscribed design on the mask‘s forehead
may represent the scarification of a beautiful
woman. The cruciform shape may be inspired
by imported Portuguese pendants.
Gift of Lucy Ball Owsley
1980.015.003
48
Female Face Mask (Mwana
Pwo)
Unidentified African artist
Central Africa, Democratic
Republic of the Congo or
Angola, Chokwe people
wood, beads, buttons,
cotton
David T. Owsley Collection
L2009.009.029
49
Female Face Mask
(Kifwebe)
20th century
Unidentified African artist
Central Africa,
Democratic Republic of
the Congo, Katanga
province, Songye people
painted wood and hair
Gift of David T. Owsley
2003.011.000
50
Face Mask
(Kindombolo)
about 1900
Unidentified
African artist
Central Africa,
Democratic
Republic of the
Congo, Pende people
wood, paint
Typical of Pende masks, the Kindombolo mask
consists of simplified forms and small geometric
designs. Red, black, and white coloring are
also typical features. Masks are thought to
embody ancestral forces and serve as
mediators with the spirit world. These masks are
worn with costumes during important events
such as the initiation of youths, the installation of
chiefs, agricultural rituals and village relocations.
Gift of David T. Owsley
1980.029.005
51
Female Face mask
(Mwana Pwo), late
1900s
Unidentified African
artist
Central Africa,
Democratic Republic of
the Congo or Angola,
Chokwe people
wood, fiber, cloth,
buttons, braided raffia
Gift of Alain Naoum, in honor of David T. Owsley
2005.019.000
52
Female Antelope Mask (Chi-wara)
about 1950–1970
Unidentified African artist
West Africa, Mali or Ivory Coast, Bamana
people
wood, metal, textile, raffia cap
Chi-wara is a half-human, half-antelope deity
who taught men how to farm. At the annual
planting festival, men wore head-dress masks
representing Chi-wara as they sought to ensure
the fertility of crops.
Gift of David T. Owsley
1982.018.021
53
Male Antelope Mask (Chiwara), about 1950–1970
Unidentified African artist
West Africa, Mali or Ivory
Coast, Bamana people
wood, metal, fiber
Although antelope masks
are either male
or female, only men wore
them. Men danced in
male-female pairs. As
men imitated leaping
antelopes, women sang.
The mask is attached to a basket-like cap with a
raffia ruff covering the wearer‘s face and
shoulders.
Gift of David T. Owsley
1982.018.020
54
Mother and Child, 1600s
Unidentified African artist
West Africa, Mali, Inland Niger Delta, Djenné
people
terracotta
Human terracotta figures have been unearthed
from mounds, shaft tombs, and eroded mudbrick houses in the Inland Niger Delta area of
Mali. Kneeling, crouching, and sitting figures are
often portrayed with snakes. The snake may
represent a supernatural quality of important
Djenné ancestors or mythic characters. The uses
55
of the figures remain a mystery, but some
scholars speculate they were part of a shrine or
offered as protection against floods.
David T. Owsley Collection
L1992.018.020a–b
56
Head, 500 BCE–500 CE
Unidentified African
artist
West Africa, Nigeria,
Nok people
earthenware
David T. Owsley
Collection
L2009.012.000
57
Bust, 500 BCE–500 CE
Unidentified African artist
West Africa, Nigeria, Nok
people
earthenware
David T. Owsley
Collection
L2009.009.082
58
Horse’s Head and
Neck 1000–1500s CE
Unidentified African
artist
West Africa, Mali,
Inland Niger Delta,
Djenné people
terracotta
Modeled from red clay, this terracotta horse‘s
head has an elongated face with protruding
circular eyes. A bridle with a raised, rope-like
design wraps around its head and neck.
Between its ears is a raised knob-like feature.
Gift of David T. Owsley
2013.001.002
59
Nok Princess, 500 BCE–
500 CE
Unidentified African artist
West Africa, Nigeria, Nok
people
earthenware
David T. Owsley Collection
L2009.009.088
60
Critter, late 1500s/early 1600s
Unidentified African artist
West Africa, Mali, Bamako, Bankoni people
terracotta
What this figure represents, why it was made,
and how it was used are at present unknown.
Archeologists have found similar terracotta
objects buried in ritual mounds.
The name Bankoni, who are ancestors of
present-day Bamana people, comes from the
village where one such object was found.
Bankoni is about six miles from Bamako, capital
of Mali.
David T. Owsley Collection
L2009.009.065
61
Head, 500 BCE–500 CE
Unidentified African
artist
West Africa, Nigeria,
Katsina Ala, Nok
people
earthenware
David T. Owsley
Collection
L2009.009.057
62
Squatting Male Figure
(Nomoli), 1000–1550 CE
Unidentified African artist
West Africa, Sierra Leone,
Sapi people
soapstone
Sculptures such as this
one are occasionally
discovered buried by rice
farmers in Sierra Leone. These figures are often
associated with supernatural powers. Believed
to increase the fertility of rice production,
farmers who find them incorporate them into
their ancestral altars. The age of this figure and
its original purpose remain unknown, though
artists continued to produce them well into the
twentieth century. The large head and
exaggerated features show the importance
sub-Saharan cultures give to the head as the
center of intellect and identity.
Gift of David T. Owsley
2013.001.021
63
Seated Man Holding One
Raised Knee, 500 BCE–
500 CE
Unidentified African artist
West Africa, Nigeria, Nok
people
earthenware
Gift of David T. Owsley
2013.001.003
64
Burial Group, about 800–1200
Unidentified African artist
West Africa, Mali, Tombouctou, Niafounké
copper
Gift of David T. Owsley
1999.014.017a–f
65
Funerary Vessel
about 200–1099
Unidentified African
artist
West Africa, Niger, Niger
River Valley, Bura
people
earthenware
Gift of David T. Owsley
via the Alconda– Owsley
Foundation
1996.010.003
66
Funerary Vessel
about 200–1099
Unidentified African artist
West Africa, Niger, AsindaSikka, Bura people
earthenware
Gift of David T. Owsley
1999.014.004
67
Memorial Portrait
1100s–1400s
Unidentified African
artist
West Africa, Mali,
Bamako, Bankoni
people
earthenware
Parallel bands of raised
circular, textured
bumps and hash marks
represent scarification and may have been
used to identify the deceased. Such portraits
were put on public display for a time and
served as memorials to important members of
society.
Gift of David T. Owsley
2013.001.004
68
Rituals of Ancestors’ Death
Relatively little is known about the works
displayed here because systematic archaeologyical work has yet to occur where most of
these objects were discovered. However, what
these objects do attest to are the diverse
funerary customs practiced in Sub-Saharan
Africa.
Bura earthenware funerary vessels, discovered
in ancient cemeteries, contained teeth, parts of
a human skull, and iron arrowheads, and each
vessel rested above a human skeleton. The
Akan commemorated the dead with terracotta
portraits meant to idealize rather than depict
the deceased.
69
Funerary Vessel
about 200–1099
Unidentified African artist
West Africa, Niger, Niger
River Valley, Bura people
earthenware
Gift of David T. Owsley
via the Alconda– Owsley
Foundation
1996.010.001
70
Funerary Vessel
about 200–1099
Unidentified African artist
West Africa, Niger, Niger
River Valley, Bura people
earthenware
Gift of David T. Owsley
via the Alconda– Owsley
Foundation
1996.010.002
71
Funerary Portrait (mma)
about 1875–1899
Unidentified African
artist
West Africa, southern
Ghana, Akan people,
Akyem or Adansi
subgroup
earthenware
Among the Akan people, the dead protect and
guard the living from harm and oversee the
conduct of their extended families. Terracotta
figures and heads were made for funerary
rituals of important people. The portrait showed
a person‘s status, not physical appearance. The
figures were carried in a procession and were
placed in groups near cemeteries or in shrines.
They are not worshiped but revered.
Gift of David T. Owsley
1997.020.002
72
Storage Vessel (Jidaga)
Unidentified Bamana
woman potter
West Africa, Mali,
Bamana culture
earthenware
Gift of Douglas Dawson in honor of David T.
Owsley
2012.028.005
73
Storage Jar
Unidentified Makonde
woman potter
East Africa, southeast
Tanzania or north
Mozambique,
Makonde culture
earthenware
Gift of Douglas Dawson in honor of David T.
Owsley
2012.028.001
74
Standing Male and Female Deity Figures
Imposing and regally appointed figures would
have been found among as many as a dozen
other standing figures, a generic ―family,‖ at the
center of a village often next to markets or
dance grounds of the Igbo people. Although
invariably carved by men, the striped coloration
on the legs indicates that they would have
been painted, always by female supplicants to
the shrine, and probably refreshed annually for
a festival honoring the gods.
Without information from the field where these
figures stood and they were collected, it is
impossible to identify which gods they
represent. The position of the hands with palms
up is indicative of their readiness to receive
sacrificial offerings. The open palm also signals
their honesty and open-handedness;
scarification on the faces and bodies indicates
that they are of elevated status.
75
Standing Male Deity Figure
1900–1940
Unidentified African artist
West Africa, Southern Nigeria,
Owerri/Mbaise Region Igbo
people
wood (mahogany?)
David T. Owsley Collection
L1991.042.003
76
Standing Female Deity
Figure, 1900–1940
Unidentified African artist
West Africa, Southern
Nigeria, Owerri/Mbaise
Region, Igbo people
wood (mahogany?)
David T. Owsley Collection
L1991.042.004
77
Beer
Fermentation
Vessel
Unidentified
Zulu woman
potter
South Africa,
Zulu culture
earthenware
Gift of Douglas Dawson in honor of David T.
Owsley
2012.028.002
78
Palace Support
Columns, 1900–1950
CE
Unidentified West
African artist from
the Cameroon
Grasslands
Bamileke, Babanki,
or Kom people
wood
Carved from two halves of the same tree trunk,
the pair of five stacked heads served as portal
columns for a palace in the Cameroon
Grasslands. Usually stacked in a more rigid
totemic manner straight up and down, the
curve of the tree trunk has precipitated a more
rhythmic arrangement. While the headgear
suggests a hierarchy, all of the faces share a
family resemblance; the similarities can be seen
79
in the large wide-open eyes, projecting ears,
and open mouths signaling the senses of
communication: sight and sound. Each face, as
well as the ensemble, has a joyous, watchful
quality.
There is a well-documented assembly of
Cameroon palace support columns in the New
Orleans Museum of Art; larger and more
complex, but comparatively static.
Gift of David T. Owsley via the Alconda-Owsley
Foundation
2003.013.000a–b
80

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