African pre-coinage metal currency takes many unusual forms. One type, commonly called “throwing axe currency,” takes the form of a blunt, ceremonial hatchet or axe. Another type takes the form of a curved knife and is often called “throwing knife currency,” and these objects may actually have served a functional purpose as a weapon of warfare and/or as an agricultural tool; … [Read more...] about African Metal Currency: Researched and Conserved by Al Thompson
Traditionally, the African cultures known as the Kisii have long mined soapstone from the Tabaka Hills in southwest Kenya to make powdered soapstone for use in healing, divining, and initiation rituals. Starting in the 20th century, Kisii men began to mine this soft metamorphic rock in order to supply workshops where the soapstone is carved into small sculptures and household … [Read more...] about Hand-Carved Kisii Soapstone Objects: Researched and Conserved by Christina Elkinton
The Kina Shell Moka Breastplate is a type of body decoration that is worn primarily by men of the different highlands regions of Papua New Guinea. The breastplate may be worn on the neck, the chest, or in some regions, on the back. The breastplate consists of a kina shell -- a large piece of pearl oyster shell -- that is set into a backing composed of different substances such … [Read more...] about Kina Shell Moka Breastplate: Researched and Conserved by Naysa Adams
The Igbo men of Nigeria create Isiji initiation masks with a wooden frame to form the tall upper section and a calabash gourd to form the face mask. The frame is tightly wound and tied with raffia rope and fibers, and more raffia is braided and tied around the edges of the mask to form a border and side loops. The mask is painted with red, black, white, and yellow mineral … [Read more...] about An Isiji Initiation Mask: Researched and Conserved by Earlene Elliot-Lee
Since the 20th century, the Kamba cultures of Kenya have developed a thriving tourist-trade business in hand-carving wooden figures of native African animals. While originally these figures were carved and finished by a single artisan, today these carvings are produced in workshops using an assembly-line style of mass production: The main artisan will carve a basic figure, … [Read more...] about Kamba Culture Wooden Rhinoceros Figure: Researched, Conserved, and Repaired by McKenzie Wixon