CHAPTER FOURTEEN
ARTS OF AFRICA
TO THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY
14
Multiple Choice
1. The full, delicate lips and expressive eyes of Crowned Head of a Yoruba Ruler from Ife (Fig.
14-1) connect human anatomy with
A. the oba.
B. scarification.
C. the oni.
D. the toron.
2. As seen in rock art from around 8000 BCE to 2000 BCE, evidence of the geological changes
in the Saharan region of Africa is found in vivid images of
A. figures dancing.
B. primitive masks.
C. handprints.
D. wildlife.
3. The technical skills of the Nok culture are demonstrated by their use of
A. bronze.
B. terra cotta.
C. glass.
D. ivory.
4. What characteristic feature appears in Nok sculptures of human figures and animals?
A. scarification
B. triangular D-shaped eyes
C. brightly painted costumes
D. eyes inlaid with glass and shell
5. Which of the following is characteristic of the unique style of Igbo-Ukwu?
A. idealized proportions
B. multiple registers
C. circular compositions
D. naturalistic forms
6. What caused the damage to the pyramids at Meroë (Fig. 14-6)?
A. dynamite
B. sand storms
C. climate change
D. fire
7. What cultural influence is apparent in Ethiopian manuscripts?
A. Nigerian
B. Portuguese
C. Byzantine
D. Egyptian
8. What do the birds represent in Eusebius’s Letter to Carpianus (Fig. 14-8)?
A. the canonical hours
B. the Garden of Eden
C. the Holy Spirit
D. the canon tables
9. Why is the art of Benin considered “royal arts”?
A. All artistic subject matter was related to the oba, his family, and court life.
B. The oba commissioned works in brass and ivory.
C. Only members of the most elite class could become artists.
D. The lost-wax casting process was used to decorate thrones.
10. Which of the following features is a characteristic of West African mosques?
A. strong, local, and quarried stone
B. battered walls that slope inward toward the top
C. projecting wooden beams called torons
D. square or circular plans
11. After the fall of the Roman Empire, what was the amphitheater at El Jem used for?
A. storeroom
B. monastery
C. church
D. fortress
12. In the thirteenth century, the numerous rock-cut sanctuaries at Lalibela in Ethiopia is
evidence of the popularity of
A. Buddhism.
B. Hinduism.
C. Judaism.
D. Christianity.
13. What was the function of textiles in Kongo culture?
A. They were signs of protection.
B. They were used in marriage rituals.
C. They were exchanged as currency.
D. They were used as offerings.
14. What suggests that Horseman (Fig. 14-12) represents a guardian figure or an ancestor?
A. the ornate bridle
B. the oval head
C. the jutting chin
D. the smoothed limbs
15. Which objects were created specifically for trade with the Portuguese?
A. textiles from Kongo
B. brass plaques from Benin
C. ivory horns from Sierra Leone
D. gold figurines from South Africa
16. What elements of the Kongolese Crucifix (Fig. 14-20) are more in keeping with an African
aesthetic than European traditions?
A. the features of Christ
B. the presence of Mary
C. the size of the crucifix
D. the medium of the crucifix
17. The exterior walls at the Great Enclosure of Zimbabwe are topped with designs of
A. chevrons.
B. roses.
C. arches.
D. volutes.
18. Before the seventeenth century, why was southern Africa such an important trading hub for
Europeans?
A. It provided Europeans with raw goods, such as wood and rubber.
B. It produced luxury goods prized by the European elite.
C. It provided Europeans with much-needed spices.
D. It was about halfway between Europe and Asia.
19. When Koi Konboro, the 26th king of Djenné, converted to Islam, what did he transform into
a mosque?
A. the city’s ceremonial complex
B. his palace
C. a block of volcanic tuff
D. a marketplace
20. Which culture used structures that were meant to protect the inhabitants against extreme
weather conditions?
A. Nok
B. Kongo
C. Bantu
D. Mousgoum
21. The earliest images of Saharan rock art are thought to date from at least
A. 40,000 BCE.
B. 10,000 BCE.
C. 25,000 BCE.
D. 60,000 BCE.
22. In what city did elite men and women live in a separate part of the city from the general
population?
A. Mapungubwe
B. Great Zimbabwe
C. Aksum
D. Benin
23. The extraordinary artisans of the Yoruba peoples modeled flesh with what thin, parallel
patterns?
A. acidification
B. scarification
C. rectification
D. justification
24. Old Djenné excavations have led to the discovery of hundred of polished, low-fire terra-cotta
figures. In what country can Old Djenné be found?
A. Mali
B. Zimbabwe
C. Nigeria
D. Kongo
25. What is the term for horns exported to Europe and created by carvers from Sierra Leone
(Sapi in Portuguese)?
A. bullhorns
B. vuvuzelas
C. oliphants
D. trumpets
Short Answer
1. What are three concepts that are of great importance to the study of African history, and why?
2. Discuss the Nubian relationship with Egypt.
3. How and when was Islam introduced into Africa?
4. What are specific characteristics of Nok sculpture as seen in Head (Fig. 14-13)?
5. What is the lost-wax casting technique?
6. How did Benin rise, fall, and then rise again?
7. What is the extensive iconography of the Hip Pendant of the Iyoba Idia (Fig. 14-16)?
8. What were some of the most popular imports to Africa?
9. What were the greatest exports of southern African societies?
10. Discuss the bead trade in West and Central Africa.
Essay
1. Rock art is found throughout the African continent. Discuss the scenes depicted on the
examples of African rock art.
2. Discuss how trade with other cultures impacted the art of West and Central Africa.
3. Focusing on the civilizations discussed in this chapter, explain how sub-Saharan art
demonstrates an integral connection between a culture’s rulers and religious beliefs.
4. How did the Roman and Byzantine worlds influence African art?