Masks, pottery, bronze, ivory, gold, statues of ancestors, reliquaries, and jewelry all express the influence of myths on the daily life and inventive genius of more than 60 ethnic groups. This book covers each subject in turn, is magnificently illustrated in color, and examines the entire range of black African art from aesthetic and ethnological points of view.

INTRODUCTION

Terracotta, a survivor from the hidden past

Bronze and ivory, proud possessions of great kings

Art from the royal Courts of Cameroon

Masks and dances bringing myths to life

Ancestral statues and representations of spirits

Reliquaries to conciliate occult forces

Large and small fetishes

Warriors and hunters

The dignity of Black womanhood

Gold for decoration and ceremony

The significance of beautiful objects