The Art of Southeast Africa

The art of southern and eastern Africa, unlike the better-known traditions of central and western Africa, is often overlooked. The complex history of the region, marked by migrations rather than settled kingdoms, and the very nature of the objects produced, seen as craft artefacts by western eyes, are the main reasons for this relative obscurity. The objects illustrated and catalogued in the book include rare figural sculptures, jewellery, regalia, prestige staffs carved with ornamental heads and decorations, walking/fighting sticks, headrests, snuff containers and the occasional ornamental but useful adornments which double as combs and snuff spoons. The source of distinctiveness for the artefacts of the southern African region lies in the pastoral and specifically nomadic nature of the cattle culture shared by the majority of the peoples in the region. The functional beauty of the objects and their small size are linked to the necessary ease to take them along as the need to move arose.