African artists used a wide range of media—wood, ivory, metals, ceramics, fiber, and natural elements—and the material shaped how works were made and used (CED MPT-1.A.17). Wood: common for masks, veranda posts, and figures; specialists carve by subtracting material, using adzes and knives to create surface planes, deep relief, and painted finishes (wood carving). Ivory: prized for its density and smoothness, carved with fine tools for small-scale prestige objects and inlays (e.g., royal regalia); because it’s valuable, ivory objects often signaled elite or ritual use. Metals: bronze and brass were often made with lost-wax casting (Benin plaques, Igbo-Ukwu bronzes)—artists model a wax form, encase it, melt the wax, then pour molten metal—plus forging and chiseling for surface detail. Across Africa, recognized specialists made works for knowledgeable patrons and ritual contexts; material choice connected to function, status, and belief. For more review, check the Topic 6.1 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-art-history/unit-6/cultural-contexts-african-art/study-guide/Lr4Zp9tK7yemW1k0tj7F), unit overview (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-art-history/unit-6), and practice problems (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-art-history).

Short answer: they painted animals, people, and everyday and ritual activities—but the subjects differ by region and time. In the Sahara you’ll find large herds (cattle, antelope), scenes of herding and early agriculture, and later images of horses and chariots that show contact and new technologies from outside groups. Those images date to when the Sahara was greener, so they record changing environments and social life (CED CUL-1.A.35–36). In southern Africa (San rock art) the paintings focus on eland and other game, hunters, dance or trance scenes, and spiritual/ritual scenarios; many works are expressive, linked to belief systems and specialized ritual makers (CED CUL-1.A.37–38). Techniques: pigments, brushes, and engravings applied by specialists; content is more about ideas and social practice than strict naturalism (CED MPT-1.A.17, CUL-1.A.37). For a focused AP review, see the Topic 6.1 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-art-history/unit-6/cultural-contexts-african-art/study-guide/Lr4Zp9tK7yemW1k0tj7F) and practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-art-history).

Representational art aims to copy or describe the visible world—people, animals, buildings—with recognizable, often naturalistic forms. Expressive African art, as the CED stresses (CUL-1.A.37), is less about literal likeness and more about conveying ideas, social roles, or spiritual power. So a Benin wall plaque that shows court scenes uses recognizable figures (representational), but a nkisi nkondi or a Pwo mask is designed to embody ancestor presence, moral authority, or ritual power—its form is symbolic and activated by ceremony (expressive). Materials and specialist techniques (wood carving, lost-wax bronze) matter because they shape how objects function in rituals or public life (MPT-1.A.17). On the AP exam, you’ll often be asked to analyze context and function (Contextual Analysis questions, CUL-1.A), so focus on what the work communicates to its community, not just how it looks. For a quick review, see the Topic 6.1 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-art-history/unit-6/cultural-contexts-african-art/study-guide/Lr4Zp9tK7yemW1k0tj7F) and practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-art-history).

A few thousand years ago the Sahara wasn’t a desert but a mosaic of grasslands, lakes, and rivers—ideal for farming and herding. That environment shows up directly in Saharan rock art: paintings and engravings of cattle, antelope, people herding, dancing, and using technologies like chariots (CED: CUL-1.A.35–36). As the climate dried, people migrated toward the Nile and the Sahel, carrying styles, iconography, and techniques with them. That movement shaped later centers (Meroë, Great Zimbabwe) and the distribution of media—wood, ivory, metal—and specialists who made ritual objects (CED: MPT-1.A.17, INT-1.A.16). For the AP exam, link these environmental changes to art’s functions: rock art documents livelihoods and belief systems; migration explains stylistic spread and material choices (contextual analysis, CUL-1.A). Want a concise review? Check the Topic 6.1 study guide on Fiveable (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-art-history/unit-6/cultural-contexts-african-art/study-guide/Lr4Zp9tK7yemW1k0tj7F) and drill with practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-art-history).

Nkisi n’kondi (Kongo power figures) are ritual objects made by specialist carvers and ngangas (spiritual/ritual specialists) to mediate spiritual power for a community. They contain medicines and sacred substances (bilongo) sealed in a cavity and are activated through ritual—often by driving nails, blades, or other inserts into the figure. Each insertion records a vow, complaint, or request (oaths, dispute resolution, protection, or healing), calling the spirit housed in the nkisi to witness and enforce agreements or remedy problems. The nganga prepares the bilongo, performs rites, and interprets the figure’s responses; the visible nails/marks show the object’s active role in social order. For AP review, link this to CED ideas about art as objects+acts/events and specialized makers (see the Topic 6.1 study guide: https://library.fiveable.me/ap-art-history/unit-6/cultural-contexts-african-art/study-guide/Lr4Zp9tK7yemW1k0tj7F). Practice questions on these works are available at Fiveable (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-art-history).

Look for function, who made/used it, and performance context. The Pwo (Female) mask (Chokwe/Lunda region) honors idealized female ancestors and celebrates fertility and initiation—wearers perform precise dances to embody ancestral virtues; wood carving, fine scarification marks, and controlled movements show its ritual, communal and pedagogical role (CUL-1.A, MPT-1.A). The Aka/Bamileke elephant mask signals royal power and wealth in courtly ceremonies and funerary displays; it combines wood, raffia, fabric, beads, and often elephant-hide imagery to link chiefs to prestige and transregional trade networks. Key differences: Pwo centers gender, initiation, and ancestor veneration in small-group ritual; the elephant mask centers political authority, status display, and public spectacle. On the exam, name culture, materials, and function and tie visual choices to social beliefs (use the Topic 6.1 study guide for examples and IDs: https://library.fiveable.me/ap-art-history/unit-6/cultural-contexts-african-art/study-guide/Lr4Zp9tK7yemW1k0tj7F). For extra practice, try the unit review and 1,000+ practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-art-history/unit-6; https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-art-history).

Think of African art as part of lived systems—objects, performances, and rituals that link people to ancestors, power, and belief. Works aren’t just “pretty”; they mark status (e.g., Benin plaques, Sika dwa kofi), mediate spiritual forces (nkisi n’kondi power figures), and guide life cycles (Pwo masks in initiation ceremonies). Materials and techniques (wood carving, lost-wax bronze, textiles) matter because specialists make pieces for knowledgeable patrons and specific uses—public altars, royal courts, shrines, or masked performances. On the AP exam, you’ll often connect form and materials to function and cultural context (CED CUL-1.A, MPT-1.A). Use details: visible wear from handling, symbolic motifs, or performance contexts to support claims. For more examples and exam-style practice, check the Topic 6.1 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-art-history/unit-6/cultural-contexts-african-art/study-guide/Lr4Zp9tK7yemW1k0tj7F) and thousands of practice problems on Fiveable (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-art-history).

Benin wall plaques were made by specialist casters using the lost-wax (cire perdue) bronze/brass casting process. Artists modeled figures in wax, invested them in clay molds, then melted out the wax and poured molten brass/copper alloy into the cavity. After casting, casters chased and refined surfaces with chisels and files to create crisp low- and high-relief details (faces, armor, regalia) and incised patterns. Plaques were cast in sections or as single pieces depending on size, finished with polishing and patination, and fixed to palace walls through mounting holes. These techniques show MPT-1.A ideas in the CED: specialized metalworking, collaborative workshops (Igun-Oba), and production for a powerful patron (the Oba). For more context and AP-style review, see the Topic 6.1 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-art-history/unit-6/cultural-contexts-african-art/study-guide/Lr4Zp9tK7yemW1k0tj7F) and extra practice (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-art-history).

Trade routes and human migrations spread African artistic styles by moving people, materials, and ideas along predictable paths. Migrating groups carried carving, weaving, and casting techniques (like lost-wax bronze) into new regions, shaping local forms and media (CUL-1.A; INT-1.A.16). Long-distance trade—across the Sahara, along the Swahili coast, and up the Nile—introduced foreign materials (ivory, metals, imported cloth) and patrons (Islamic, Mediterranean elites), changing scale, iconography, and function (e.g., Timbuktu manuscripts, Benin bronzes, Kilwa architecture). These exchanges produced hybrid styles (formal features, motifs, and religious imagery) and new audiences for specialists and workshops (MPT-1.A.17; CUL-1.A.38). For AP prep, link these processes to required works (Great Mosque of Djenné, Benin plaques) when answering short-context or continuity/change prompts. Review Topic 6.1 for examples and exam tips (study guide: https://library.fiveable.me/ap-art-history/unit-6/cultural-contexts-african-art/study-guide/Lr4Zp9tK7yemW1k0tj7F; unit overview: https://library.fiveable.me/ap-art-history/unit-6). For practice, try related questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-art-history).

The Golden Stool (Sika dwa kofi) is the sacred seat of the Asante (Akan) nation—not just a royal chair but the soul (sunsum) of the people. According to Asante belief it descended from the sky for Osei Tutu in the 1700s; only ritual specialists touch or consult it. Made of wood and covered in gold leaf and regalia, it embodies political authority, lineage continuity, and spiritual unity. It’s never sat upon; instead it’s kept in a shrine and used in ceremonies to legitimize rulers, settle disputes, and connect living leaders with ancestors. Its importance shows how African art combines objects, acts, and events (CED MPT-1.A.17, CUL-1.A.37–38). The 1900 crisis over the stool highlighted its central role in resistance to colonial control. For AP review, this is a key Topic 6.1 example—see the Fiveable Topic 6 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-art-history/unit-6/cultural-contexts-african-art/study-guide/Lr4Zp9tK7yemW1k0tj7F) and practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-art-history).

People called African art “primitive” because early Western collectors and scholars framed it as ethnographic, anonymous, and static—part of a colonial-era narrative that ranked cultures (see INT-1.A.17 in the CED). That label ignored context: African art is often created by recognized specialists, uses complex techniques (lost-wax bronze casting, wood carving, metalworking—MPT-1.A.17), and serves integrated social, religious, and political functions (CUL-1.A.37–38). Trade and migration spread materials, styles, and ideas across Africa and beyond (INT-1.A.16–18)—think Igbo-Ukwu bronzes, Benin plaques, Great Zimbabwe, and Kilwa—showing global connections and sophistication. For the AP exam, practice explaining these contexts: contextual analysis is ~28–32% of MCQs and appears in FRQs (use CED keywords like materials, specialists, purpose). For a focused review, check the Topic 6.1 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-art-history/unit-6/cultural-contexts-african-art/study-guide/Lr4Zp9tK7yemW1k0tj7F) and try practice problems (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-art-history).

Compare them by focusing on materials, form, function, and cultural context. The Great Mosque of Djenné uses sun-baked mud brick (adobe) with annual replastering—its sculptural buttresses, wooden torons (scaffolding beams), and organic silhouette respond to climate, communal maintenance, and Islamic liturgy. Contrast that with Great Zimbabwe’s dry-stone masonry: granite blocks, no mortar, monumental enclosures signaling royal authority and trade wealth. Or compare Djenné to Benin palace plaques (bronze casting) and Yoruba veranda posts (wood carving)—those are portable or smaller-scale artworks tied to court power rather than communal architecture. On the AP exam, emphasize how materials/techniques shape meaning (MPT-1.A) and how setting, religion, and urbanization inform form and function (CUL-1.A, INT-1.A). For a concise review, check the Topic 6.1 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-art-history/unit-6/cultural-contexts-african-art/study-guide/Lr4Zp9tK7yemW1k0tj7F) and Unit 6 overview (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-art-history/unit-6). Practice comparisons with Fiveable practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-art-history).

Specialized artists—carvers, bronze-casters, mask-makers—were often recognized experts who used particular materials and techniques (wood carving, lost-wax bronze casting, ivory work, textiles) to produce objects with precise social and ritual meanings. They didn’t just make “pretty” things: their skill and knowledge (sometimes seen as supernaturally endorsed) shaped form, iconography, and function—think Benin bronze plaques, nkisi nkondi figures, or Olowe of Ise’s veranda posts. Knowledgeable patrons—kings, chiefs, guilds, or ritual specialists—commissioned, funded, and controlled access to these works. Patrons set purpose (political legitimation, ancestor veneration, initiation, or public display), supplied rare materials, and determined audience and placement, which in turn guided artists’ choices. For the AP exam, tie this to MPT-1.A.17 and CUL-1.A.37–38: materials, processes, and cultural beliefs shape production and meaning. Review Topic 6.1 on Fiveable (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-art-history/unit-6/cultural-contexts-african-art/study-guide/Lr4Zp9tK7yemW1k0tj7F) and practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-art-history).

Don't use colonial language—focus on how works functioned within their own cultures. For Topic 6.1, emphasize: who made it (recognized specialist or community), materials/processes (wood carving, lost-wax bronze, textiles), intended use (ritual, political, funerary, performance), belief systems (ancestors, spirits, kingship), and audiences (families, courts, public spaces). Tie visual features to context (e.g., Nkisi n'kondi pins activate power; the Golden Stool marks Ashanti political authority). Use AP skills: give two accurate identifiers, provide contextual evidence, and link form to meaning on the exam. Mention interactions and change (trade, Islam, urban centers like Timbuktu, Great Zimbabwe). For quick review, see the Topic 6.1 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-art-history/unit-6/cultural-contexts-african-art/study-guide/Lr4Zp9tK7yemW1k0tj7F) and unit overview (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-art-history/unit-6). Practice with 1,000+ questions at (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-art-history).

African artistic traditions spread through forced and voluntary migration, shaping visual styles, materials, and meanings across the diaspora. Craftsmen carried techniques (like lost-wax bronze casting and wood carving), iconography (masks, ancestor figures, nkisi concepts), and performance practices into the Americas, Caribbean, and Europe. That led to syncretic religions (Santería, Candomblé) using African objects and to aesthetic influences in literature and visual art (Negritude, Harlem Renaissance) and modernist painting that borrowed African formal devices—abstracted faces, mask-like planes, and rhythmic patterning. This matches AP learning goals INT-1.A.17–18 (interaction effects) and MPT-1.A.17 (materials/techniques). For exam prep, link these changes to specific works (Benin bronze plaques, nkisi figures, Pwo mask) and practice writing short contextual analyses. See the Topic 6.1 study guide for targeted review (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-art-history/unit-6/cultural-contexts-african-art/study-guide/Lr4Zp9tK7yemW1k0tj7F) and try practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-art-history).