The History of West African Art

West Africa has a rich history in art that has been passed down and learned from generations past. West Africans have used art to tell history as a form of self-expression and general use. Pieces of West African art in the form of paintings, ceramics, and sculptures have been found that date back farther than the defined Western World.

Currently there are 16 countries in the Western African area. Each of the regions in the area use the resources available to them, such as the Ivory Coast people created their art from wood while the Ghana people used gold and bronze. 

West Africa is most commonly known for its terracotta ceramic figurines. These have been dated back to the fifth century B.C. Terracotta was a reliable source because it was durable and would not be eaten by termites like the wooden art that is very popular in some regions of West Africa. While the metal and precious gem arts that were more durable may have been popular, the only surviving pieces that are oldest are those made in terracotta. 

What most consider to be modern art from Western Africa, it was actually a means of life as well as a means for improving daily work. Metal work became popular as West Africans created their own agricultural tools from iron and other metals to improve their daily living and farming work. 

Religious art was not something that was really found in West African art. The only instance of this is in any art that depicted their belief in magic. This included the religious relics and shrines that have been found.