African Art 6.3

AFRICAN ART

1100–1980 CE

TOPIC 6.3 Theories and Interpretations of African Art

As they have been traditionally collected by outsiders, African art objects that are similar in form are often grouped with works that come from the same place and are produced by a designated ethnic group. The name of the artist and the date of creation may not be known or acknowledged, but such gaps in the record do not necessarily reflect a lack of interest on the part of those who commission, use, and protect art objects. The Africa we know often comes from ideas promulgated by nonAfricans since the 9th century—as though Africa’s history were brought to, rather than originating from Africa.

 

(6) 167. Conical tower and circular wall of Great Zimbabwe.

Shona peoples. 1000-1400 CE. African.

Learning Objective: African palace

Themes:

Palace
Politics
Power
Status
Rulers
Architecture

Conical tower and circular wall of Great Zimbabwe is made of coursed granite blocks and stands in Southeastern Zimbabwe, in Africa. The ruins that survive are a four-hour drive south of Harare, the country’s capital.

This is a huge site and complex that includes, Hill Ruin (on a rocky hilltop that includes a sacred cave), Great Enclosure and Valley Ruins.

The town lay at the bottom of the hill with a royal complex. A total of 18,000 people lived here.

Granite blocks, quarried from surrounding hills, were cut into the same size, and stacked up from the ground. There were no straight lines or right angles. It was entirely built using curves. No mortar was used. Stones were just carefully placed upon other stones.

The walls slope inward at the top, standing 36 feet high and stretching 800 plus feet. A smaller wall parallels the exterior wall creating a tight passageway leading to large towers.

This is the largest ancient structure south of the Sahara Desert.

Function

• City state
• Built as a royal residence for the king
• It may have also been a space for religious rituals
• Display of power and status, as the size and immensity make clear it a great ruler lived here.

Content

This was a prosperous trading center and royal complex. The site had temples, places for rituals, cemeteries, homes, fields, and a marketplace.

The conical tower is shaped like a granary. It represented the power of the king somehow. What was it? A temple?

The circular wall was a sign of defense. It also helped to preserve the privacy of the royal family and show their status by setting them apart from the commoners.

 

The walls don’t seem to be for protection. There are gaps and interrupted patterns. This makes the spaces weak.

 Context

The Bantu migrations moved Africans from Western African into the interior. The people brought agriculture with them.

The Shona peoples found Great Zimbabwe. They are the largest ethnic group in Zimbabwe. The community was based on farming, livestock, mining, and trade. The ruling elite appear to have controlled wealth through the management of cattle which was the cornerstone of the Zimbabwean economy. By 1500, their influence waned though historians are not sure why.

Archaeological evidence has revealed glass beads and porcelain from China and Persia, as well as gold and Arab coins. This illustrates the extent of the long-distance trade that Zimbabwe participated in with the outside world.

In  the 1800s, English colonizers found Great Zimbabwe and were stunned by the grandeur and workmanship. It was concluded that Muslims must have constructed this (even though there is no evidence of Muslims in this area). This is a symbol of longstanding prejudices against African cultures.