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HOME :
African & Tribal Art :
Ekoi, Ejangham, Cross Rivers : Bakor Basalt Ancestor Sculpture
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Bakor Basalt Ancestor Sculpture - SP.124
Origin: Cross Rivers, Nigeria
Circa: 14
th
Century AD
to 16
th
Century AD
Dimensions:
14" (35.6cm) high
x 6.25" (15.9cm) wide
Collection: African Art
Style: Bakor
Medium: Basalt
Location: UAE
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| Description |
The peoples of the Cross River region of Nigeria
have been creating monoliths from basalt since
around 200 A.D. These carvings range in size
from around two feet to over six feet. Carved
with human features, these massive monuments
were traditionally arranged in circular formations
facing inwards. Stone carvings are quite rare in
Sub-Saharan Africa, where the preferred medium
is wood. Those carvings embellished with
human features are even more uncommon,
making a work such as this one exceedingly rare.
Considering that these monolithic circles have
been found in the forest or at the site of long
abandoned settlements, it is unlikely that the
Ejagham/Bakor ethnic group that inhabits this
region today were the original creators of these
pieces. Instead, they claim that the stones were
created by divine spirits and emerged from the
ground like trees. Although we can only
speculate at their original meaning, scholars
presume that the stone were found in rivers and
carried to the towns where they were carved. It
is speculated that the sculptured stone figures
represented either an ancestor, a legendary or
history figure, or an emblem of a secret society.
Regardless of their original meaning, their size,
weight, and durability all reveals the importance
of these works. The fact that the Bakor continue
to revere and perhaps even produce such pieces
further attests to their significance.
- (SP.124)
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