In West Africa there are many various cultures. Myths, fairy tales and legends are very important in people’s lives and in their religions.Those stories tell about an origin of a people and are giving different answers to the question:“Where do we come from?”Those myths were transferred verbal.There are only a few notes from European missioners, but they contain European ideas of moral. One of those legends has its origin in Sierra Leone,Western Africa. It is telling of mysterious stones and sculptures.While digging for diamonds native workmen found stone sculptures.The objects were about 40cm tall; their origin is unknown. According to the geological stratums in which they were found, they must be 2.500 to 17.000 years old.

Mirror of All Ages and Cultures

58 Brook Street, London W1K 5DT –United Kingdom-Tel: 0044 20 7493 7778-Fax: 0044 20 7493 9593 941 N La Cienega Blvd, California 90096-Tel: 001 310 859 8408 58-4 Samcheong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea 03053, +821034973413 www.barakatgallery.com barakat@barakatgallery.com Nupe'Bronze'Head'Shaped'Bell'.'DB.009'(LSO)' Origin:'Central'Nigeria' Circa:'17'th'Century'AD'to'19'th'Century'AD' Dimensions:'19"'(48.3cm)'high' Collection:'African'Art' Medium:'Bronze' Condition:'Extra'Fine' Price:'£180,000.00'

The bell is formed into a conical, straight-sided shape, without lateral flaring. The apex is decorated with four triangular eminences that provide the resemblance of hair, in turn surmounted by a suspension loop. The face, on the front of the bell, is formed from a series of raised lines with two main eminences: the mouth and the nose. The eyes are simple circles, divided by a band of hatched design denoting the bridge of the nose. The lips are full, with three small lines – identical to those found on Benin pieces – emanating from each corner of the mouth.

The origins of the Nupe seems to lie in Tsoede, although the Nupe themselves seem to believe that they were originally Egyptian. They settled in their current range in the 15th century, and were influenced by the neighbouring Oyo and Igbo peoples. They were converted in the late 1700s by one Mallam Dendo, an itinerant Muslim preacher, and their lands were forcefully taken into the Sokoto Caliphate some thirty years later. Despite this, it retained considerable cultural autonomy. It subsequently became part of the British Empire, but upon cessation they reverted to a predominantly Muslim (c.90%) agricultural economy with some traditional characteristics that are currently in danger of disappearing altogether.

Mirror of All Ages and Cultures

Yoruba Maternity Figure, Possibly the Goddess Orisa Ibeji - LSO.566 Origin: Southwestern Nigeria Circa: 1600 AD to 1700 AD Dimensions: 14.25" (36.2cm) high Collection: African Art Medium: Bronze Price: £2,000,000.00

This figure was created in the shadow of two mighty Nigerian empires. These were the Yoruban polity – which remains the most powerful indigenous entity in Nigeria, if not Africa – and the eminent kingdom of Benin. Benin metalworkers came to the world’s attention in 1897 following the British punitive expedition that sacked and burnt the capital, but the Yoruba polity, which survived much better, was equally skilled if stylistically distinct in some respects.

The relationship between these two groups and the much earlier Ife culture is also uncertain. For instance, the Ife are largely believed to be ancestral to later art styles, so their distinctive striped faces (denoting scarification) are technically archaic. However, radiometric dating of (unstriped) Yoruba pieces demonstrate that they significantly precede some notable Ife works, while Benin uses both styles in their figures and plaques. The technology of bronze and copper smelting, ironworking and sculpting in a range of materials that included ivory was extremely refined and effective; indeed, smelting, forging and cire perdue (lost wax) metalworking methods exceeded any seen in Europe until the 19th century. The complexity of the method – carving the item in wax then casting it in metal in a clay mould – was exacerbated by the detail and structural parameters of the figures.

Mirror of All Ages and Cultures

58 Brook Street, London W1K 5DT –United Kingdom-Tel: 0044 20 7493 7778-Fax: 0044 20 7493 9593 941 N La Cienega Blvd, California 90096-Tel: 001 310 859 8408 58-4 Samcheong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea 03053, +821034973413 www.barakatgallery.com barakat@barakatgallery.com Bronze'Tiv'Ceremonial'Staff'Head'.'DE.072'(LSO)' Origin:'Nigeria' Circa:'1200'AD'to'1600'AD' Dimensions:'12.25"'(31.1cm)'high' Collection:'African'Art' Medium:'Copper'Alloy' Condition:'Fine' Price:'£150,000.00'

The Tiv (also known as the Mitshi, Munchi, or Munshi) number about one million people and live as agriculturists throughout Nigeria and Cameroon. They believe themselves to be descended from an eponymous ancestor who had two sons named Chongo and Ipusu; modern Tiv define themselves on the basis of descent from one of these two sons. The Tiv live in segmentary lineages: the smallest units of social organisation – ipaven – live in close proximity, and are themselves divided into kin-based “tars”. Their governance is based upon gerontocracy, plutocracy and social influence – they have no chiefs or ruling bodies in the traditional sense, which led to administrative chaos when they were technically subjugated under British rule. Possibly as a result of this, their arts and culture were barely influenced by colonialism, and stands amongst the finest in Nigeria.