An Unknown Artist of Djenne

While Europe was undergoing cycles of collapse and recovery (see McKay, chapters 8 and 13), Africa was developing its own unique civilizations.  West Africa, or the western Sudan, proved to be one of the most culturally vital regions of the continent.  Expanding from the rich lands along the Niger River, the states of Ghana and Mali grew into powerful commercial and military empires, the cultures of which combined traditional African and Islamic elements.  Cities including Djenné and Timbuktu became vibrant centers of learning and creativity.  In them, Muslim scholars engaged in lively debate over the meaning of sacred scripture, and artists such as the anonymous sculptor of Djenné produced high-quality works for wealthy patrons.  Use the links below to learn more about the rich civilizations of West Africa.

1. Read more about the Mali Empire and Djenné Figures.  Click on the "Works of Art" link at the top of the page and read the discussion of the history and meaning of the Djenné figures.
2. Chapter 10 of McKay, A History of World Societies includes a picture of the Djenné  mosque.  The current building is a restoration of a thirteenth-century structure based on a 1907 photograph.  Even so, you can clearly see the architectural significance of the building.  Read more about the Great Mosque of Djenne, giving special attention to the diagrams and floor plans.  Take a look at another important religious site, the Sankore Mosque of Timbuktu.  This site includes a video of the African-American scholar, Henry Louis Gates, interviewing an African scholar about the mosque and its university.  (You may need to download Realplayer™ to view it.)
3. Ghana and Mali were not the only West African states centered on the Niger River region.  In the fifteenth century the state of Songhay absorbed Mali and much of the territory previously controlled by Ghana, to become the largest of the great West African empires.  Learn more about the Songhay state and its civilization.
4. For a useful overview of the art and culture of West Africa, visit this site devoted to the Western Sudan.  The initial page covers the period 500-1000 C.E.  The arrow at the top right of the timeline will take you to the next page.  Read the two subsequent pages tracing the development of West African art up to 1600, shortly after the fall of Songhay.  Click on the links in the text for additional information, and on the images to enlarge them and learn details of their composition and meaning.