African Cultural Heritage
Benin Bronzes
Several thousand metal plaques and sculptures that decorated the royal palace of the Kingdom of Benin (now Edo State, Nigeria). …
View DetailsIfe Bronzes
Collection of naturalistic brass and copper sculptures and heads created by Yoruba people of ancient Ife (Nigeria). Renowned for intricate …
View DetailsIgbo-Ukwu archaeological sites
Sites in southeastern Nigeria renowned for extraordinary bronze artifacts (ritual vessels, regalia, jewelry, figurines). Demonstrate advanced bronze casting techniques (lost-wax …
View DetailsSouthern Africa's Copper ingots
Southern Africa has rich copper ore deposits exploited by precolonial populations to manufacture various copper ingots (rectangular, fishtail, croisette). Ingots …
View DetailsCarbon Steel Artifacts
High-temperature furnaces (up to 1,800°C) used to smelt iron and produce high-quality steel with bellows and carbon addition. Steel used …
View DetailsThe Nubian Pyramids
Series of pyramidal structures built by rulers of ancient Kushite kingdoms in Nubia (present-day northern Sudan). Served as tombs for …
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