We call this sculpture a shrine head. All over West Africa it is common for sculptures representing dead ancestors to be grouped on an altar in a holy place of worship called a shrine. Clues to the people of the past often can be found by examining the practices of people in the present who live nearby.

Lots of new information is coming out of Africa every day. African archaeology is a popular field. I hope you'll be inspired to learn more about this sculpture and the people who made it.


More Information

Key ideas.
Where does it come from?
What does it look like?
How was it used?
How was it made?
How big is it?
Who Knows?
Additional resources.