Mounted figure provides glimpse into ancient African culture
Clay figurines, including a passenger on horseback, crafted past times the inhabitants of Republic of Ghana upwards to 1400 years ago, direct hold gone on display inwards Britain.
It is the get-go fourth dimension the lx remarkable figurines direct hold been seen publicly exterior Ghana.
Scientists know lilliputian close the people who crafted the figurines, who direct hold no apparent connecter alongside the people who inhabit the surface area today.
The figurine of the passenger shows they had an awareness of the work of animals inwards travel, scientists say.
They were known to live farmers who traded shells, in addition to used Fe tools. They inhabited villages in addition to appeared to direct hold complex religious beliefs, scientists report.
The pieces were excavated past times archaeologists from the universities of Republic of Ghana in addition to Manchester, in addition to the Republic of Ghana Museums in addition to Monuments Board.
The figurines, upwards to 31cm inwards height, are at 1 time on display at the Manchester Museum, which is component division of the university, inwards an exhibition which runs until May 5.
The figurines include a human being on horseback, two-headed humans, a chameleon in addition to a crocodile.
They are idea past times the squad to direct hold been used to invoke the aid of ancestors to cure illnesses.
Using CT (computed tomography) scanning techniques at the University of Manchester, the squad revealed hidden channels inside the objects which they yell back had a medicinal role – perhaps used for liquid ritual offerings.
The figurines present people alongside congenital weather including anencephaly*, which however affects children inwards Africa today.
Others depict costumes, ornaments in addition to weapons that were worn in addition to used, equally good equally animals that had symbolic roles.
Some figurines inwards the collection were also peradventure “scapegoats”, intended equally the focus or recipient of illness in addition to misfortune rather than their human keepers.
The figures direct hold been dated to betwixt the sixth in addition to the 14th centuries.
Further analysis past times the team, led past times Professor Benjamin Kankpeyeng from the University of Ghana, working alongside Professor Timothy Insoll inwards Manchester, volition present what liquid ritual offerings were genuinely used.
The figurines were constitute inwards a hamlet called Yikpabongo inwards Koma Land inwards the northward of Ghana. They come upwards from 2 mounds idea to live used equally a shrine past times the makers of the objects.
Because the figurines are highly sought-after inwards the fine art market, or in addition to then mounds inwards the part direct hold been illegally excavated.
They direct hold been added to the International Council of Museums Red List, a register of archaeological textile at risk.
“These figurines are unique to the part in addition to offering an insight into aspects of past times human beliefs, ways of agreement in addition to creativity,” Kankpeyeng said.
“This has non ever been possible, where in that location is no tradition of making representations, or when they only direct hold non survived.
“Their exquisite in addition to consistent appearance apparently required a neat bargain of skill, suggesting those who made them were a specialist occupation.
“Unfortunately, or in addition to then of the mounds direct hold been illegally excavated to obtain figurines to sell in addition to The Republic of Ghana Museums in addition to Monuments Board in addition to other national, regional, in addition to local stakeholders decease on working difficult to fighting this.
“The people of the villages of Koma Land direct hold a keen feel of the figurines equally component division of their heritage in addition to deeply resent the unethical merchandise inwards such material.”
Insoll said lilliputian was known close the people who made the figurines. They direct hold no connecter alongside Koma Land’s electrical flow inhabitants.
“In fact, nosotros know lilliputian inwards full general close the past times inwards this component division of Ghana, because in that location are few historical sources earlier the belatedly 19th century in addition to oral traditions are scarce.
“But archeology is unlocking or in addition to then of the secrets of the past, in addition to this projection shows what tin live achieved.
“We at 1 time know the figurines may direct hold had ritual in addition to medicinal functions in addition to the mounds they were constitute inwards were perhaps medicine shrines, or places for disposal of textile considered dangerous.
“We also know these people were farmers, who traded alongside cowry shells, used Fe tools in addition to lived inwards villages, alongside complex religious beliefs.
The passenger on the horse, or peradventure a camel, indicates awareness of animals used inwards long distance travel, he said.
“The people of the villages of Koma Land inwards Republic of Ghana are involved inwards this fieldwork in addition to direct hold a keen feel of the figurines equally component division of their heritage.
“So nosotros are proud that this exhibition actively involves Ghanaian archaeologists in addition to museum curators who are coming to Manchester to back upwards it.”
* Anencephaly is the absence of a major part of the brain, skull, in addition to scalp that occurs during embryonic development. Children alongside this disorder are born without a telencephalon, the largest component division of the encephalon consisting mainly of the cerebral hemispheres, including the neocortex, which is responsible for cognition. The remaining encephalon tissue is frequently exposed, i.e. non covered past times os or skin. With rattling few exceptions, most babies alongside this disorder practise non survive.
Belum ada Komentar untuk "Mounted figure provides glimpse into ancient African culture"
Posting Komentar