APAH - African Artworks

Given the clue, enter the name of the African work most-applicable. Some clues may apply to multiple works, but only include that which are referenced (via a featured artwork) on the 250 list. The work must be in the unit 6 (Africa) i.e. works in prehistoric, ancient Mesopotamia, global contemporary, etc. do not count.

For most works, you may name the artwork's original name or the translation of it

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Last updated: April 14, 2026

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First submitted	April 12, 2026
Times taken	6
Average score	31.7%
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Hint	Artwork
Only African wooden masks worn by women	Bundu Mask
Uses vertical fluting to drain water off the surfaces	Great Mosque of Djenné
Symbolizes and costumed as Sowei, a female water spirit and for female ancestor spirits	Bundu Mask
Artisans are the Bamileke peoples	Aka elephant mask
First word of its name translates to spirit, as it is a vessel of spirits; while these may come in many shapes (e.g. animal, a bag of stuff), this is anthropomorphic	Power figure (Nksisi n'kondi)
Feet dangle over the rim of the cylindrical bark containers its placed on, a gesture of protecting its contents	Byeri (Reliquary figure)
Artisans are the Malian peoples	Great Mosque of Djenné
Embraces traditional masculine associations of strength and potency, its elaborateness telling of its owners achievements	Ikenga (shrine figure)
Artisans are the Shona peoples	Great Zimbabwe
Translates to "strong right arm" indicating physical prowess (honoring the right hand which holds weapons, makes sacrifices, conducts rituals, alerts speech at forums, etc.)	Ikenga (shrine figure)
A vessel for the soul of the nation, acting as a symbol of the mystical bond	Sika dwa kofi (Golden Stool)
Its broad forehead, downcast eye sockets, and column-shaped nose associate the figure with intellect and respect	Mblo (Portrait mask)
Controlled by the Mbudye (interpreters and philosophers) could read the memory board via gently touching the beads which he will discuss with his right index finger	Lukasa (memory board)
Lavish colored beadwork and cowrie shells symbolize wealth and power of Kuosi society (elite group of men)	Aka elephant mask
In an alert pose with rigid frontality, arms akimbo (at hips) in an aggressive stances with open eyes and mouth	Power figure (Nksisi n'kondi)
Made of bronze, fitting as it is designated for a royal court, giving the work greater value	Wall plaque, from Oba's palace
Has many torons (projecting wooden beams) acting as in-place ladders for maintenance	Great Mosque of Djenné
The society in which this work was a part of was matriarchically	Female (Pwo) mask
Artisans are the Mende peoples	Bundu Mask
Made in sequence, likely meant to show lineage as the Oba was believed to be a direct descendant of Oranmiyan (dynasty's legendary founder)	Wall plaque, from Oba's palace
Has a prominent belly button and genitals which emphasize life contrasting with its prayerful gesture and somber look which emphasize death	Byeri (Reliquary figure)
Zoomorphic elements (long truck, large ears) symbolize strength and power	Aka elephant mask
Black color (shined via palm oil) and black costume donned with it emphasizes coolness and symbolizes water	Bundu Mask
Likely apotropaic (to keep evil spirits away), given its gesture (hands clasped) and location (above remains). Also likely didactic (meant for teaching) like the Lukasa.	Byeri (Reliquary figure)
Mnemonic device which assists one in remembering key elements, e.g. ceremonies, heroes, list of kings, genealogy, etc.	Lukasa (memory board)
Kept in a king's shrine with other works called "royal charms"	Ndop (portrait figure)
Marks around the eyes suggest scarification (patterns made from cutting the skin with a knife) including a cosmogram on the forehead	Female (Pwo) mask
Utilizes hierarchical proportions: the king is taller than the servants who are taller than his rival / a fallen leader	Wall plaque, from Oba's palace
Artisans are the Yoruba peoples	Veranda Post of enthroned king and senior wife (Opa Ogoga)
Rubbed with oil to protect from insects, like termites; especially importance as it is the oldest existing of its kind	Ndop (portrait figure)

Hint	Artwork
Includes rosette shapes inspired by Christian crosses	Wall plaque, from Oba's palace
Placed on a wooden pillar that was part of a sprawling palace complex in Benin	Wall plaque, from Oba's palace
Displays Islamic influence in content and function	Great Mosque of Djenné
Though dancers wearing this wore female dress, braided hair, and womanlike movement they were still exclusively men	Female (Pwo) mask
Has high forehead indicates wisdom; small slit eyes indicates demureness; tight-lipped mouth symbolizing not revealing secrets and not gossiping; small ears symbolizes avoiding gossip and hearing no evil	Bundu Mask
Abandoned in the 1400s, likely due to lack of food supply and deforestation	Great Zimbabwe
Carved out of a hardwood, showcasing one's strength and masculinity	Ikenga (shrine figure)
Roughly translates to "venerated stone houses" in the native language	Great Zimbabwe
Its culture's people had no organized class system or positions, so objects such as this show individual achievement and merit	Ikenga (shrine figure)
Acted as a surrogate in the king's absence	Ndop (portrait figure)
Tightly bounded internal and external passageways forcing occupants to walk single-file, mimicking experiences in the African bush	Great Zimbabwe
Has a role as a witness, enforcer of community affairs, and cautions people who stray from the community's norms	Power figure (Nksisi n'kondi)
Artisans are the Ashanti peoples	Sika dwa kofi (Golden Stool)
Contains a conical tower acting as a granary and symbol of power	Great Zimbabwe
Located in Djenné, Mali	Great Mosque of Djenné
The work's material and the worn coral beads are both obtained through trade with the Portuguese	Wall plaque, from Oba's palace
In 1900, a war was fought over the sacred object after one tried to use it in an unsacred manner causing an outrage and rebellion; ending with British annexation yet de facto independence	Sika dwa kofi (Golden Stool)
An epicene (indeterminate sex) body sitting in a tranquil, cross-legged pose on a base	Ndop (portrait figure)
Used in initiation rites to adulthood; symbolic of butterfly's chrysalis (entering puberty)	Bundu Mask
In 1897, the British raided the palace and violently ripped off the work, as is evident by the broken edges of the work	Wall plaque, from Oba's palace
Centerpiece of the Crepissago de la [artwork name], in which it is repaired by the people: typically men mix adobe solution, women gather water, and elders advise	Great Mosque of Djenné
Air is circulated via several hoels with terra cotta lids	Great Mosque of Djenné
Uses ashlar masonry and trapezoidal inward-sloping structures, similar to Inca construction	Great Zimbabwe
Contains three smaller figures: a flute-playing trickster god, Eshu, his junior wife, and a now-missing fan bearer	Veranda Post of enthroned king and senior wife (Opa Ogoga)
Uses high-relief sculpture and the lost-wax casting	Wall plaque, from Oba's palace
Crowning ornaments are ostrich eggs, symbolizing fertility and purity	Great Mosque of Djenné
Made after the death of the king as a spiritual (not physical) representation of him	Ndop (portrait figure)
Only worn by important people in society during important ceremonies which involve maskers dancing barefoot to a drum and gong, waving spears and horsetails	Aka elephant mask
Quintessence of Sudano-Sahelian architecture	Great Mosque of Djenné
Made of adobe to help maintain cool temperatures	Great Mosque of Djenné