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What do the clay figurines found at Daima reveal about early African sculpture?
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African art
Raffia-fiber cloth, made by the Kuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, mid-20th century; in the Honolulu Academy of Arts.
The clay figurines discovered at Daima near Lake Chad provide significant evidence regarding the early history of African sculpture. Dating back to the 5th century BCE or earlier, these small, fired clay animal figures were produced by a population of Neolithic pastoralists.12
These findings are important for several reasons:
- Evidence of Modeling Traditions: The discovery of these figurines, alongside similar finds in Zimbabwe from the late 1st millennium CE, implies the existence of an even earlier, widespread tradition of modeling in unfired clay.1
- Stylistic Evolution: Over time, the style of these figurines evolved; while early examples were simple, later figures featured more extended legs and, after 1000 CE, bodies covered in small spikes.2
- Historical Context: These artifacts demonstrate that clay was a foundational medium for early African sculpture. Because unfired clay is fragile and difficult to preserve, these fired examples help fill gaps in the historical record, serving as key evidence for the development of sculptural practices across the continent.1