Post by anansi on Jul 1, 2020 6:13:49 GMT -5
South of the Sahara Desert is a region called the Sahel. Arabic for "shore" or "coast," the Sahel spans from the Atlantic Ocean to the Red Sea. A current exhibition at The Met, Sahel: Art and Empires on the Shores of the Sahara, presents art from the western Sahel, an ancient cradle of civilization, and in particular material culture from the historic empires of ancient Ghana (ca . 300–1200), Mali (ca. 1230–1600), Songhay (ca. 1464–1591), and Bamana Segu (or Bambara Ségou, ca. 1712–1861). The historical region's extant visual culture consists of works in fired clay, carved wood, stone monuments, textiles, manuscripts, and creations in precious metals ranging from brass to gold.
The materials of the Sahel are "markers of human ingenuity," said Matar Ndiaye, an archaeologist from Senegal, during a recent visit to The Met. "And in them, we can see a multiplicity of techniques, means of communication, and human thought. These objects are part of a global identity, and the reconstruction of this cultural heritage should be done in a global way."
The history of the Sahel was predominately transmitted through oral stories, passed down by griots, or bards, across generations. It can therefore be challenging to reconcile the visual material of the region with its poetic history. The Met recently had the honor of hosting Daouda Keïta, an archaeologist and director of the National Museum of Mali, in Bamako. During his visit, Isabella Garces and I met with Keïta to discuss the rewards and challenges of studying the art of this region, which is a fountainhead of technical, economic, and material innovation, due in part to its history as a transnational trading hub. We were joined by Oumy Mbaye and Mouhamet Traoré, two fellows in The Met's Department of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas. Both from Senegal, they participated in the installation of the exhibition. Keïta described his work as an archaeologist with passion, as well as his work promoting education and fostering his community's awareness about the Sahel's past, its present, and its future.
Garces conducted this interview in French (Mali's official language), and it has been translated and edited for publication.
The materials of the Sahel are "markers of human ingenuity," said Matar Ndiaye, an archaeologist from Senegal, during a recent visit to The Met. "And in them, we can see a multiplicity of techniques, means of communication, and human thought. These objects are part of a global identity, and the reconstruction of this cultural heritage should be done in a global way."
The history of the Sahel was predominately transmitted through oral stories, passed down by griots, or bards, across generations. It can therefore be challenging to reconcile the visual material of the region with its poetic history. The Met recently had the honor of hosting Daouda Keïta, an archaeologist and director of the National Museum of Mali, in Bamako. During his visit, Isabella Garces and I met with Keïta to discuss the rewards and challenges of studying the art of this region, which is a fountainhead of technical, economic, and material innovation, due in part to its history as a transnational trading hub. We were joined by Oumy Mbaye and Mouhamet Traoré, two fellows in The Met's Department of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas. Both from Senegal, they participated in the installation of the exhibition. Keïta described his work as an archaeologist with passion, as well as his work promoting education and fostering his community's awareness about the Sahel's past, its present, and its future.
Garces conducted this interview in French (Mali's official language), and it has been translated and edited for publication.
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Blogs /Now at The Met /Excavating Empires of the Sahel: In Conversation with Daouda Keïta
Excavating Empires of the Sahel: In Conversation with Daouda Keïta
February 26, 2020
William Fenstermaker, Editor and Producer, Digital Department; and Isabella Garces, Production Coordinator, Digital Department
A tall man with dark skin, wearing a navy blue suit, stands next to a terracotta figure of a nude woman, in front of a purple background
Daouda Keïta, Director, Musée national du Mali, Bamako, is pictured here with a terracotta reclining figure on loan to The Met for the exhibition Sahel: Art and Empires on the Shores of the Sahara.
South of the Sahara Desert is a region called the Sahel. Arabic for "shore" or "coast," the Sahel spans from the Atlantic Ocean to the Red Sea. A current exhibition at The Met, Sahel: Art and Empires on the Shores of the Sahara, presents art from the western Sahel, an ancient cradle of civilization, and in particular material culture from the historic empires of ancient Ghana (ca . 300–1200), Mali (ca. 1230–1600), Songhay (ca. 1464–1591), and Bamana Segu (or Bambara Ségou, ca. 1712–1861). The historical region's extant visual culture consists of works in fired clay, carved wood, stone monuments, textiles, manuscripts, and creations in precious metals ranging from brass to gold.
The materials of the Sahel are "markers of human ingenuity," said Matar Ndiaye, an archaeologist from Senegal, during a recent visit to The Met. "And in them, we can see a multiplicity of techniques, means of communication, and human thought. These objects are part of a global identity, and the reconstruction of this cultural heritage should be done in a global way."
The history of the Sahel was predominately transmitted through oral stories, passed down by griots, or bards, across generations. It can therefore be challenging to reconcile the visual material of the region with its poetic history. The Met recently had the honor of hosting Daouda Keïta, an archaeologist and director of the National Museum of Mali, in Bamako. During his visit, Isabella Garces and I met with Keïta to discuss the rewards and challenges of studying the art of this region, which is a fountainhead of technical, economic, and material innovation, due in part to its history as a transnational trading hub. We were joined by Oumy Mbaye and Mouhamet Traoré, two fellows in The Met's Department of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas. Both from Senegal, they participated in the installation of the exhibition. Keïta described his work as an archaeologist with passion, as well as his work promoting education and fostering his community's awareness about the Sahel's past, its present, and its future.
Garces conducted this interview in French (Mali's official language), and it has been translated and edited for publication.
—William Fenstermaker
Isabella Garces: You just arrived from an excavation site at Segu, in southwest Mali. What is the historical significance of that site?
Daouda Keïta: Segu was one of the most powerful pre-colonial states of Mali, and is the subject of many songs and stories told by the griots. But its history is based on information passed down orally. There are very few written sources. In 2010 we did an initial excavation on a site where we were able to discover remnants dating from the eleventh to the fifteenth century. This proved that there was life at Segu before the Bamana Kingdom.
And when we did archaeological excavations in Dougouba, Farkou, and Tougou, we saw that these places were occupied since the sixth century A.D. We found stylistic affinities between Segu and another site, Jenne-jenno, particularly in a type of ceramic called "fine ware" or "Chinaware," a very fine pottery that is well fired. There were also different types of bricks based on the evolution of the settlement over time. And thanks to our collaboration with palynologists (who study pollen and spores), we found plant species that were cultivated or consumed in the area. So we now have a group of artifacts that confirm Segu existed long before the Bambara Kingdom, and that it was a crossroads for different communities, not unlike Jenne-jenno.
Garces: What are some of the challenges you encounter during excavations in the region?
Keïta: Ah, the challenges are enormous! The biggest is to conduct scientific excavations that bring results, and interpreting those results as objectively as possible. The second challenge is getting the population involved in managing this heritage. If we have the means, we can make what we call "site museums," which preserve objects from illegal excavations, so people can see materials from the communities that came before them. When they visit, they will see that heritage is something highly useful for our training, our education, and for fostering awareness. Third, you must raise awareness, inform, and educate. To grow, we must be rooted in our culture above all.
Blogs /Now at The Met /Excavating Empires of the Sahel: In Conversation with Daouda Keïta
Excavating Empires of the Sahel: In Conversation with Daouda Keïta
February 26, 2020
William Fenstermaker, Editor and Producer, Digital Department; and Isabella Garces, Production Coordinator, Digital Department
A tall man with dark skin, wearing a navy blue suit, stands next to a terracotta figure of a nude woman, in front of a purple background
Daouda Keïta, Director, Musée national du Mali, Bamako, is pictured here with a terracotta reclining figure on loan to The Met for the exhibition Sahel: Art and Empires on the Shores of the Sahara.
South of the Sahara Desert is a region called the Sahel. Arabic for "shore" or "coast," the Sahel spans from the Atlantic Ocean to the Red Sea. A current exhibition at The Met, Sahel: Art and Empires on the Shores of the Sahara, presents art from the western Sahel, an ancient cradle of civilization, and in particular material culture from the historic empires of ancient Ghana (ca . 300–1200), Mali (ca. 1230–1600), Songhay (ca. 1464–1591), and Bamana Segu (or Bambara Ségou, ca. 1712–1861). The historical region's extant visual culture consists of works in fired clay, carved wood, stone monuments, textiles, manuscripts, and creations in precious metals ranging from brass to gold.
The materials of the Sahel are "markers of human ingenuity," said Matar Ndiaye, an archaeologist from Senegal, during a recent visit to The Met. "And in them, we can see a multiplicity of techniques, means of communication, and human thought. These objects are part of a global identity, and the reconstruction of this cultural heritage should be done in a global way."
The history of the Sahel was predominately transmitted through oral stories, passed down by griots, or bards, across generations. It can therefore be challenging to reconcile the visual material of the region with its poetic history. The Met recently had the honor of hosting Daouda Keïta, an archaeologist and director of the National Museum of Mali, in Bamako. During his visit, Isabella Garces and I met with Keïta to discuss the rewards and challenges of studying the art of this region, which is a fountainhead of technical, economic, and material innovation, due in part to its history as a transnational trading hub. We were joined by Oumy Mbaye and Mouhamet Traoré, two fellows in The Met's Department of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas. Both from Senegal, they participated in the installation of the exhibition. Keïta described his work as an archaeologist with passion, as well as his work promoting education and fostering his community's awareness about the Sahel's past, its present, and its future.
Garces conducted this interview in French (Mali's official language), and it has been translated and edited for publication.
—William Fenstermaker
Isabella Garces: You just arrived from an excavation site at Segu, in southwest Mali. What is the historical significance of that site?
Daouda Keïta: Segu was one of the most powerful pre-colonial states of Mali, and is the subject of many songs and stories told by the griots. But its history is based on information passed down orally. There are very few written sources. In 2010 we did an initial excavation on a site where we were able to discover remnants dating from the eleventh to the fifteenth century. This proved that there was life at Segu before the Bamana Kingdom.
And when we did archaeological excavations in Dougouba, Farkou, and Tougou, we saw that these places were occupied since the sixth century A.D. We found stylistic affinities between Segu and another site, Jenne-jenno, particularly in a type of ceramic called "fine ware" or "Chinaware," a very fine pottery that is well fired. There were also different types of bricks based on the evolution of the settlement over time. And thanks to our collaboration with palynologists (who study pollen and spores), we found plant species that were cultivated or consumed in the area. So we now have a group of artifacts that confirm Segu existed long before the Bambara Kingdom, and that it was a crossroads for different communities, not unlike Jenne-jenno.
Garces: What are some of the challenges you encounter during excavations in the region?
Keïta: Ah, the challenges are enormous! The biggest is to conduct scientific excavations that bring results, and interpreting those results as objectively as possible. The second challenge is getting the population involved in managing this heritage. If we have the means, we can make what we call "site museums," which preserve objects from illegal excavations, so people can see materials from the communities that came before them. When they visit, they will see that heritage is something highly useful for our training, our education, and for fostering awareness. Third, you must raise awareness, inform, and educate. To grow, we must be rooted in our culture above all.
www.metmuseum.org/blogs/now-at-the-met/2020/sahel-daouda-keita-archaeology-interview?fbclid=IwAR3wyEhZC6bE080P1XpT-K7dsrEKraSkenCnB3N_vCdw22uqNcnbWuqz9Mc
Pls go to the link great resource and great pics, my Amazon IPad won't allow me to post pics..why??
