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Kissi Soapstone Nomoli Zoomorphic Figure - DA.400
*CLICK ANY IMAGE TO ENLARGE* The Kissi people revere stone carvings found in fields and rivers in an area located around the Sewa and Mano Rivers. They are called Nomoli. These carvings are extremely old and it was not until 1959 that Western scholars associated them with the so-called Afro-Portuguese ivory objects carved by artists of the Sapi kingdom. Although the Sapi kingdom collapsed in the 16th century, their art survived buried beneath the ground. Occasionally, these ancient works were accidentally unearthed, usually through flooding or farming. Kissi artists would often rework the Sapi sculptures, resulting in a multitude of variations of types and styles. |
