The term olifants is derived from the word elephant and they are actually wind instruments of a grand scale, used to alert warriors or hunters to danger and to signa l troops during battle. The iconographic scenes help us determine whether they were produced for local use or for export. They belonged to rulers and chiefs and were elaborately carved with relief scenes of animal hunts and battles. It was considered highly dishonorable if the user let it be taken during battle. In the 1700's and onwards, ivory tusks known as 'olifants' were carved in intricate detail and became highly prized trophies of conquest, seized during wars and raids. Occasionally ivory sculptures were carved for traditional African means like adorning the handle of a chief or king's scepter or as a pendant mask (a smaller version of a mask carved in replica for personal use). Ivory sculpture mid to late 19th C, Congo, Michael Carlos Museum Crafted by the artists, they are given their power by religious practitioners who make contact with the spirit worlds of their gods and ancestors. They are often used as a form of communication between people and supernatural forces and beings. The portrayal of the human form is not necessarily proportional but often strives to emphasize or exaggerate specific bodily characteristics that the sculptor is interested in conveying. Traditional or tribal African sculpture typically may be religious or spiritual in nature, be carved from wood, dealing primarily with the human form (and sometimes animal or mythical) and shows a creative spirit and skill that exhibits good balance, craftsmanship, attention to detail and finish and an essence of design that realizes the creator's intention.Īfrican sculpture can often be described as monumental in that the figure or form is not separated from the wood or stone from which it is carved giving it a feel of heavy permanence.
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