Other editions of book African Art and Culture

Why are the mud mosques in northern and western Africa rebuilt each year? What do the different colors in bead necklaces symbolize? What are fantasy coffins? Arts and crafts offer a window into African culture, reflecting its history, technology, beliefs, and every-day life. Every piece of African art tells us something about the environment and the culture it was developed in, so that we can see how and why people make their art.

This series takes an in-depth look at both the decorative and functional art and design of a given culture. The engaging text explains how the art ties in to the culture, what it means, why it was created, and what it's used for or represents. Fine art, architecture, music and theater, cookware, clothing and textiles and other topics are all discussed. Feature boxes highlight fascinating bits of i