AFRICA
Akuaba
A fertility fetish of the Ashante people of Ghana that is carried by a woman who hopes to conceive.
Anansi
A spider god and a well-known trickster, whose fame has spread to the United States from Ghana.
Apedemak
Depicted as a lion with three heads, he is an ancient deity from the kingdom of Nubia, present-day Sudan and Egypt.
Bamana Mask
A sacred mask worn in adolescent boys’ initiation rites that take place in Mali, Guinea, and Burkina Faso.
Baule Spirit Mask
Created to appease the spirit mate of a man or woman of the Côte d’Ivoire when an earthly mate is chosen.
Bes
A dwarf god worshipped in the mysterious Land of Punt, around today's Djibouti and Ethiopia.
Cosmic Egg
The supreme deity of the complex religious system of the Dogon people from Mali.
Deangle Mask
Worn by Dan women of Liberia and Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) during dance rituals.
Door Guardian Mask
Guards entrances from huts to mansions, mostly seen in Swaziland and its surrounding areas.
Engai
Lives on top of Mount Kirinyaga, Kenya. Engai is the supreme deity of the Kikuyu people.
Ethiopian Cross
A symbol of the Orthodox Church of Ethiopia, it is seen outside churches, worn by priests, and carried in processions.
Ezengi
A god of the pygmies of the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic.
Fang Guardian
Sits on top of funerary boxes to protect the bones of ancestors from Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.
Farefare Mask
Worn in religious events to symbolize the spirit ancestors of people from Ghana and Burkina Faso.
Festac Mask
Used for ceremonies and rituals, it originates from Nigeria, Benin, and Togo.
Fetish Doll
Have the power to appease ghosts and are found in São Tomé and Príncipe, an island-country off the coast of West Africa.
Gaunab
Originally from Namibia, it ruled as god of death and darkness in the Black Heaven.
Ghana Mask
Decorated with brass inlays and beadwork, it is used in ritual ceremonies in Ghana.
Guayota
An evil beast, half demon and half dog, that lives near the Teide volcano on the Canary Islands, an island group off the coast of northwestern Africa.
Huur
The winged messenger of death is seen around and above Ethiopia, Djibouti, and Somalia.
Ibeji
The joint name for the male and female twin deities of the Yoruba. Mainly from Nigeria.
Imana
A god of Burundi and Rwanda that gave immortality to humans by protecting them from danger.
Juju Shaker
A traditional rattle used in sacred and ritual ceremonies, it comes from Ghana.
Makishi Effigy
Created from scrap materials to symbolize ancestral spirits. From Angola, DRC, and Zambia.
Mambila Soul Vessel
A clay container filled with spiritual elements. Mostly used in rites in the Cameroon area.
Mulungu
A Kenyan god who descends to a forest in the shape of a palm-tree frond to visit with humans.
Mwana Pwo
From Angola, the face represents female ancestors with large eyes, scarification, and filed teeth.
Nativity Scene
The formerly nomadic Berber people settled in Morocco. A few still practice Christianity. (Moroccan sculpture)
Ndebele Fertility Dolls
Made by the women of South Africa and Botswana, they are presented to a bride.
Niam-Niam
A Zande witch doctor of the Central African Republic, South Sudan, and the DRC.
Nkondi Fetish
A sculpture of an evil spirit. It is embedded with nails and is from the Republic of Congo.
Nok Sculptures
Ancient sculptures used as charms, dating back to 500 BCE and originating in Nigeria.
Ntomo Mask
Decorated with shells and topped with horns for initiation ceremonies, it is found in countries that include Mali and Niger.
Nyami Nyami
A god who lives in a whirlpool and is revered by the Tonga of Zimbabwe and Zambia.
Oba
An ancient ruler from today's Nigeria, known for his ability to live on both land and water like his symbol the mudfish.
Saint Augustine of Hippo
An early Christian of Algeria, the author of the Confessions (and troubled by demons).
Sao Figurines
May have been objects of worship of the ancient Sao civilization surrounding the areas of present-day Cameroon and Chad.
Senegal Mask
Represents the antelope, symbolizing speed and strength, found in traditional Senegal cultures.
Shetani
Shetani is associated with Satan. The sculptures are from Tanzania and Mozambique.
Songye Kifwebe Mask
Worn for its magical properties, it comes from the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Sowei Mask
The elaborate mask is worn by Sande females of Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea.
Tanit
A moon and fertility goddess, once revered in ancient Carthage (today's Tunisia). Tanit was also worshiped in Libya.
Three Snake-Gods
Are found by the sacred lake Ganga Talao on the Indian Ocean island nation of Mauritius.
Tokolish
A small malignant spirit that eats people’s toes. Found in Lesotho and South Africa.
Yoruba Divination Bowl
Contains sacred stones that are used in divination ceremonies in Nigeria.
Zulu Secret Mask
Keeps the darkest secrets of the owners and is a highly prized mask from South Africa.