Tribal Art

Master bronze smiths in African art .
. Gan bronzes, metal objects melted by the blacksmith using the lost wax technique, form individual protective fetishes. They embody a sacred mythical animal whose role was crucial for man, and are declined in the motifs of the turtle, chameleon, crocodile or panther. Some, composing the royal regalia, were placed in shrines.

This zoomorphic pendant, a protective jewel, figures a lion devouring its prey. Khaki brown patina with golden reflections. Neighboring people of the Lobi in southwestern Burkina Faso, the Gan or Kaa (Kaaba pl.), form a "relic people" according to Madeleine Père, living within a wooded savanna. Their king "Gan Massa" is elected by the notables from different villages. Hypotheses diverge as to their origins. According to some, they could be of Akan origin, coming from Ghana, the Koulango and the Lhoron having preceded them in the region. Ref : "Bronzes Gan" Maine Durieu, ed. Sepia