L'Art comme Ecriture en Afrique noire (Art as Writing in Sub-Saharan Africa)

Abstract

“Art as writing in sub-Saharan Africa” takes issue with the widespread assumption that Sub-Saharan African culture is a predominantly oral culture, and points to the existence of a written tradition in Africa, contained within artistic creations, for example, the animal hieroglyphics of Abomey kingdom (Benin), and the graphic symbols of the peoples of the Niger loop. This tradition is not easily accessible and is therefore often overlooked, which allows the assumption that traditional African culture was literate. Writing is part of traditional African art.