Not only does the Mediterranean belong to the Christian traditions bequeathed by the Roman Empire in Constantinople, but so does East Africa. It should be noted, however, that this exhibition does not draw aesthetic or functional analogies between the Christian art of East Africa and other artistic traditions of sub-Saharan Africa. The exhibition signals this cultural and political divergence between Africa and Byzantium with a change in wall tones. The post-Islamic Christian traditions of Africa are shown to be rooted in the early traditions of Christian Byzantium, but they are also revealed to be complex, innovative and very beautiful. But it reminds us of connections between East Africa and Byzantium that we can scarcely imagine – even as such objects challenge us to try.

Source: The North Africa Journal February 03, 2024 01:30 UTC