This work displays and defines the fruits of thousands of years of black African creative endeavour. All the objects included were made by Africans for their own use, spanning a period from the beginning of the first millennium to the early 20th century, before the commercial production of art aimed at the tourist trade. Jean-Baptiste Bacquart, has divided Africa south of the Sahara into 49 cultural areas. Each section studies the most important tribe within the area, surveying its social and political structures as well as its artistic production. The art is analyzed according to type - in most instances masks, statues, and everyday objects, such as utensils, furniture and jewelry. Where appropriate, further information on artistically related tribes is then provided. Each section contains its own bibliography. A detailed reference section with information on key collectors, collections open to the public and a glossary completes this publication.