(a) - stools in Ashanti come in different different forms namely, the
Golden Stool, the Black Stool and Domestic Stool.
- the Golden Stool is the most sophisticated and rich in traditional art forms.
- the Golden Stool is made of gold and rest on another carved stool.
- it has an attachment of three effigies and bells in the form of human figures which represents two great Ashanti Chiefs and a British Administrator. The Ashanti Chiefs are Ntim Jakari and Kofi Adinkra, while the represented British Administrator is Sir Charles McCarthy.
- the attachment of these effigies is a commemoration of Ashanti freedom from British dominance (rule).
- the Golden Stool has another bell which is used to summon ancestral spirits during religious ceremonies.
- the stool has its origin in the legend that Osei Tutu was once seated beneath a Kum tree, when in an extra-ordinary way, the powers of nature were let loose. The air was suddenly filled with dust and thunder struck and a stool that was partly covered with gold and having two bells floated gently down from heaven and landed on Osei Tutu’s laps.
- the stool, which is so sacred must never touch the earth.
- it contains the sunsum, which is the soul of of the Ashanti people.
- the Golden stool is a symbol of power, health and riches among the A shanti people.
- the Ashatehene at his ordination (coronation) symbolically sits three times on the stool (of his ancestors) and this symbolizes uninterrupted line of royal power.
- other stools belong to the Omanhene and other political or religious figures who are honoured as the representatives of the ancestors.
- the basic features of Ashanti stools are the symbolical rectangular seat, cylindrical hollow pillar and flat base.
- the edges of the seats are slightly turned upwards.
(b - Nok art is named after a village called Nok in the Zaria Province of Northern Nigeria.
- Nok art works are the oldest in West Africa dating back to between 500 BC and 300 BC.
- the works were discovered accidentally by tin miners and were documented by Benard Fagg; a German anthropologist.
- the works range in height from about 10 cm and 1.5 metres.
- the pupils of the eyes and nostrils are represented with holes.
- the figures represented both animal and human forms.
- they are conical, cylindrical and spherical in shape.
- they have a peculiar hairdo or head-dress.
- the animal figures are naturalistic while the human figures are stylized.
- emphasis is on the head, which is usually depicted larger than life size.
- they are all in terracotta.
