The geography of Africa has influenced its art in many ways. The continent’s diverse landscapes, including deserts, savannas, rainforests, and mountains, have provided a wide range of natural materials for artists to work with. For example, wood is one of the best-known mediums of African sculpture. Ivory, stone, metal, clay and fiber are also popular materials used by African artists. In addition to these materials, African artists have also used pigments for painting as far back as 73,000 years ago. These pigments were often obtained from natural sources such as ocher and indigo.
The use of these materials allowed local artists to create unique artwork that reflected the natural environment and resources available to them. For example, terracotta works are among the earliest surviving Sub-Sahara pieces from the continent dating back to the 8th millennium B.C. The use of locally sourced materials also allowed for the development of distinct regional styles and techniques.