If you are curious about the background of individual objects or cultural practices, these articles provide a helpful overview. You may read online or download the PDF. 

1. Blier, Suzanne. "Yoruba and Dahomey: Divine Authority and the Arts of Royal History," The Royal Arts of Africa. HN Abrams, 1998. 

2. Blier, Suzanne. "The Asante Kingdom: The Golden Ages of Ghana." The Royal Arts of Africa. HN Abrams, 1998. 

3. Blier, Suzanne. "Kongo and Kuba: The Art of Rulership Display." The Royal Arts of Africa. HN Abrams, 1998. 

4. Rubin, Arnold. "Accumulation: Power and Display in African Sculpture." Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas. Prentice Hall, 1993: 4-21.