{"product_id":"an-african-efik-brass-charger-decorated-with-wild-plants","title":"an african efik brass charger decorated with wild plants.","description":"\u003cp\u003ean african efik brass charger decorated with wild plants dating to the turn of the 19th century.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ediameter 430mm\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ewild plants hold significant, multifaceted importance in efik culture, primarily as staple ingredients in cuisine, vital components of traditional medicine and elements in ritual and social practices. the rim is decorated with a continuous scale design only broken by two filled circles possibly the eyes of an ouroboros, a serpent eating its own tail, forming a continuous circle it represents life, death and rebirth. in efic and broader cross river communities the serpent represents divinity. fertility and water spirits.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003elarge plain brass charger dishes and platters known as neptunes (\u003c\/span\u003ea brass or copper pan or plate used for the evaporation of sea water to obtain salt) were \u003cspan\u003eimported from britain to nigeria and then decorated locally in old calabar. regarded as important prestige items by the local chiefs they were displayed with great ceremony. items of efik decorated brass were also presented by the king and chiefs to important dignitaries and distinguished visitors to the area. these chargers are interesting transcultural aesthetic expressions resulting from a history of european contact .\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-description product-form-block\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-link-animated\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eart is an underemphasized contributor to efik mythology. efik beliefs in ndem and ekpe were transmitted via engravings on brass plates (akpangkpang). prior to the depiction of myths, events and stories on brass plates, efik women expressed their art by decorating houses with geometric designs of various kinds. w\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eomen were regarded as the artisans in\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e old calabar \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003esociety\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e women would create beautifully finished products which would then be bought and taken as souvenirs from old calabar by english traders, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ethese products, particularly the calabashes ( gourds )were fragile and very often goods would break on their journey to england.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e edem ndarake also known as mr. ironbar is regarded as the father of brass art in efik history. the wives of ironbar were active members of the calabash engraving industry. mr \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eironbar chose to solve the problem of art breakages and wastage by encouraging the women artists to transfer their designs to brass which was a far more durable and luxurious material. mr. ironbar earnt his monika after encouraging the english traders to bargain with iron bars which inturn could be used as tools for decorating \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ebrass products such as trays, dishes and basins. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ebrass dishes were often designed with images of efik deities, often \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ethe designs depicted animals, flora and fauna and geometric patterns that were symbolic to the deities. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan\u003ethis tray is a fine example of this punched or chased metalwork decoration. the small metal tools with shaped ends were used to give impressions such as dots, lines or semicircles. these were then lightly held against the surface of the metal and tapped with a hammer to give the required detail and texture.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan\u003e35\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsible-tab-container collapsible product-form-block no_margin_bottom\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsible-tab js open\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"summary\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-with-icon\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"wild folk","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57149278552439,"sku":null,"price":585.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0672\/4550\/6795\/files\/IMG_4270_e4a17c16-a813-465f-9a41-e295292d5ec1.jpg?v=1780607072","url":"https:\/\/wildfolk.net\/products\/an-african-efik-brass-charger-decorated-with-wild-plants","provider":"wild folk","version":"1.0","type":"link"}