2025 - Mamluk Metalwork in West Africa, by Rabiu Yusuf
Mamluk metalwork has long held a particular role in studies of the visual and material culture of the Islamic world. Metal objects from Mamluk Syria and Egypt provide valuable insights into transcultural exchange, long-distance connectivity, and the lives of objects across continents. This project will shed new light on the journeys of Mamluk metal objects in Afro-Eurasian contexts with a particular focus on their perception, use, and their impact on the art production in West Africa.
The project focuses on three aspects: the neglected of metal trade between Africa (Niger and Ghana) and the outside world; the appropriation of metal arts into the indigenous iron technology industry and social life of the imported metal objects; and the roles that these metal objects continue to play where they are today. Rabiu will visit the Museum of Archaeology, University of Ghana to study the Mamluk metal objects in the collection.
Rabiu is a Lecturer in Archaeology and Heritage Studies at Ahmadu Bello University, Nigeria.


















