African Art There are no dates associated with a lot of African art today because most of the artists who created them neither signed their names nor dated the objects themselves. Wood was one of the most frequently used materials—often embellished by clay, shells, beads, ivory, metal, feathers, and shredded raffia. Due to the fact that most African art is made of wood, and wood does not usually last long in harsh African environments, most of the wooden objects in the program probably date from the late 19th or early 20th century. It is important to note that even these figures are guesswork. However, some allowances can be made when talki