Much has been written on the wooden sculptures of West Africa. Especially Nigeria, which was pre-eminent in the art, for unlike other crafts, wood-carving has long been acknowledged in the West as an art form. Yet, compared with stone or bronze, wood is not a very durable material in tropical conditions and the oldest carvings in Nigeria are probably no more than two hundred and fifty years old. Many of the earliest, maybe the finest of the wood carvings may also have been destroyed by termites. When one is attacked in this way, no attempt is made to preserve it; a new one is made to replace it, for the creativity of making it is valued above the object per se. The finest sculptures were made for religious or ceremonial purposes, and the art of creation was itself a religious act.

What has led to there being no very old wood carvings in West Africa?

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