History
Three celebrated empires flourished in the Western Sudan between the 8th and 17th centuries: Ghana (c. 8th-11th century), Mali (c. 13th-16th century), and Songhai (c. 15th-17th century). Their great power came from the trans-Saharan trade and the export of gold, ivory, kola nuts, and slaves. Trade was also the principal means for the introduction and spread of Islam.

The inland delta region of the Niger River in Mali is an area of great importance in African art history. Terra cotta figures of humans and animals, as well as cast copper alloy objects, have been found throughout this region. These archaeological objects have been dated from the 8th to the 17th century and are important for the reconstruction of history and art history in West Africa.

Artists
In the Western Sudan, artists often belong to hereditary castes and marry within their own groups. Among the Bamana of Mali, for example, male blacksmiths and woodcarvers constitute a professional caste. They are commissioned by political and initiation associations to create ritual objects.

Art and style
Masks, which often combine human and animal traits, or traits from different animals, are used in agricultural, funerary, or entertainment performances. Figures may combine commemorative, ancestral, and protective functions.

Sculpture from the Western Sudan tends to be angular and elongated, and anatomical details are often minimally suggested. Surfaces are matte or encrusted from repeated libations. Brilliant pigments are frequently applied, particularly to masks and headdresses, but they fade with time.