NOTES
At the end of the 15th century, the Portuguese arrived along the west coast of Africa and introduced Christianity to the Kingdom of Kongo. The king of Kongo, Nzinga a Nkuwu (reigned 1470–1509), and other Kongo rulers willingly converted to Christianity and instituted Catholicism as the state religion. Converts to the religion commissioned crucifixes that blended Christian imagery with local artistic expressions. Flanked by praying attendants, the central figure of Jesus in this example has stylized facial features and extremities.
In addition to signifying political authority and social status, Kongo-Christian individuals employed crosses like this one as power objects for healing, hunting, and divination.
