Skip to main content

The Geometry of African Art III. The Smoking Pipes of Begho

  • Conference paper
The Geometric Vein

Abstract

It is not generally known among archeologists that there is a universal, cross-cultural classification scheme for the repeated patterns occurring in such diverse media as textiles, pottery, basketry, wall decoration, and the art of M. C. Escher. In this paper we introduce this scheme by means of a “flowchart” which reduces the analysis of any particular pattern to a sequence of simple questions (mostly answered “yes” or “no”). We then apply it to the analysis of the decorated pipes excavated from the K2 site of the Kramo quarter of Begho (Ghana) in January-March, 1979, under the direction of Professor Merrick Posnansky. In the sequel we refer to this site as Begho K2.

The author is indebted to Ebenezer Quarcoopome and Doris Volkhardt for the drawings in Figures 3 and 16, respectively; to Elizabeth Vaughan and Dorothy Washburn for helpful comments and encouragement; and to Merrick Posnansky and the University Research Expeditions Program for making possible his participation in the Begho K2 dig.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Afeku, I. K., A study of smoking pipes from Begho. B.A. Honours Dissertation, University of Ghana, Legon, Apr. 1976.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Crowe, D. W., The geometry of African art I. Bakuba art. Journal of Geometry 1 (1971), 169–182.

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  3. Crowe, D. W., The geometry of African art II. A catalog of Benin patterns. Historia Mathematika 2 (1975), 253–271.

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  4. Schattschneider, Doris, The plane symmetry groups: their recognition and notation. Amer. Math. Monthly 85 (1978), 439–450.

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  5. Shepard, A. O., The symmetry of abstract design with special reference to ceramic decoration. In Carnegie Inst. Wash. Publ. 574, Contrib. 47, 1948.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Shepard, A. O., Ceramics for the Archeologist. Carnegie Inst. Wash. Publ. 609, seventh printing, Washington, D.C. 1971.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Speiser, A., Theorie der Gruppen von endlicher Ordnung. Birkhäuser, Basel 1956.

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  8. Washburn, Dorothy, A symmetry analysis of Upper Gila ceramic design. Papers of the Peabody Museum, Harvard Univ., No. 78, 1977.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Zaslow, B., and Dittert, A. E., Pattern mathematics and archeology. Arizona State University Anthropological Research Papers No. 2, 1977.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1981 Springer-Verlag New York Inc.

About this paper

Cite this paper

Crowe, D.W. (1981). The Geometry of African Art III. The Smoking Pipes of Begho. In: Davis, C., Grünbaum, B., Sherk, F.A. (eds) The Geometric Vein. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-5648-9_11

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-5648-9_11

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4612-5650-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4612-5648-9

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics