Bidyogo Bust Post Guinea-Bissauan

Overall Condition: Good. Most of our pieces have spent decades on at least two continents, and have been treasured by several owners.

Damage/Repair: Encrustation loss, cracks, chips and well worn patina

Guinea-Bissau has its origins in the kingdom of Gab√∫, which became independent from the powerful Mali Empire in the 16th century. Gab√∫ is known for its rich culture, and traditionally is considered the birthplace of the kora, a stringed instrument widely used in West Africa. The Portuguese landed at the Bissagos Islands in 1446 and claimed the region, but the Gab√∫ kingdom resisted colonial expansion into the mainland. Local rulers controlled the supply of slaves to Portuguese Guinea, which became known as the Slave Coast. In 1687, Portugal founded the capital city of Bissau as a fortified trading post. After the decline of the Gab√∫ kingdom in the mid-19th century, Portugal successfully embarked upon military campaigns to conquer and consolidate the area. Oppressive colonial rule, which culminated in the massacre of fifty workers striking at the Pijiguiti docks, prompted a fervent nationalist movement in the 1950s. The Partido Africano da Independ√™ncia da Guiné e Cabo Verde (PAIGC), led by Am√≠lcar Cabral and Raphael Barbosa, began an armed rebellion against Portuguese rule in 1956 and controlled most of the country by the early 1970s.