Attendant to the shrine house priestess, Besease, Ghana

Object Details

Local Numbers: EENG-VIII-43, 12.
General: Title source: Index card based on photographer's notes.
Local Note: Typed index card reads, "T 2 Ash. Ashanti. Ghana, Besease. Shrine house. Decorated panel. 7/1970. EE. neg.no. VIII-43, 12." The card was written in 1977-79 by Archives staff using source provided by photographer.

See more items in: Eliot Elisofon Field collection; Eliot Elisofon Field collection / Ghana

Archival Repository: Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives, National Museum of African Art

Type: Archival materials; Negatives (photographic); Black-and-white negatives; Negatives

Collection Citation: Eliot Elisofon Field Collection, EEPA 1973-001, Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution

Collection Rights: Permission to reproduce images from the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives must be obtained in advance. The collection is subject to all copyright laws.

Scope and Contents: "Similar to a typical traditional Asante courtyard house, a shrine house or 'Obosomfie' is made up of 4 buildings enclosing a central courtyard or 'gyase'. Three of the buildings are open to the courtyard with raised floors. One of these is reserved for the drummers; another room is used by the singers; the third open room is used as a cooking area where ceremonial meals were regularly prepared to be partaken of by the gods. The fourth building, housing the shrine, is closed by decorated walls or intricate open-work screen walls. The entry to this room is usually strictly restricted to the priest and his attendants known as 'nsumankwaafo." [Asante Traditional Buildings. World Heritage. A Ghana Museums and Monuments Publication]. This photograph was taken when Eliot Elisofon was on assignment for Westinghouse Film and traveled to Africa from October 26, 1970 to end of March 1971.

Collection Restrictions: Use of original records requires an appointment. Contact Archives staff for more details.