Akwanshi, or stone monolith, from the Cross River Culture of Cameroon, West Africa

What do you imagine when you think of ancient stone monoliths? Perhaps it is Stonehenge in England. Yet, there are other equally impressive and mysterious stone sites found elsewhere in the world. There is the submerged Neolithic village of Atlit Yam in Israel; closer to home there is another found at the bottom of Lake Michigan, estimated to be 10,000 years old; and in Africa, the cradle of humankind, one might find the oldest and most mysterious stones of all.

Monoliths like this akwanshi are found throughout villages in the Grasslands of Cameroon

This week’s New Arrival features a type of stone monolith called an Akwanshi. Although this and other megalithic monuments have been found throughout Africa, very little is actually known about their history or purpose. However, the name Akwanshi may provide a clue.  It translates as ‘person in the ground,’ suggesting some relation to ancestor worship.  Or it could be a simple reminder of the mysteries and spiritual resonance surrounding vanished cultures?

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