Since the discovery of soapstone and ivory works in Sierra Leone in the 15th and 16th centuries the related artworks brought back to Europe have been attributed to the Sapi people who inhabited the Sierra Leone coastal areas. Trained African carvers were commissioned by explorers and traders to create Ivory carvings that appealed to European tastes. A few carvings were retained by African tribal leaders. Specific details relating to the culture of the carvers is unknown.
