Dogon Figural Staff or Post Mali Early 20th Century
Most of our pieces have spent decades on at least two continents, and have been treasured by several owners. Small splits, scrapes and cracks are a normal part of their patina attesting to their age and extensive use. We examine each piece carefully when we receive it and report any damage we find in our listings.
Please look carefully at the pictures which may also reveal condition and damage. A few cracks and chips throughout the piece. Please see photos for details.
A figural staff or post from the Dogon who live at the base of the Bandiagara escarpment near the Niger River in Mali. This finely carved object could have been carried by a man known as Yo Domolo, a'ritual thief' who was responsible for stealing (acquiring) the various animals needed for the complex funerary rituals so well known among the Dogon. It may have also been used by the blacksmith as an indication of his status among the Dogon.
Among the Dogon art and mythology are often the same, sharing visual images whether carved, spoken or danced during their rituals. Amma, the Dogon Creator God, originally created humans known as Nommo, who were divided into four pairs, male and female, who magically settled onto the earth. Two pair of Nommo are carved into the crook, one pair at the top, a female seated at the front a male close to the handle and another close to the top. Integral to Dogon myth and art Nommo represent various aspects of the creation myth referring not only to the mythological ancestors but also to one's lineage as well as one's own ancestors going back into the mist of time. Therefore it celebrates the gods while at the same time honoring the ancestors. Dogon art is some of the best known and collected of all African art and old examples are rarely seen today. This old carving would hold a prominent place in a collection. "Les Symboles des arts africains".Please visit our About Us page. It is owned by Eliza and Sara, who began the company after spending a year wandering southern Africa in a camper van with their multi-racial family.
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