A Dan Statue known as purifier of Warriors, collected in the Danane region, Ivory Coast; with two handes at the back and a concave carving where the torso is supposed to be. Dark wood, touch patina; signs of ritual use and age. Dan warrior-purifier statues are sculptural figures used by the Dan people of western Côte d’Ivoire and eastern Liberia in ritual contexts related to protection, justice, and spiritual cleansing. These statues are known within scholarly literature for their association with male initiation societies and for their role in mediating between the physical and metaphysical realms. Often referred to in ethnographic contexts as deangle or lô figures depending on their function and form, these sculptures are most often categorized under the broader practices of Dan religious-political authority. Unlike the more widely known Dan masks used in public performance, warrior-purifier statues are esoteric objects, kept out of public view and used by initiated elders or ritual specialists. These figures serve multiple roles, but their primary function is to neutralize spiritual threats, maintain communal order, and legitimize acts of retributive justice. In contexts of conflict or impurity—whether caused by warfare, murder, witchcraft, or breaches of social law—these figures are invoked as instruments of purification and rebalancing. They may be consulted during rituals to cleanse warriors returning from battle, to protect individuals from spiritual harm, or to punish wrongdoers through supernatural means. The statues are typically carved from dense hardwoods and are of modest size, ranging from about 30 to 60 centimeters in height. They usually depict a standing male figure with a strong, compact body and a head that is often oversized in proportion to the torso, reflecting the importance of spiritual insight and ancestral connection. The eyes are frequently rendered as deep cavities or narrow slits, contributing to a penetrating or otherworldly expression. The facial features are stylized, and the head may include elements such as crests, horns, or coiffures that signify the figure's spiritual potency. Surface treatments of the statues are crucial to their power. They are often coated with layers of sacrificial materials such as palm oil, kola nut juice, blood, and other organic substances. These applications darken the wood and create an encrusted patina that is both protective and symbolic of the figure’s ongoing ritual life. Some figures have embedded materials—metal inserts, shells, or ritual bundles—intended to activate or enhance the statue's spiritual force. The warrior-purifier statue does not act independently; it is part of a system of ritual knowledge and authority exercised by men’s societies such as the go, le, or kwi associations. These societies are responsible for maintaining spiritual equilibrium and enforcing communal laws, especially in the absence of formal state structures. The statue functions as a spiritual proxy, and its presence during oaths, trials, or purification rites lends supernatural legitimacy to decisions or actions taken. Though traditionally restricted to secret or sacred contexts, these figures have entered museum collections largely through colonial-era collecting and postcolonial art markets. As a result, their meanings have often been misunderstood or misrepresented, especially when removed from the systems of belief and ritual that gave them their force. Recent scholarship has worked to restore an understanding of these objects as integral to the religious, judicial, and military dimensions of Dan society, rather than as isolated works of art. References: Vandenhoute, Léo. La société Dan: Religion et rites. Tervuren: Musée Royal de l’Afrique Centrale, 1948. Fischer, Eberhard, and Hans Himmelheber. The Arts of the Dan in West Africa. Zurich: Museum Rietberg, 1984. Holas, B. Contribution à l'étude des croyances religieuses des Dan. Abidjan: IFAN, 1968. Geary, Christraud M. Art, Artifact, and Utility: African Objects in U.S. Collections. Washington D.C.: Smithsonian Institution, 1981. Siegmann, William. African Art: A Century at the Brooklyn Museum. New York: Brooklyn Museum, 2009.