A fragmentary terracotta sculpture in the style of Bankoni, Mali, incl. stand. Specifically, the Bankoni style is a ceramic style that - along with the Djenne style - was the most important stylistic subdivision of the Mali Empire. The Djenne and Bankoni styles existed at the same time and the people of these two cultures lived around the cities of Djenne-Djenno and Bamako.Djenne and Bankoni sculpture are of great importance in the development of West African art styles. We find seated, standing and kneeling human figures, as well as equestrian and zoomorphic/anthropomorphic sculptures. Djenne pieces tend to be naturalistic, while Bankoni sculptures tend to have elongated proportions. We know almost nothing about their culture, apart from their apparent sophistication. These cultures were obviously highly socially stratified. We find there signs of distinction and wealth such as scarification, jewellery, horses and prestige objects, and the sculptures themselves. Please note that in absence of laboratory tests, the attribution is provided for reference only, based on our knowledge and experience in the field. Whereby we can only determine an exact age stylistically. Lit.: Karl-Ferdinand Schaedler, Erde und Erz. 2500 Jahre Afrikanische Kunst aus Terrakotta und Metall, 1979. CAB44858