Sacrificial objects - Early-Dogon - Mali

Four ceremonial wooden items. These ritual "ladders" and staff were placed alongside the deceased when they were interred in grottos in the Pays Dogon. These ladders symbolise the transition of the deceased to the afterlife. The small staff symbolises the ritual dances performed at the funeral. Very nice patine or crust on these objects. The lenght of these ladders vary between 32 and 33 cm. The staff is 13 x 26 cm. These items possible date from the Early-Dogon period (pre 19th)., but may indeed be even older and may belong to the predecessors of the Dogon, the Tellem. They lived what is now called the Pays Dogon.
These objects were collected in the Pays Dogon in the 1990`s and are from a private Dutch collection.