Superb Statue - Djenné - Mali (No reserve price)

This intriguing terracotta sculpture was made by the people of Djenné, in Mali. It represents a male figure. The material was worked with great mastery by Djenné’s artisans, whose know-how gave rise to remarkable works in the art of ceramics.

Formerly a prosperous town and an important commercial center of the region, Djenné was located in the inner delta of the Niger River, at the heart of the Mali Empire between the 12th and 16th centuries. The Djenné civilization is considered one of the precursors of the Dogon of Mali.

Capital of the circle of the same name, Djenné lies about 130 km southwest of Mopti, the regional capital, and about 570 km northeast of Bamako, the national capital. It is among the oldest towns in sub-Saharan Africa. Inhabited since the 3rd century BCE, Djenné became a major market and an important center of trans-Saharan gold trade.