Dogon - Mali

An excellent Dogon with arms raised, iconographic heritage of their Tellem predecessors. These sought-after figures are a canon in the Dogon world, their pose calling to the sky, the surface covered with layer after layer of organically derived materials ritually offered. Occasionally they suffered damage, one arm broken, or both, or the base, etc., but a detailed analysis indicates they were not removed from worship; such was their importance that they continued to be used and those broken parts would regain the patina of sacrifice. Height: 27 cm.