Cimier Tywara / Chi wara - Bambara - Mali
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Wooden cimier Tywara from the Bambara people of Mali, sold with a stand, in good condition; dimensions 490 × 100 × 210 mm.
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Description from the seller
Mali
Bambara
Wood
Length: 490mm
Width: 100mm
Height: 210mm
Mask / crest "Tywara" - African wooden mask from the Bambara (Bamana) people of Mali -
This crest is an emblematic ritual artwork of the Bambara (or Bamana) people, mainly in Mali, in the Sahel region of West Africa. This horizontally oriented sculpted piece is a dance crest of the zoomorphic type called Tyi Wara (or Chiwara).
It is precisely a rare and fascinating stylistic variant: a composite Tyi Wara, combining attributes of the pangolin-anteater (orycteropus), pangolin and crocodile.
1. Stylistic features and composite morphology
While the Bougouni or Segou regions are famous for their vertical, slender Tyi Wara antelope figures, the western and northern regions of the Bambara country (notably Kaarta or Belédougou) favor a horizontal, heavier and composite approach. Photographs highlight this genius of hybridization:
The body of the pangolin / orycterope: The base of the sculpture depicts a stout quadruped, crouched on bent legs with a small raised tail. Its body is entirely carved with rhythmic geometric motifs (triangles and cross-line incisions), simulating both the protective scales of the pangolin and the graphic pattern of cultivated fields.
The head and the crocodile jaw: The long vertical neck supports a monumental head projected forward. The mouth is enormous, linearly opened, evoking an aquatic reptile or river predator, a symbol of power and mastery of river elements.
The horizontal horns of the antelope: The top of the head bears sharp ears and small twisted horns. From these horns extend two immense foliate appendages rearward, carved horizontally and curved upward at their tips. This double structure is deeply inscribed with chevrons, imitating the mane or the texture of the impala’s horns.
Patina and base: The piece bears a dark, matte patina indicating handling. The rectangular wooden base includes small discreet holes that originally allowed it to be attached securely to a wicker bonnet, itself placed on the dancer’s head.
2. Ritual use: The agrarian cult of the Tyi Wara
Among the Bambara, the Tyi Wara refers to a mythical entity, a male secret society, and the crest itself. Its function is exclusively tied to the earth, the community’s survival, and the sacralization of agricultural work.
The myth of the “Beast of the Earth”: According to Bamana cosmology, Tyi Wara was a being half-human, half-animal born from the Mother Earth. With its powerful claws (inspired by the orycterope) and its horns, it taught humans to till the soil, sow grain, and grow millet, transforming barren scrub into nourishing fields. When people became lazy and forgot its benefits, it disappeared underground. Initiates then carved these crests to preserve its memory and invoke its spirit.
The returns of the rainy season: The masks come out in pairs (a male and a female) at sowing or harvest time, during the Tyi Wara society celebrations. The dancers, young accomplished farmers, have their faces hidden under long black raffia fibers fixed to the crest.
The agrarian choreography: Leaning forward, supported by two canes simulating the animal’s forepaws, the dancers mimic the bounding movements of the antelope and the scratching of the pangolin to the sound of women’s songs. This magico-religious performance aims to stimulate the farmers’ ardor, encourage youth to physical labor, and call for rain and fertility on the soil.
3. Symbolic meaning of hybridization
This horizontal crest is a condensation of ecological metaphors essential to survival in the Sahelian environment:
The antelope embodies the sun, the masculine element, and the fire indispensable to plant growth.
The orycterope / pangolin, burrowing animals par excellence, represent the earth, the plowing work of humans, and the link with the subterranean world.
The crocodile (or the wavy motifs of the mane), associated with water and rivers, symbolize rain vital for germination.
By merging these three realms within a single sculpture, the Bambara visually synthesize the sacred alliance of the three cosmological elements essential to life: the Sun, the Earth, and Water.
This crest is extremely stylized, and this form may have inspired Cubist painters of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
The items are shipped with a tracking number.
Delivery to France by Chronopost in 1 to 2 days. Delivery within the European Union by Chronopost International in 3 to 5 days. Delivery by Colissimo International to the rest of Europe and to the entire world.
We speak English.
Mask of African art African mask art arte de máscaras africanas arte delle maschere africane
statue african art Arte de estatuas africanas arte delle statue africane Afrikanische Maskenkunst
Máscara de estatua de galería de arte africano
Seller's Story
Passionate about World Arts and more specifically about African Art, we buy from collectors, former officials, military, health workers, public works staff who have worked in Africa and also in Côte d'Ivoire, from antique dealers and traders who roam across West Africa to find quality objects.
It is with pride that we present works that, beyond their power to beautify spaces, invite our collectors to resonate with the richness and depth of human expression through the most authentic art.
At Arts Ethniques Gallery, we have the privilege of offering our visitors an exclusive selection of artworks, all unique and original. Each piece presented is the outcome of a demanding artistic approach, driven by a singular vision and mastered craftsmanship, all elements that guarantee authenticity and value.
The works we offer are not industrial reproductions. They are individual creations, crafted with sensitivity and precision, each bearing its own story, identity and presence. Originality is the very foundation of our commitment to excellence. Thus, every mask and every statue in our collection is the subject of a rigorous selection, in order to preserve their rarity and singularity.
Acquiring a work from Arts Ethniques Gallery means owning a truly unique piece: a creation that embodies both talent, cultural memory and the expressive force of African art. It is also a lasting investment in a work whose artistic and emotional value transcends time.
We guarantee that every work leaving our gallery is an authentic piece, without replicas, bearing witness to the creativity, heritage and passion of the African artists who shaped them.
We invite you to participate in our gallery’s auctions with confidence. Each presented work is an original, unique and irreplaceable creation, selected with the greatest rigor to guarantee its authenticity and artistic value.
Whether you wish to enrich a personal collection or introduce an exceptional artwork into your space, Arts Ethniques Gallery offers a safe, transparent and professional setting to acquire remarkable pieces.
Art auctions are a privileged moment to discover rare works, capable of becoming the heart of a collection. Acquiring a work at our sales is not just buying an object: it is investing in a creation whose aesthetic value and cultural reach reinforce over time.
The pieces presented by Arts Ethniques Gallery testify not only to the talent and vision of the artists but also possess the ability to transform spaces and enrich the gaze of those who behold them.
Participating in our auctions is taking part in a singular experience, where the passion for art meets the rigors of collecting. Bidding on a work from Arts Ethniques Gallery goes beyond a simple transaction: it is a gesture of commitment and appreciation for art in its most authentic form.
We invite you to bid with passion and to join us in this adventure dedicated to discovery, transmission and celebration of art.
Perhaps your next heart piece is already waiting for you."
Translated by Google TranslateMali
Bambara
Wood
Length: 490mm
Width: 100mm
Height: 210mm
Mask / crest "Tywara" - African wooden mask from the Bambara (Bamana) people of Mali -
This crest is an emblematic ritual artwork of the Bambara (or Bamana) people, mainly in Mali, in the Sahel region of West Africa. This horizontally oriented sculpted piece is a dance crest of the zoomorphic type called Tyi Wara (or Chiwara).
It is precisely a rare and fascinating stylistic variant: a composite Tyi Wara, combining attributes of the pangolin-anteater (orycteropus), pangolin and crocodile.
1. Stylistic features and composite morphology
While the Bougouni or Segou regions are famous for their vertical, slender Tyi Wara antelope figures, the western and northern regions of the Bambara country (notably Kaarta or Belédougou) favor a horizontal, heavier and composite approach. Photographs highlight this genius of hybridization:
The body of the pangolin / orycterope: The base of the sculpture depicts a stout quadruped, crouched on bent legs with a small raised tail. Its body is entirely carved with rhythmic geometric motifs (triangles and cross-line incisions), simulating both the protective scales of the pangolin and the graphic pattern of cultivated fields.
The head and the crocodile jaw: The long vertical neck supports a monumental head projected forward. The mouth is enormous, linearly opened, evoking an aquatic reptile or river predator, a symbol of power and mastery of river elements.
The horizontal horns of the antelope: The top of the head bears sharp ears and small twisted horns. From these horns extend two immense foliate appendages rearward, carved horizontally and curved upward at their tips. This double structure is deeply inscribed with chevrons, imitating the mane or the texture of the impala’s horns.
Patina and base: The piece bears a dark, matte patina indicating handling. The rectangular wooden base includes small discreet holes that originally allowed it to be attached securely to a wicker bonnet, itself placed on the dancer’s head.
2. Ritual use: The agrarian cult of the Tyi Wara
Among the Bambara, the Tyi Wara refers to a mythical entity, a male secret society, and the crest itself. Its function is exclusively tied to the earth, the community’s survival, and the sacralization of agricultural work.
The myth of the “Beast of the Earth”: According to Bamana cosmology, Tyi Wara was a being half-human, half-animal born from the Mother Earth. With its powerful claws (inspired by the orycterope) and its horns, it taught humans to till the soil, sow grain, and grow millet, transforming barren scrub into nourishing fields. When people became lazy and forgot its benefits, it disappeared underground. Initiates then carved these crests to preserve its memory and invoke its spirit.
The returns of the rainy season: The masks come out in pairs (a male and a female) at sowing or harvest time, during the Tyi Wara society celebrations. The dancers, young accomplished farmers, have their faces hidden under long black raffia fibers fixed to the crest.
The agrarian choreography: Leaning forward, supported by two canes simulating the animal’s forepaws, the dancers mimic the bounding movements of the antelope and the scratching of the pangolin to the sound of women’s songs. This magico-religious performance aims to stimulate the farmers’ ardor, encourage youth to physical labor, and call for rain and fertility on the soil.
3. Symbolic meaning of hybridization
This horizontal crest is a condensation of ecological metaphors essential to survival in the Sahelian environment:
The antelope embodies the sun, the masculine element, and the fire indispensable to plant growth.
The orycterope / pangolin, burrowing animals par excellence, represent the earth, the plowing work of humans, and the link with the subterranean world.
The crocodile (or the wavy motifs of the mane), associated with water and rivers, symbolize rain vital for germination.
By merging these three realms within a single sculpture, the Bambara visually synthesize the sacred alliance of the three cosmological elements essential to life: the Sun, the Earth, and Water.
This crest is extremely stylized, and this form may have inspired Cubist painters of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
The items are shipped with a tracking number.
Delivery to France by Chronopost in 1 to 2 days. Delivery within the European Union by Chronopost International in 3 to 5 days. Delivery by Colissimo International to the rest of Europe and to the entire world.
We speak English.
Mask of African art African mask art arte de máscaras africanas arte delle maschere africane
statue african art Arte de estatuas africanas arte delle statue africane Afrikanische Maskenkunst
Máscara de estatua de galería de arte africano
Seller's Story
Passionate about World Arts and more specifically about African Art, we buy from collectors, former officials, military, health workers, public works staff who have worked in Africa and also in Côte d'Ivoire, from antique dealers and traders who roam across West Africa to find quality objects.
It is with pride that we present works that, beyond their power to beautify spaces, invite our collectors to resonate with the richness and depth of human expression through the most authentic art.
At Arts Ethniques Gallery, we have the privilege of offering our visitors an exclusive selection of artworks, all unique and original. Each piece presented is the outcome of a demanding artistic approach, driven by a singular vision and mastered craftsmanship, all elements that guarantee authenticity and value.
The works we offer are not industrial reproductions. They are individual creations, crafted with sensitivity and precision, each bearing its own story, identity and presence. Originality is the very foundation of our commitment to excellence. Thus, every mask and every statue in our collection is the subject of a rigorous selection, in order to preserve their rarity and singularity.
Acquiring a work from Arts Ethniques Gallery means owning a truly unique piece: a creation that embodies both talent, cultural memory and the expressive force of African art. It is also a lasting investment in a work whose artistic and emotional value transcends time.
We guarantee that every work leaving our gallery is an authentic piece, without replicas, bearing witness to the creativity, heritage and passion of the African artists who shaped them.
We invite you to participate in our gallery’s auctions with confidence. Each presented work is an original, unique and irreplaceable creation, selected with the greatest rigor to guarantee its authenticity and artistic value.
Whether you wish to enrich a personal collection or introduce an exceptional artwork into your space, Arts Ethniques Gallery offers a safe, transparent and professional setting to acquire remarkable pieces.
Art auctions are a privileged moment to discover rare works, capable of becoming the heart of a collection. Acquiring a work at our sales is not just buying an object: it is investing in a creation whose aesthetic value and cultural reach reinforce over time.
The pieces presented by Arts Ethniques Gallery testify not only to the talent and vision of the artists but also possess the ability to transform spaces and enrich the gaze of those who behold them.
Participating in our auctions is taking part in a singular experience, where the passion for art meets the rigors of collecting. Bidding on a work from Arts Ethniques Gallery goes beyond a simple transaction: it is a gesture of commitment and appreciation for art in its most authentic form.
We invite you to bid with passion and to join us in this adventure dedicated to discovery, transmission and celebration of art.
Perhaps your next heart piece is already waiting for you."
Translated by Google TranslateDetails
Indigenous object name
Cimier Tywara / Chi wara
Ethnic group/ culture
Bambara
Country of Origin
Mali
Material
Wood
Sold with stand
Yes
Condition
Good condition
Sold by
