Dogon status - Dogon - Mali (No reserve price)

Dogon statues are recognizable by their elongated shapes. They depict a figure with arms raised toward the sky. We cannot interpret with exactitude the meaning of this gesture, but it could be that of a prayer (for the gods to grant rain, for example). Stylistically, these Dogon statues resemble those of their predecessors, the Tellem. They are sometimes referred to as the “Tellem style.” Blood from sacrifices, millet porridge, and beer are sprinkled on the statues, giving the patina a crusty appearance. The statues contain both feminine and masculine elements, because for the Dogon the separation between the two sexes is not absolute. Hermaphroditism shows the vital power of these statues.

The Dogon creator god is Amma. There are eight primordial ancestors, the Nommo. They have a sinuous body with a lower part that is serpentine. The sculptures generally depict one of the Nommo.

Apart from these sculptures, the most typical Dogon works are the dance masks. One of their rituals, the sigui, takes place every sixty years. It is intended to atone for sins and features anthropomorphic or zoomorphic masks (antelope, hare, buffalo, monkey, bird, hyena, lion) that are very large in size (up to ten meters for the snake mask). The snake mask is the symbol of the dead ancestor. It is performed on this occasion. The whole community participates in this ceremony. The initiates must keep it and are considered responsible for the ancestor’s soul.

We also know of Dogon shutters or doors; they closed granaries and are very interesting because they represent the ancestors. The sculptures are very stylized.