Dogon ritual oil lamp - Dogon - Mali (No reserve price)

This is a handmade, wrought-iron oil lamp or shea butter lamp from the Dogon or Bambara (Bamana) culture of Mali, often made by Mandé blacksmiths. The piece is made of hand-forged, dark iron with a tripod base. It features a prominent bowl for oil or butter, with small hanging chains or pendants attached. The whole is crowned with a stylized human figure (a Nommo figure or ancestral figure) atop the central support. Overall it is in beautiful original condition, with a time-worn look and signs of use.