A Dogon currency Bracelet ‘Manila’, Mali. Signs of oxidation, use and age. Dogon bracelets, sometimes compared in form or function to the broader West African category of manillas, occupy a complex position within Dogon material culture. The Dogon of central Mali developed a diverse corpus of metalwork in iron, brass, and copper alloys, and bracelets constitute one of the most enduring categories. These objects were not only adornments but also symbols of lineage ties, status, and ritual affiliation. While their shapes vary, many examples exhibit thick, crescentic profiles, flattened or faceted surfaces, and terminals that curve inward or flare slightly, suggesting both durability and controlled elegance. Their manufacture by specialist blacksmiths underscores their embeddedness in the Dogon social world, in which smiths act as mediators between the human and spiritual realms. The broader term manila refers to currency-like metal bracelets produced in large quantities in West Africa, especially among coastal and forest-zone societies, and used in trade, bridewealth, and ritual exchange. Dogon bracelets differ in origin and use, lacking the industrial-scale production associated with imported manillas, yet the conceptual overlap is notable. Both functioned as negotiable objects of value, capable of circulating within networks of alliance and reciprocity. Some Dogon bracelets, especially those cast in copper alloys, echo the open-ring shape and smooth curvature characteristic of manillas, although Dogon pieces tend to be heavier, less standardized, and more locally specific in their iconographic restraint. Within Dogon communities, bracelets form part of the bodily ensemble worn during festivals, funerary rites, and age-grade ceremonies. Their patinas, accrued through long-term handling and ritual exposure, contribute to their visual and anthropological interest. The rubbing, darkening, or mineral accretions seen on many examples testify to their life histories, which often extend across generations. As catalogue objects, Dogon bracelets encapsulate a relationship between the human body, metallurgy, and cosmology, serving as markers of both personal identity and collective belonging. References
 Gallay, Alain. Art des Dogon. Musée d’ethnographie de Genève, 2010.
 LaGamma, Alisa. Art and Oracle: African Art and Rituals of Divination. Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2001.
 Lunsingh Scheurleer, Th. H. Bronzes et cuivres anciens de l’Afrique occidentale. Leiden University Press, 1966. MAZ08006