Dogon peoples, Mali
19th to early 20th century
Wood, encrustation
37 x 8.5 x 8.5 cm (14 9/16 x 3 3/8 x 3 3/8 in.)
2005-6-41, gift of Walt Disney World Co., a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company (cat. no. 30)
More/Less Information
The body and lip plug are that of a female Dogon figure. The multiple heads suggest the fluid nature of the nommo, the primordial spiritual beings that are the focus of Dogon cosmology. The disk on top of the heads serves as an altar surface for libations. This type of figure may have been commissioned to defend the family (the heads are gazing in all directions) and testify to the value of family harmony.
The dots of red, white and black pigment on the backs of the figures and on the center post are unusual. While Dogon masks have painted designs, figures and stools generally have encrusted or eroded surfaces indicative of ritual use.
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