Kneeling female figure, ca. 1500 AD ·  Mali, Djenne · ID: 3040448

Description

beige terracotta, elongated leg zone, raised tattoos on the temples, adorned with necklace in shape of a snake and incised bracelets, small deepenings in pairs at shoulders, back and lap possibly for insertion of blood sacrifices, slightly dam., missing parts (right shoulder, left side of the body);
the old town of Djenne “Jenne-jeno” was founded at around 800. In the region of this city terracotta statues had been found since 1943, which were called “Djenne” after their main archaeological site. Scientific analysis date the findings between the beginning of the 11th and the end of the 17th century. There is speculation about the creators of these figures and it is believed that they were peoples of the old Ghana kingdom, who immigrated to the area of the Niger delta.

The object Kneeling female figure, ca. 1500 AD with the object ID 3040448 was part of the auction 83rd Tribal Art Auction on May 28, 2016. The object with the lot number 142 achieved a sales price of EUR 8,000 with an asking price of EUR 3,000.

You can find more Figures and other popular object types on our related topic pages. You may also be interested in our page on African art.

Expertise

Thermoluminescence Test, 08.02.1988

Comparing literature

Publications

Arnold Bamert, Afrika, Stammeskunst in Urwald und Savanne, Olten 1980, p. 41; C.Guimont, Arts d' Afrique noire 1978, p. 12

Notices

This object is subject to the UNESCO Cultural Heritage Protection Act. Export documents are required for export (subjected to a fee).