Half figure ·  Mali, Dogon · ID: 3036084

Description

wood, dark brown sacrificial patina, without legs rising from a round base, tribe-typical facial features, dam., missing parts (both arms), fine cracks, traces of abrasion, base;
many different substances are used for sacrifice: the blood of chickens, sheep and goats slaughtered for this purpose, millet porridge, flour made from the fruits and seeds of the baobab tree etc. These sacrificial materials are looked upon as vehicles for “nyama”, the vital force that determines a person’s mental and physical well-being.