Standing figure ·  Mali, Dogon · ID: 3040703

Description

wood, surface structure marked by sacrificial traces and remains of pigments, fragmentary (lower legs missing), 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.