Dogon Tellem Female Statue Mali
Width: 3.0
Depth: 3.5
Description
The described Dogon figure is a standing representation in a "Tellem" position, embodying ancient spirits revered by the Dogon for bringing rain to their arid land. The figure, influenced by older cave depictions where the Dogon buried their dead, may symbolize an ancestor or a Nommo, one of the primordial figures created by God. Positioned on a family altar or in a village priest's shrine, the figure serves as an intermediary to deities, receiving offerings and sacrifices for spiritual assistance. The Dogon people, numbering around a quarter of a million, settled in the cliffs of Bandiagara around 1490, absorbing the Tellem culture and giving rise to the distinctive "Dogon style." The meaning of these statues is subject to various theories, from a "prayer for rain" to priestly mediation for ancestral contact. The enigmatic nature of Dogon art, shrouded in myth, remains largely preserved due to centuries of cultural isolation, making the Dogon a fascinating and enduring cultural phenomenon.
Height (In) 15.0
Width (In) 3.0
Depth (In) 3.5
143035
Approximate Age: 20th Century
People: Dogon
Country of Origin: Mali
Material
Condition
Overall Condition: Fair. Most of our pieces have spent decades on at least two continents, and have been treasured by several owners.