Mémoire d’Afrique — Ref. 221
Seated ritual statue — male figure with offering — Bambara, Mali — African tribal art — Ref. 221
Unavailable
Description
This ritual statue comes from the Bambara people of Mali. It represents a seated male figure holding a vessel, a motif often associated with libation ceremonies, initiatory rites and cults of spiritual protection in the Gwan and Jo secret societies.
In Bambara tradition, carved male figures may embody ancestors, protective spirits or figures of initiates who have reached a high degree of wisdom. This posture, with bent arms holding a cup, is typical of ritual representations dedicated to sacrificial practices or offerings to the spirits of the territory.
Made from wood, the statue shows an old patina attesting to its use in ceremonial contexts. The wood shows signs of advanced wear, marked cracks and natural alterations, suggesting prolonged exposure to the elements or long use. The presence of certain deteriorations and losses reinforces its authenticity and age.
Technical details
- Availability
- Unavailable
- Type of piece
- Statue
- Category
- Statues
- Ethnic group
- Bambara
- Country
- Mali
- Materials
- wood
- Dimensions
- H 39 × W 13 × D 17 cm
- Weight
- 0,855 kg
- Estimated dating
- second half 20th c.
- Laboratory test
- Not tested
- Reference
- 221