Mémoire d’Afrique — Ref. 302
Tellem statue — Dogon, Mali — African tribal art — Ref. 302
Description
This Tellem statue from Mali belongs to the sculptural traditions of the Bandiagara region, predating the Dogon. The Tellem, a people who occupied the cliffs before the arrival of the Dogon, produced elongated figures with arms raised toward the sky, interpreted as appeals to ancestors or spiritual forces.
Tellem statues were generally placed in sanctuaries or rock cavities, accompanying funerary rites and ancestral practices. This type of representation symbolised the connection between the earthly world and the spiritual universe, playing a mediating role between the living and protective spirits.
Carved from dense wood, this piece shows a remarkable patina of age, with natural cracks and signs of erosion attesting to long exposure. One of the raised arms is missing, reinforcing the authenticity of the statue and attesting to its age. The stylised face, with minimalist features and a hieratic expression, is typical of Tellem sculptures.
Technical details
- Type of piece
- Statue
- Category
- Statues
- Ethnic group
- Dogon
- Country
- Mali
- Materials
- wood
- Dimensions
- H 140 × W 27 × D 30 cm
- Weight
- 21,7 kg
- Estimated dating
- second half 20th c.
- Restoration / losses
- Arm missing
- Laboratory test
- Not tested
- Reference
- 302