African Arts Gallery

Bambara Targette consists of two nested parts, the trunk, vertical, and the crossbar, horizontal. Locks, usually belonging to women and symbolizing the union of two people, can be offered to them by their husbands on the occasion of a birth or to celebrate the installation of the woman at her husband. It is therefore personal property transferable to girls and daughters-in-law.
Beautiful oiled patina, glossy, abrasion wear.
The Bambara, "Bamana," or "unbelievers," as the Muslims have named them, belong to the great Mande group, along with the Soninke and Malinke, who were established in central and southern Mali.

An unusual pattern for this dogon lock whose central body takes the shape of a fish.
The locks are built on the same principle: a vertical fixed part, and a horizontal slide. The surface of the piece is engraved with a fine grid, disappearing in places.
s dark abraded. The locks, are reinforced by a protection system closely linked to their own symbolism.
The representations found on these locks establish the owner's membership in a clan and show his social position. All the locks had a name in relation to the message it conveyed, a person or story telling the life or an episode of the owner's life.
The patterns are inspired by dogon cosmogony. Here we find a large representation of stylized reptile. Geometric shapes are also present. The intact and ...