Collection ofAfrican artBelgian. This African statuette represents a horsewoman holding a spear. Its brown patina has residual ocher encrustations. The Dogon of Mali are known for their frequent representations of horsemen, which echo their cosmogony and their complex religious myths. According to these stories, one of the Nommos, ancestors of men, was resurrected by the creator god Amma and descended to earth carried by an ark transformed into a horse. Furthermore, during his enthronement, the highest religious authority of the Dogon people, the religious leader called Hogon, paraded on his mount, not having to set foot on the ground according to custom. In the region of the Sangha cliffs, where access on horseback is impossible, the priests wore it, evoking the mythical ancestor Nommo by neighing. Dogon blacksmiths, forming an endogamous caste called irim, play a crucial role in society. They not only produce weapons and tools, but also work with wood. Nicknamed the “Masters of Fire” in Dogon cosmogony, they are associated with the primordial beings “Nommo” created by the god Ama and are renowned for their ability to heal burns. Small metal objects, made using the lost wax technique, were once common in the Inner Niger Delta region, where copper was transported through the trans-Saharan trade. However, with the Islamization of the region, which prohibited human representations, these small ritual objects gradually disappeared.
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