Carved Tusk
Item
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Accession Number
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2024.9.
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Title
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Carved Tusk
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Ethnic Group
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Dogon
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Subject
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Figure|Ritual|West Africa
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Country
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Mali
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Date
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Early 20th Century
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Medium
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Carved tusk
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Format
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H x W x D: 22 1/4 in x 4 1/2 in x 4 1/2 in (56.515 cm x 11.43 cm x 11.43 cm)
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Description
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The carved tusk depicts an equestrian figure wearing a decorative cap with two faces, one on either side. The inclusion of the two faces may be a reference to dualism, or the dual nature of life. The features on the face have clear characteristics of the Dogon style, such as the large eyes and thin flat beard along the chin. Equestrian statues are common in the Dogon culture, as the horse acts as the agent that carries the human from life into death by raising them closer to the heavens.
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Type
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Figural Statue
