Dogon Figural Picking Bird Antique African Mask Mali Fine Encrustation, Exquisite Age / Use = SUPERB ! Start Price USD 1,095.00 Current Price USD 1,095.00 Time Left - Bid Count 0 Buy It Now Price - Reserve Price - Start Time Friday, July 18, 2008 End Time Wednesday, July 23, 2008 Location Santa Fe, NM See more about 'Dogon Figural Picking Bird Antique African Mask Mali' Description   An Exquisite Dogon Figural Picking Bird MasqueAntique African Mask - Tribal Sculpture - Mali     A Stunning Old Dogon Picking Bird Mask w Female FigureAntique African Art - Tribal Masque - Mali Collected from the: Dogon peoples of the Bandiagara Cliffs near Ireli in Mali, West AfricaMaterial: Wood, pigmentPeriod: Early 20th centuryDimensions: 30" height, 6.5" width, 5.5" depth; weight is 4.05 poundsCondition: Exceptional. From a private Houston collection, exquisite signs of age and wear from authentic tribal use, age cracks test stable, exposed wood displays significant patination. Make special note of the surface condition, fine encrustation and hole wear, the weathered patina displays liberal traces of skin oil indicative of frequent tribal wear and handling - a superb specimen ! Please click on the photos below to fully appreciate this delightful old masque! And be sure to see the incredible AFRICAN MASKS in our eBay store! Or explore our exquisite AFRICAN SCULPTURES! Click Images to Enlarge Dogon Masks"This mask represents a 'picking bird' (a dyodyomini, according to Marcel Griaule). It may be a dobu, a variety of hornbill. Unlike the kanaga masque, which likewise evokes a bird, the dyodyomini was not intended to be worn in group performances." ?Dogon masks are used primarily for funerals. More than seventy mask types depict a variety of mammals, reptiles, birds, persons, and inanimate objects. Each, with mythical significance, plays a specific role in the sequence of dances.? Dogon masques are used primarily for funerals. More than seventy mask types depict a variety of mammals, reptiles, birds, persons, and inanimate objects. Each, with mythical significance, plays a specific role in the sequence of dances. ?Reference has been made to the great variety of masks employed by the Dogon and the themes they represent. From a quantity perspective, masks constitute the most numerous of the art objects produced by the Dogon. This quantitative pre-eminence is not necessarily reflected in western collections for several reasons. Masks were traditionally discarded every sixty years at the time of the Sigui. Breakage rates were high because of the manner and frequency of use between Sigui festivals. Statuary and small metal objects were far less numerous than masks. But their survival rates were higher because they were not subjected to stress use, were more carefully housed and were not ritually destroyed or discarded as was the case with masks.? See Dogon Cliff Dwellers, Masques du Pays Dogon, African Art in American Collections, and African Masks from the Barbier-Mueller for further details. Dogon Tribal HistoryThe 300,000 Dogon inhabit approximately 700 villages in Mali, primarily along a 125 mile (200 kilometer) stretch of escarpment known as the Cliffs of Bandiagara. These sandstone cliffs run from southwest to northeast, roughly parallel to the Niger River, and attain heights up to 2000 feet 600 meters (2000 feet). Accounts of early Dogon history vary according to the specific Dogon clan and/or archaeological records consulted, with multiple versions of the Dogon origin myth as well as differing accounts of their migration from early ancestral homelands to the Bandiagara region. The people call themselves 'Dogon' or 'Dogom', but in the older literature they are most often called Habe, a Fulbe word meaning 'stranger' or 'pagan'. Certain theories suggest the tribe descended from an ancient Egyptian race that journeyed first to Libya, then on into regions of Guinea or Mauritania. Around 1490 AD, fleeing Mande invaders and/or drought, they migrated to eventually settle in the Bandiagara cliffs of central Mali. Legend has it that a snake led them to the cliffs at the southern end of the plateau, where they overwhelmed and usurped the local Tellem and Niongom populations. Carbon dating on remains excavated from the cliffs indicate the Toloy culture of the 3rd to 2nd centuries BC, and the Tellem culture of the 11th to 15th centuries AD inhabited the area long before the Dogon arrived. The influence of these earlier cultures continue to be noted in Dogon art to this day. Dogon livelihood is based on agriculture production concentrated in fields at the edge of the cliffs where water is scarce, but enough for occasional irrigation. Agricultural dependence has recently forced the Dogon to move away from their beloved cliffs onto the more fertile Bongo plains to maintain their agricultural production of millet, of vital importance to feeding the tribes. Onions, one of their only cash crops, are sold as far away as Cote d'Ivoire. Villagers are known to use bark ropes to scale the towering Bandiagara cliffs in search of pigeon guano and Tellem artifacts that are then sold to subsidize their meager existence. As the Dogon are both Muslims and Animists, their social and religious organizations are closely interlinked. Assimilation of the popular Muslim beliefs was initially somewhat limited by topographical isolation and tribal exclusivity. The four principle Dogon cults of the Awa, Lebe, Wagem, and Binu, significantly contribute to the richness and diversity of Dogon culture. For these various cults the hogon is both priest and political chief of the village. The tribe's self-defense comes primarily from their social solidarity which is based on a complex combination of philosophic and religious dogmas, with the fundamental law being the worship of ancestors. Ritual masks and corpses were enshrined in caves and used for ceremonial rituals. All Dogon villages have at least one togu na, a shelter where the men gather, and a Lebe shrine where the Hogon presides over their rituals. Cat. # dmd6 ************************************************************************************ THANK YOU FOR SHOPPING SANTA FE AFRICAN ART !!!We strive to earn your ***** FIVE STAR ***** rating in all 4 categories! If you are not 5 star satisfied, please contact us immediately! Your Satisfaction is Unconditionally Guaranteed ! ************************************************************************************ Multiple purchases = SUBSTANTIAL savings on your shipping costs! Never a charge for handling! Important Note: UPS and USPS International request a daytime phone number for delivery, PLEASE be sure to include this information with your payment to ensure expedited service. Dimensional weight domestic rates include tracking or free Delivery Confirmation. USPS insurance is optional and highly recommended. We gladly combine shipping for multiple purchases to reduce your costs - simply email us with your Zip or Postal Code for a combined invoice, PRIOR to making payment. We Offer a Variety of Payment Methods to Meet YOUR Needs ! PayPal, bank wire transfer or deposit, money orders, and certified or personal checks are all gladly accepted. Payment is expected within 10 days of auction close. In consideration of discounts given on Best Offers accepted, we respectfully request payment be made within 3 days unless prior arrangements are made. Please contact us directly if other arrangements are necessary - we're always happy to help! Your Satisfaction is 100% Guaranteed !!! Our commitment to customer satisfaction exceeds the standard authenticity or 'as stated' guarantees you may find elsewhere. We endeavor to ensure our collectors are thrilled with each and every item they acquire! Please contact us immediately if - for any reason - you are not pleased with your selection. Your purchase price will be gladly refunded once the item is returned to us, in its original condition, within 14 days of the initial delivery date. Affordable Auction Management and Image Hosting Solutions @ inkFrog view my other auctions below:   visit my entire auction showcase Place a Bid!