#71 • Artifact: Dogon Granary Door

Part of Estate: African Art, MCM Furnishings, Artifacts - West Hartford, CT (timed auction by Adams Auctioneers & Appraisers)

High bid $39.00

Status: Sold

Hand carved Dogon granary door, or attic shutter, from Mali West Africa. It's on a black metal base. Door measures 19 1/2” wide by 25 1/2” tall including base. Overall height is 81”. Each piece is a solid piece of wood. This granary door is from the Dogon people of Mali and dates from the mid-20th century. Most West African wood carvings fall prey to termites, and very few older examples survive. The carvings on the door panel depict male and female figures, and the female breast, which is typical of fixing and channeling power from the ancestors. The large figure in the upper right-hand section of the door is wearing a ceremonial "Kanaga Mask" depicting a human, most likely an ancestor used to protect the harvest.