TERA Gallery - African Art and Antiquities

"Altering The Way You View The World Of Art"
Type of Object:
    Dogon Hair Pins
    18th - 19 c.

    These hairpins, cast by the lost wax process, depict either
    animals or riders.   Although horses are rare, horsemen as
    icon have existed for 1000 years in Mali.  Some would
    depict a Hogon, the supreme officeholder, a semi-divine
    leader of great wisdom, or even a mythological emissary
    from a distant land. Such hair pins are a kind of items
    serving to add the ceremonial dress of dignitaries.

    According to the Metropolitan Museum of ARt's ART OF
    THE DOGON-SELECTIONS FROM THE LESTER
    WONDERMAN COLLECTION (which has an outstanding
    Dogon horse and rider on the cover,) "Dogon figures
    depicting horses and riders reflect the prestige and power
    surrounding an animal that has been associated with royalty
    since horses were introduced to West Africa more than a
    thousand years ago." "Dogon equestrian figures are most
    often identified as images of the HOGON, since in Dogon
    society horses are a luxury generally reserved for rich an
    powerful people. ." Horses appear in Dogon mythology
    about the creation of the world, and the horse has been
    interpreted as a blacksmith who represents NOMMO, or
    other mythological beings. According to DOGON CLIFF
    DWELLERS, by Imperato,  the horse was the first animal to
    leave the ark, in Dogon mythology, and symbolize
    chieftanship, power, and wealth.
.


Ethnic Group:
    Dogon Society
    Ashante Society

Country of Origin:  
    Mali
Material:   
    Brass

Dimensions:

Reference:  
    Reference:African Art of the Dogon by Laude

    Metropolitan Museum of ARt's ART OF THE DOGON-
    SELECTIONS FROM THE LESTER WONDERMAN
    COLLECTION

    DOGON CLIFF DWELLERS, by Imperato