TERA Gallery - African Art and Antiquities

"Altering The Way You View The World Of Art"
Type of Object:
    Hogan Oil Lamp
    20th c.

    This is an extremely rare hogon iron lamp.  Consisting of a
    three footed stand, three oil receptacles and two tampers.  
    They usually depicted a former leader, seated, standing or
    on horseback. Some would depict a hogon, the supreme
    officeholder, a semi-divine leader of great wisdom, or even
    a mythological emissary from a distant land.  

    These functional iron lamps, with  bowls to burn oil express
    status, prestige and power. They would bring honor to the
    ancestors, the current leadership and the owner of the
    sculpture.

    The raised hands hearken back to the Tellum, who lived on
    the Mali cliffs before the arrival of the Dogon.


Ethnic Group:
    Dogon Society

Country of Origin:  
    Mali

Material:   
    Iron

Dimensions:

Reference:                  
           Laude's AFRICAN ART OF THE DOGON