These wood statues are a one of a kind pair, hand carved by the artists of West Africa.

These are examples of rare Dogon sculptures. The Dogon people live in Mali and their art form was influenced by the art of the people (The Tellem) who lived in those parts before them. However, over centuries, the Dogon, who are noted mostly for their sculpture, refined their art to represent their own mythology.

Recent Dogon sculptures show a form of cubism that is evident in this sculpture. Even though their sculptures were more modern than those of the Tellem before them, they still retained the rectilinear aspects. Other aspects of cubism in Dogon art include: ovoid head, square shoulders, elongated body, pointed breasts, limbs on a parallel plane and hairdos styled in three or four lines, all of which can be found in these carvings.

The sculptures represent a Nommo pair. The Dogon mythology described two sets of these beings. The first set is only a pair. They were directly descended from the second copulation of Amma, the chief god of the Dogon mythology, with the earth. These two Nommo were bisexual water gods, created in heaven but descended to the earth in an ark. Both Nommo had both male and female elements but in one, the male element dominated while in the other, the female element dominated. It was the Nommo in which the female element dominated who gave birth to the second set, eight Nommo (four couples) who were the first men, messengers of Amma and incarnations of his life force.

These sculptures represent one of the four later Nommo couples. The Dogon people represented the first sets as hermaphrodites or as beings with no joints and one leg each. However, these later Nommo still bear the godlike attributes of the first ones.

The extensive scarifications on the body represent the immense beauty of these beings. While their closed eyes and downward look suggests peace and grace, the sharp teeth represents immense power. The bulging navel is symbol of the life force which they carry (the navel is mostly associated with life and conception in African culture because of the connection of the mother to the baby by the umbilical cord at the navel).

These statues are shown without feet on a high pedestal because they are represented as emerging from the water. The Nommo are thought to be alien visitors who came over water to visit the Dogon people (but maybe their ancestors who are traced to Egypt). Such alien visitations from across water in similar manner have been documented in other ancient cultures too. In fact, the Dogon attribute their uncanny knowledge of astronomical bodies and movements to the Nommo such as depicted in these sculptures.

Click here to see all of our West African tribal statues. Please email info@lotusmasks.com or call us, 203-554-2385.

Care: Mainly for indoor use. Dust as needed.

Shipping is calculated from Greenwich, Connecticut after the purchase.  This piece is too large to ship via UPS ground and will be shipped using a "white glove" service like ABF Shipping or UPS Freight.  Time is needed to pack the piece in a crate.  Each piece is usually shipped within 3 working days.  If you place your order online shipping will show in the order as $0. Shipping will be calculated based on the weight of the sculpture and the distance from Greenwich, CT to determine the shipping price. Shipping will then be added to the total after the order is placed.  Please call 203-554-2385 or email us info@lotusmasks.com for a shipping quote.