This is a very fine old carved wooden Female ancestor sculpture from the Mali, West Africa and the Dogon peoples. The sculpture features a very tall female form of "Ya Kamma" The most important female ancestor, wife of "Kamma" the Original male ancestor. The sculpture was carved in the Ogol style, and as typical for the Ogol circle of artist it is of female gender and in standing position with bent legs, long slender torso framed by openwork arms bent at the elbows. The vertical trunk is rendered within a more or less elliptical diameter from which conical breasts and a similar-shaped umbilicus protrude. The head features a T-shaped nose, C-shaped ears, a thin cylindrical protrusion below the chin representing a labret as was fashion among Dogon women. The labret is counter-balanced by a dorsal braid falling down the nape of the neck. During ceremony, this idol was brought up from the house to the terrace at times of funerals , which has something to do with the theme of death and resurrection. This impressive idol represents the act of receiving and of being resurrected or born anew. Her knees are bent as she rises - reborn.Measures 31 inches tall on wooden base.

heavily weathered and decayed, what remains is stable. Good/Fair condition.