Very beautiful African wooden statue, typical of the Tintam ethnic group of Mali

Height: 61 cm

The Tintam people

A Dogon subgroup, the Tintam are settled to the northeast of the plateau overlooking the cliff where the Dogon are settled, in the middle of a rocky site with a chaotic appearance whose isolation guaranteed them a certain independence from the great powers of the neighboring plain.

Tintam Art

Tintam statues show realistic features, a characteristic hairstyle divided into three parts and a loincloth; they often wear a necklace of amulets.

The statues generally represent characters in daily activities such as maternity, women carrying pots or, as here, women or men raising their arms, an attitude that is often found in Dogon statuary.

It is generally accepted that the raised arms represent a gesture to call for rain; according to other sources, it would be a gesture of imploration towards the god Amma...