Dogon Bronze Urn with Nommos, West African crafts, mid-20th century

Dogon Bronze Urn with Nommos, West African Crafts, Mid-20th Century

A gem of ethnic art from the Dogon culture in Mali, ready to join your home!

Both a curiosity and ethnic art from West Africa, this ointment pot or urn comes from the Dogon culture and their cosmogony: The ovoid-shaped container is held by three supernatural hermaphroditic figures standing on a circular base, and topped with a lid on which another anthropomorphic figure, resembling both human and serpent, sits: They are called "Nommo."

The Nommo are beings created by the creator god "Amma," ancestor of the Dogon people. They embody the balance of the opposing forces in nature: earth and water, day and night, order and chaos! Dogon cosmogony holds that they contribute their knowledge of burn care, which is what this ointment jar serves as the basis for: containing a paste or medicine to treat skin ailments.

The figure at the top is the most intriguing: it is a Hogon, in other words, the religious leader of the region, who worshipped the lébé, the sacred serpent (explaining its serpentine shape). He is supposed not to work in the fields, but to remain in his sanctuary, being the master of trade and commerce, and presiding over agricultural ceremonies assisted by the blacksmith.

Crafted in African bronze using the lost-wax technique, each element is made on site and no molds are reused. You have before you a model that is entirely handcrafted and unique! So don't wait any longer, adopt it today.

Fast and careful shipping in France, Europe, and worldwide.

Dimensions:
→ Total height: 41 cm
→ Height without lid: 28.5 cm
→ Total diameter: 12 cm
→ Base diameter: 8.5 cm
→ Weight: 1.7 kg

Ref: B82XX8FBR6