Mali
Dogon

Bronze
Mid-20th century
Height: 18″ ;  Bell diameter 5.5″
Idiophone-Struck Directly – Metal Bell

This figural bronze head bell possible comes from the Dogon people of Mali in West Africa.   The face of the figure on top has protruding lips and is decorated with tribal figurations on his stomach and down the sides of both separated legs.  This head bell may have been placed on a family altar or kept in the village priest’s shrine where they would have offerings that were meant to infuse them with life force and to assist humans on earth to intercede with the deities.  This unique figural bell is molded using the basic method of lost-wax casting that has been widely practiced on the African continent for several hundred years prior to the arrival of the first western visitors.