Dogon Tellem neckrest - Lot 53

Dogon Tellem neckrest Daily use has abraded and matted this simple neckrest, which, thanks to its small size, accompanied its owner wherever he went. 9 x 7 cm The southern plateau overlooking the Bandiagara cliff has been occupied since the 10th century by the Tellem and Niongom peoples. They were later displaced by the Dogon in the 15th century, who fled from the Mandé. The Tellem are the ancestors of the Kurumba of Burkina Faso. In African art, Dogon statuary is not easily distinguished from that of the Tellem or the Niongom, as reciprocal influences have manifested themselves over the centuries. One recurring feature: figures with arms raised above the head, in a position of invocation. African Dogon tribal statues can also be the object of worship by the entire community when they commemorate, for example, the founding of the village. These statues, sometimes embodying the nyama of the deceased, are placed on ancestral altars and take part in various rituals, including those of the sowing and harvesting seasons. However, little is known about their functions.