Dogon Tellem figure

This Dogon Tellem figure represents one of the most remarkable and historically significant forms of African wood sculpture. Originating from the Tellem people of Mali, the “those who were here before us,” these ancestors inhabited the Bandiagara Escarpment long before the present-day Dogon arrived. They created unique wooden statues with a stylized, simplified aesthetic and a distinctive dark, crusty patina—some of the oldest surviving examples of African wood art, dating between the 11th and 15th centuries.

The Tellem, a farming people likely from the Niger River region, sought refuge in the natural crevices and caves of the escarpment to escape external pressures, such as the expansion of the Ghana Empire. During this period, they produced their remarkable sculptures, which were later discovered by the arriving Dogon. These objects were incorporated into Dogon altars and inspired subsequent Dogon statuary traditions, including the famous figures with raised arms.

This particular statue, sourced from the esteemed B. Berete collection, exhibits exceptional craftsmanship, a rare and well-preserved patina, and an extraordinary sense of historical presence. Only one comparable high-quality example is known to exist on the market (the R. Duperrier collection, sold in 1993), highlighting the extreme rarity of such pieces.

Dogon Tellem figures are not only visually striking but also culturally and historically profound: they encapsulate ancestral memory, ritual significance, and the early development of sub-Saharan African art. This piece is an outstanding opportunity for collectors, museums, and galleries seeking a museum-quality artifact with deep provenance and cultural resonance.

Highlights:

• Authentic Dogon Tellem figure from Mali

• Early sub-Saharan African sculpture (11th–15th century)

• Rich, dark, crusty patina from ritual use

• Historically connected to ancestral and ritual practices

• Rare collector’s item with museum-quality provenance