Dogon 2-Headed Male Horned Figure with Crossed Legs

Two heads, one body, and a pair of horns thrown in for emphasis.

Dogon metalworkers of Mali, West Africa, cast this double-headed male figure in bronze. Dogon bronzes are commonly associated with ritual and altar use, and doubled or horned forms often point to ideas of pairing and spiritual duality. The body is a narrow, elongated column with arms dropping straight down along the sides, and the legs cross at the base. Both heads sweep upward into pointed horns. The surface is brown with traces of green and rust, rough and pitted from the casting.

About 15 inches tall and barely 3 inches wide. A slim tenant for a narrow shelf.