Makonde Fetish Doll Depicting Quadruped

A small clay ram, stubborn by design.

Makonde makers of Tanzania, East Africa, made this terra cotta fetish figure in the late 19th or early 20th century. Animal figures in clay are often associated with protective or ritual use. This one reads as a horned beast, with a thick curl at the side of the head and a small beard-like point beneath the chin. The body is sturdy and rectangular, set on four squared legs. The surface is a dry, dark brown, rubbed smoother along the back.

About 9 inches long. Place it where you want something steady looking back.