Mossi Biiga or Doll / Fertility Figure

A flat cap of a head, one drooping ear, and a body that runs to a single stem.

This Biiga or doll, a fertility figure, is Mossi, from Burkina Faso, West Africa, and dates to the 20th century. It is carved wood. Mossi biiga dolls are generally made for girls and women and are often linked to fertility and the care of children, though practice varies. The head is a tall, flat topped dome incised with fine lines, with one long ear hanging down at the side. A thin neck leads to a small angular chest, and the body is a slim column, scratched with crossed lines. The wood is dark and worn. It is 1.75 inches wide, 3.25 deep and 12.1 high.

Spare, and not at all short of character.