Mossi Biiga or Doll / Fertility Figure

A tall, narrow figure with a pointed head stands very straight on a round foot.

This Mossi biiga doll or fertility figure is Mossi, from Burkina Faso, West Africa, and dates to the 20th century. It is wood. The Mossi of Burkina Faso are known for carved wooden dolls called biiga, which are generally associated with girls and with hopes for children. A slender standing figure with a long neck, a crested head, and angular shoulders, carved in dark glossy tones. Fine incised lines mark the torso, and the figure rises from a round base, mounted on a square black stand. It is 2.25 inches wide, 3 deep and 14 high.

Thin, upright, and entirely free of slouching.