Dogon Seated Male Ancestor Figure Holding Staff

Hunched forward with beard and staff, this little elder looks ready for a long wait.

This seated male ancestor figure with a staff from the Dogon peoples is Dogon, from Mali, West Africa, and dates to the 20th century. It is bronze. Mali has a long history of bronze and iron casting, and small figures of seated people are found in several of its cultures. Kneeling figure with a narrow face, a small pointed beard, and hands pressed against a rounded belly. A straight staff is tucked alongside, and the brown surface shows lighter, rubbed highlights at the knees. It is 1.5 inches wide, 2.25 deep and 3.5 high.

Patience has never looked so well-fed.