Dogon Wood Door Lock

A figure stands at the center, arms at the sides, keeping watch over the latch.

This door lock is Dogon, from Mali or Burkina Faso, West Africa, and dates to the 20th century. It is carved wood. Dogon locks were made to secure granaries and houses, and the vertical part is often carved with human figures, which are generally taken to refer to ancestors or protective presences. This lock has a broad rectangular body carved with a checkerboard pattern, framing a standing figure in relief. A second head, with a pointed coiffure, rises above. The horizontal bolt crosses behind it, incised with lines. A comb-like base finishes the bottom. It is 12.5 inches wide and 14.5 high.

A lock that comes with its own watchman.