Malian Figure Depicting Two Headed Quadruped

Two-headed horse of wire and wrapped joints, with a looped tail overhead.

This iron figure of a two-headed quadruped from Mali is from Mali, West Africa, and dates to the 20th century. Forged iron figures from Mali often show animals in simplified form, and some combine features in ways that are open to interpretation. Four straight legs hold a long tubular body. Two narrow heads with pointed ears lean off the front on a shared neck, and the tail lifts in a closed ring. Dark brown to black, with small wrapped bands at the joints. It is 6 inches wide, 3 deep and 6 high.

Doubled up on heads, as a precaution.