Kotoko Bronze Equestrian Figure

Crowd of ridged headdresses jostles on a horse that looks mildly overwhelmed

This equestrian figure is Kotoko, from Chad, Central Africa, and dates to the 20th century. It is bronze. Horses have long been linked with status and leadership in the Sahel, where mounted riders are often associated with chiefs, warriors and courts. Figures with ribbed, domed headdresses crowd together against a scrolled horse neck, with a short tube-shaped horn near the front. A twisted rein hangs below. Heavy banding on the body, and a gray-brown surface with a dusty finish. It is 2.75 inches wide, 0.5 deep and 2.8 high.

Crowded, noisy, and splendidly pleased with itself.