Kotoko Bronze Equestrian Figure

The horse has a hooked neck. The riders have opinions.

Kotoko metalworkers of Chad, Central Africa, cast this equestrian figure in bronze in the 19th or 20th century. Kotoko horsemen figures are commonly linked with chiefs and status, and were made by the lost-wax method. Two riders sit crowded on the saddle, one clasping a long stick or staff. The horse’s neck curls into a scroll-like head, a banded cloth wraps the body, and the legs taper to blunt points. The surface is dark green and brown with a soft, mottled patina.

About six inches tall. A small cavalry, on a shelf with room to maneuver.