Fon Iron Fertility Fetish, Based

Spot a narrow dark cap tops a long rod, with one small bump partway down the stem.

This iron fertility fetish figure on a base is Fon, from Togo, West Africa, and dates to the 20th century. Figures called fetishes in the older literature are made to be activated and used by a priest or owner, and their meanings depend on the community that made them. Essentially, a small rounded-pointed cap sits on a thin upright shaft, which meets a short flat foot on a black stand. The surface is mottled brown with a gritty texture and a tiny ring or pin visible mid-stem. It is 3 inches wide, 1 deep and 8 high.

Spare, upright and quietly pleased with itself.