Makonde Fetish Doll Depicting Quadruped

Low to the ground, long in the back, ready to move.

This quadruped fetish figure comes from Makonde makers of Tanzania, East Africa, and is terra cotta, made in the late 19th or early 20th century. Such figures are generally associated with protective or ritual roles. The body is stretched and horizontal, carried on a pair of short front legs and a single sweeping back leg that curves like a tail. A shaggy head with a curled horn or ear sits forward. The clay is pitted, dark gray and heavily textured.

About 9 inches long. It prowls rather than stands, even on a shelf.