Makonde Ceramic Fetish Doll, Based

A crested head and a blunt, half-finished stance.

This fetish doll was made by Makonde artisans of Tanzania, East Africa, in terra cotta in the late 19th or early 20th century. Figures of this type are often associated with protective or healing power. The torso ends at the thighs, and the arms are pressed against the sides. A small crest of three points rises on top of the head, above a worn, narrow face. The clay is a warm gray-tan with darker black marks across the chest and shoulders, and a loop of thin metal at one hip.

About 9 inches tall. It doesn’t need legs to hold a room.