Mossi Biiga or Doll / Fertility Figure, Based

She has no face to speak of, and she has been loved for it.

This biiga, or fertility figure, was carved by Mossi people in Burkina Faso in the 20th century. Biiga dolls of this kind are traditionally carried and cared for by young girls and women, a rehearsal and a blessing for motherhood. The head is a tall, domed cap cut with a fine diamond pattern, set on a long, slender neck. Below it the torso broadens into a flared column, with one arm raised and shaped in low relief, and shallow incised lines cross the body. The wood has darkened to a deep, glossy brown, polished by hands.

About thirteen and a half inches tall, on a simple black base. Elegant, upright, and a little mysterious.