Anthropomorphic Dogon Door Lock 19″ – Mali – African Art

$140.00

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SKU: 1015919 Categories: , ,
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Dogon door locks not only serve a purpose – to lock a door – but in many cases, they are carved into beautiful pieces of artwork of all shapes and sizes. This particular lock was carved with a humanoid shape. It measures 19 inches tall, 18 inches wide and weighs 2.5 pounds. The lock comes in two separate pieces and the stand is not included. There is some cracking, scuffing and wear and tear throughout. Please inspect photos carefully.

Type of Object

Lock for granary door

Country of Origin

Mali

Ethnicity

Dogon

Material

Wood, pigment, metal

Approximate Age

Unknown

Height (Inches)

19"

Width (Inches)

18"

Depth (Inches)

3"

Weight (Pounds)

2.5 lbs

Overall Condition

Some cracking, scuffing and general wear and tear throughout.

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Tribe Information

About the Dogon People

The Dogon have become popularized for their ancient tales on human origins and extraterrestrial contact. According to legend, a race of beings called Nommo, came from the star system Sirius, thousands of years ago. The beings are said to have come to Earth and provided humans with knowledge.  They gave the Dogon information about their solar system as well as our own. These same creatures also appear in Babylonian and Sumerian myths.

Oddly, the Dogon did have knowledge for centuries that were, until Galileo and his telescope, unknown to the Western world. They identified Jupiter’s moons and Saturn’s rings and knew that the Sun was the center of our solar system. They have stories about the big bang and other astronomical events. They had awareness about an invisible companion star orbiting Sirius that was unidentified until 1970. It baffles scientists to this day that an ancient race had knowledge of solar systems that cannot be seen without the help of high-powered telescopes.

Read more about the Dogon here.

Additional Information

About the Door Lock

In most of Africa, a narrow, four-sided or round structure known as a granary is used to house harvest goods. Covering the windows and doorways to these granary’s, are beautifully carved wooden doors and locks. Doors and locks have been some of the most prized artifacts for art collectors for centuries. The human and animal motifs are meant to create a strong spiritual force to protect the grain inside. Each door tells a story of the people and time it was created