Dagger Surmounted by Decorated Female Figure
Bamana, Mali
Iron, wood, brass
Early 20th century
A superb asymmetrical dagger from the Bamana, topped with an elaborately decorated female figure, and embellished with four square brass rivets, an exceptionally uncommon attribute. Unfortunately, the scholarship on this type is scant, and there is little additional information to report.
A more well-known but still obscure Bamana knife topped with a wooden handle depicting a woman's head is known as Muru. This blade is clearly related to the Muru style, however the depiction of the entire torso is unusual and possibly unique to this example.
Muru daggers have been described as ceremonial objects. SImilar daggers were the prerogative of the Malinke (Mandingo), who are neighbors to the Bamana and belong to the same language group. Their connected cultures have realized considerable mutual influence (Colleyn (ed.), Bamana: The Art of Existence in Mali, 2001; Westerdijk, African Metal Implements, 1984).
Mounted on a custom display stand.
10.25 in :: 26 cm
InventoryID #13-1109
SOLD