BAMANA / DOGON HUNTERS SHIRT
MALI, FIRST HALF OF THE 20TH CENTURY
£260
African & Oceanic Art and Antiquities
Auction: 1 May 2019 from 12:00 BST
Description
cotton, with verses from the Quran written onto the material and embellished with leather charms and pouches
Dimensions
53 x 50cm
Footnote
Provenance:
Private collection, France
Private collection, London
Note:
Shirts such as the present example play an important role in the rituals and ceremonies practiced by the Bamana people of Mali prior to a hunt. The cloth is decorated with verses from the Quran and traditional leather pouches called basi. The charms within them are believed to have special powers to aid in the hunt that will be lost if opened.