Dogon Wooden Door Lock — Mali
• Seller: Alobalo
• Origin: Mali — Dogon peoples (Bandiagara Escarpment region)
• Dimensions: 28 cm x 28 cm
• Material: Carved wood with iron pin/bolt mechanism
• Condition: Age-consistent surface wear; iron element shows expected oxidation; mechanism intact and functional in appearance
The tribal piece:
A hand-carved wooden door lock in the traditional Dogon style, standing on two carved legs and combining a fixed vertical body with a sliding horizontal bolt bar. The lock's surface is richly decorated with geometric carving — crosshatched diamond patterning across the central panel, bordered by notched and fluted bands along the top and base edges. Two small projecting horn-like elements rise from the upper body, a recurring stylistic feature in Dogon locks often read as stylized animal or figurative references. A forged iron pin passes through the mechanism, securing the sliding bolt in place — the working parts of the original locking system. The wood shows a warm, weathered patina throughout, consistent with genuine functional use over time on a door or granary entrance.
• Seller: Alobalo
• Origin: Mali — Dogon peoples (Bandiagara Escarpment region)
• Dimensions: 28 cm x 28 cm
• Material: Carved wood with iron pin/bolt mechanism
• Condition: Age-consistent surface wear; iron element shows expected oxidation; mechanism intact and functional in appearance
The tribal piece:
A hand-carved wooden door lock in the traditional Dogon style, standing on two carved legs and combining a fixed vertical body with a sliding horizontal bolt bar. The lock's surface is richly decorated with geometric carving — crosshatched diamond patterning across the central panel, bordered by notched and fluted bands along the top and base edges. Two small projecting horn-like elements rise from the upper body, a recurring stylistic feature in Dogon locks often read as stylized animal or figurative references. A forged iron pin passes through the mechanism, securing the sliding bolt in place — the working parts of the original locking system. The wood shows a warm, weathered patina throughout, consistent with genuine functional use over time on a door or granary entrance.