Untitled

Untitled

Granary Door and Bolt

This is a shutter. It is made of wood with metal elements. It was made by the Dogon of Mali, Africa. The shutter is undecorated. It has two sharp pegs on the left side to act as hinges. The slide bolt is on the front and goes through two locks. The first and second locks are on the edge of the shutter. There are two metal nails to fix the locks to the shutter. Both locks have two long pieces of wood on top that have notches carved into them. The front of the locks has a series of geometric designs carved into them. In the center of these designs on both locks are squares that have an “x” within a box. Granary doors and shutters act as protection for a Dogon family’s storage of grain. Shuttered windows that are leveled at the middle of the granary also allowed for access to stored food. The locks may be in the shape of an antelope head. Figures from Dogon mythology, ancestors, masks, scenes of daily life, and nature are common figures on the doors. These figures were thought to act as further protection for what the granary door guarded. Other than protecting food, which is hard to grow on the rocky landscape of Mali, the Dogon place family valuables, and altars inside their granaries for protection.

The Dogon

Martha and Robert Fogelman

The Art Musem of the University of Memphis

ca. 19th/20th century

Neecole A. Gregory

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Wood, Metal, Carving
Door: 15.750x0.500x6.750
Bolt: 11.000x2.000x3.000

2008.2.71.1
2008.2.71.2