2x an antique ceremonial vessel, Mandinka People, Mali Africa, Lion King Sunjata

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2x an antique ceremonial vessel, Mandinka People, Mali Africa, Lion King Sunjata:
$2600.00

2014-AB/2st

2 oldCeremonial Jars or Divination bowls

the decoration is refering to the story of the

Lion King Sunjata

these are not ordinary containers for food or water, but objects of ritual importance, they are made by a specially skilled potter for religious rituals

the age is uncertain, but we think they are

end 19th or first part 20th century

made of dark reddish-brown clay, with dark or blackened body surface

decorated in very high relief with human figures and animals

made in West-Africa,usualy this ceramic is from the coastlands, or for example from the Baatonu / Bariba People from Benin, or Yorouba from Nigeria

but the visual story told by the figurativ decoration is from

Mali, the old Empire of Sundiata Keita / Sunjata, the Lion King, in the 13th. Century

and therefore we believe it to been made by the

Mandinka People

also known as: Malinke / Mandinko / Mandingo / Manding

on one pot you can clearly see a male figure riding on the back of a tamed lion and two hunchback figures

The hunchback figures are the grandmother and mother of Sunjata, the mother\'s name is Sogolon

- Sogolon Kedjou / Koudouma / Kondouto / Conde / Kolonkan -

Sogolon was the daughter of Buffalo Woman, their family totem was the buffalo

the story on one vessel (the females pot) shows us how she was choosen above all beautuifull women of the land of Doof King Mansa Gnemo Diarra, who all had gold in their hair and their wrists bent under the weight of heavy silver bracelets, to become, as predicted, the second wife of the King of Mali, King Nare Maghan Konate Keita, with the lion as family totem. Sogolon gave birth to a son who was or became disabled, this was the son of the Lion king and the Buffalo woman, his name was

Prince Jata Keita / Sogolon Jata / Sogolon Djata / Sunjata / Sundiata Keita

on the Lion King pot, you will find Sunjata riding a lion, his mother Sogolon, his grandmother Buffalo woman, his full sisters Sogolon Kolonkan and Sogolon Djamerou, and his halfsister Nana Triban / Nana Faamaga. Nana is probably the girl with the ponytail, she holds a flask or container in her hand, she was the sister who was at the court of Sumanguru and gave Sunjata important information, wich abled him to reconquer his father\'s kingdom and more

visible on the left vessel, the Lion King Pot are:

- 2 human figures with a hunchback, one holding a staff, the other holding a dog-like figure on the rope

- a monkey-like figure

- a female with sacrifications on her forehead and cheeks, holding a divinig/dowsing rod

- a human riding a tamed lion

- a snake, head upwards

- a turtle

- a small female with elaborate ponytail,holding a bottle-like object

this pot is missing a piece, this is a very old damage, judged by the softness of the edges

the right vessel, the Females Pot shows:

- a human with a hunchback holding adivinig/dowsing rod

- a bird-like figure

- a turtle

- a beetle-like figure

- a female with sacrifications on her cheeks holding a dog-like figure, she is held by her left arm by

- a female figure (head is missing) with a heavy necklace, breast of an old women, she wears a bracelet on her right arm, she is held by her left arm by the next figure:

- a female, again with sacrifications on the cheeks, with a delicate coiffure, a bracelet, she also holds the next figure

-a female, again with sacrifications on the cheeks, who holds a stick or staff

condition: authentic, rough surface, some old damages and chips, but the vessels are firm and solid, without cracks, the blackend surface has faded and the edges softened, there are white traces, probably remains of organic, sacrificing material - repeated handling of these artifacts during ceremonies, created a smoothly, worn surface -on the females pot the face of one female is missing - from the other, the Lion King pot, a big opening is there where the face of one of the hunchback figures should be, it seems to big for a chip, perhaps a deliberate forced opening

heights:circa19 cm /circa 7.5 inch

weight: more then2 kg each

provenance:the private Dutch collection of late Frits Liefkes, The Hague, The Netherlands

please note: we are no experts on the subject of tribal art,we have done some research, trying to attribute these items to a land, country, tribe or people, to the best we could -do judge for yourselfthe tribal affilation and the correct age -we are selling this item\"as is\"and wewill notaccept returns if the buyer finds that we are wrong concerning these matters.

free world wide shipping:

- this means the shipping costs are included with the sale price

- you will be ordering registrated shipment from The Netherlands, EU

- at pickup the shippingcosts will be deducted

we are: delta 98 den haag

The Hague, The Netherlands, EU

registrated at:

Chambers of Commerce in The Netherlands / KvK Haaglanden: file 27133335