This 50-inch door (height excludes the carved top finial) is a two-plank granary or compound shutter door most consistent with the Dogon tradition of Mali or a closely related Gur-speaking group from the Burkina Faso and Ghana borderlands, the same conical-boss motif has been documented as Dogon elsewhere in this catalog, so I'm using the honest dual attribution rather than picking one without a clearer tiebreaker. The face carries four large, high-relief conical bosses arranged in a two-by-two grid, a fertility or protective motif associated with granary and compound doors across this broader Voltaic region. Construction is heavy and raw, two thick hand-adzed hardwood planks with an irregular organic perimeter, joined with hand-forged iron staples and retaining an original iron pull bracket on the reverse and a carved pivot lug at the top corner. The patina is a deep, smoke-darkened brown consistent with decades of hearth use, possibly extending into the late 19th century given the depth of wear. At 29 inches wide and 50 inches tall, it's compact enough for a smaller wall, a hallway, beside a fireplace, or grouped with other geometric or figural pieces.
*Origin: Dogon (Mali) or related Gur-speaking Gurunsi/Nuna/Kassena tradition, Burkina Faso/Ghana borderlands
*Era: Early 20th century, possibly late 19th century (estimated from patina depth, wear, and repair technique)
*Material: Hand-adzed hardwood, hand-forged iron staples and pull bracket
*Finish: Deep smoke-darkened patina, raw hewn surface
*Dimensions: 29"W x 1.5"D x 50"H (door only, excludes carved pivot finial)
*Condition: Heavy antique wear consistent with genuine age and hearth-smoke exposure, structurally stable, original iron hardware and pivot lug intact
An antique two-plank granary or compound door, Dogon (Mali) or a related Gur-speaking tradition, carved with four large conical bosses, hand-forged iron staples and pull bracket, and a smoke-darkened patina.
Q: What do the four raised bosses on a door like this one represent?
A: Large conical bosses like these are documented in this broader Voltaic region, Dogon territory in Mali and neighboring Gur-speaking areas of Burkina Faso and Ghana, as a fertility and protective motif, often read as stylized breast forms tied to agricultural abundance and the nourishing of stored grain, alongside a practical role warding off vermin from a working granary door. The exact symbolic reading can vary by specific community, so we hold the attribution at the regional level rather than naming one narrow tribal source.
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• **Please bear in mind that colors of products shown may vary slightly from their original color due to monitor display settings or photography studio.
