From the Bandiagara escarpment region of Mali, this granary door is built from its original two joined planks and retains a rare survival: a fully carved wooden lock, or ta-koy, worked in the form of a lizard or crocodile and still mounted in working position. Wood locks are among the most fragile components of a traditional Dogon door, and the vast majority that survive to market have lost their mechanism entirely or had it replaced with later iron hardware. A complete, functioning example carved from the same material as the door itself is genuinely uncommon, and places this piece among the more significant survivals in the collection. The panel shows a deep, unevenly built patina and a full-height crack along the grain, honest evidence of decades of active use guarding stored grain. The reptilian form of the lock connects to broader Dogon cosmological symbolism, where lizard and crocodile motifs appear across carved objects as guardian or ancestral figures. 
Mounted on a custom black stand, the door reads as both functional artifact and sculpture. Place it as a singular anchor piece: at the end of a long hallway, in a stairwell landing, or as the focal point of an entry.

*Origin: DE-COR sourced antique; Dogon tradition; Bandiagara region, Mali, West Africa
*Era: 19th century, possibly earlier 
*Material: Hand-carved two-plank hardwood panel with sculpted wood ta-koy lock (lizard/crocodile form)
*Finish: Natural aged patina, unpainted
*Size: Door 26"W x 2"D x 55.5"H. With stand: 30"W x 12"D x 58"H
*Color: Sandy to dark brown wood tone throughout, lock mechanism matching panel patina
*Condition/Care: Heavy antique wear (full-height crack, minor top-edge losses, deep uneven patina); lock mechanism intact and mounted. Dust with a soft dry cloth only.
*Requires White Glove Delivery: Yes
*Color variance disclaimer: Antique wood tones and patina vary piece to piece; color may appear slightly different due to monitor settings and natural material variation.

This antique two-plank Dogon granary door from Mali retains its original sculpted wood lock, or ta-koy, carved in a lizard or crocodile form and still mounted in place. Wood locks rarely survive intact on doors of this age, making this a notable example within the collection, showing heavy antique wear consistent with an early 20th century or earlier date.

Q: Why is a wood lock rarer to find intact than a metal one on an antique Dogon door?
A: Wood locks were carved from the same material as the door itself, which made them lighter and easier to fit but far more vulnerable to insect damage, splitting, and general wear over decades of daily use. Many original doors that survive today have lost their wood mechanism entirely or had it replaced with iron hardware at some point, so a door retaining its carved wood lock in its original mounted position is considered a stronger and more complete survival by collectors.

(Requires White Glove Delivery)

**Please bear in mind that colors of products shown may vary slightly from their original color due to monitor display settings or photography studio