Barn Gate

In almost all of Africa, well-filled barns represent material wealth, security and well-being. The barns are usually located in height, they are small adobe silos on palafites intended to store food products. A small staircase allows access. These pantry can have different dimensions and in them they keep the dried or smoked meat, cereals, karite and substances for magic and divination and any other food or substance important to the owner of the barn.

Like other symbols of wealth and power, they often present artistic engravings or sculptures. Beauty is indissociable from what is useful. The decoration of doors and locks, as is customary in African ornamentations, is a transmitter of a message, a proverb, advice or other kind of teaching. In a world where symbolology dominates, rare are doors that use a key or a lock, key or lock that is not necessary to enter the inside but yes to penetrate the inside of the message. Some ethnic groups such as Dogon or the Bambara They disable or remove the latch to desacralize it and sell it to tourists or art traders.

This leek carries the face of a Mukuyi mask on top of a snake. Dark patina.