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Originally Posted by katana
Hi Fernando,
I am still skeptical that it represents a Jackal. One of its characteristics is its pointed ears...surely a representation would have this feature 
I have searched the many forms of Dogon masks but cannot find one that is described as a Jackel...or has rounded ears / large eye ridges/ 'cobra hood'.
There is an African wild dog that has the rounded ears but the Dogon area is not within it's 'range'. There is , of course, the possibility that the sword, although acquired from the Dogon was manufactured elsewhere.
If it is a Jackal ..couldn't the sword be descibed as a 'dog on sword'  
If I discover any relevent information I will post it for you.
Kind Regards David |
Thank you for your colaboration David,
I know nothing yet can be taken as definite.
Also we can't tell what parts of whatever animal are more or less stylized (caricatured) in this work, unless we see something of the kind.
Yes, the wild dog (Lycaon pictus)
used to exist also in the Mali region, but not any longer.
I think that, once establishing the solidity of the information about the sword having been bought from the Dogon, at a litle village in their Mali region, i see no reason for it not being their work. I am emailing Ashoka Arts, asking him what he would say about it.
Sometimes i look at this figure and feel that the position it has on the pommel, is relative to its actual anatomy ... meaning it would be an animal with an upright neck and a nape, therefore excluding reptiles.
Fernando