African Dogon Tobacco Box

The handles of this finely detailed piece are carved to resemble a horse’s head at one end, and tail at the other, with the vessel as the horse’s body. This “dish”, or “Ark of the World”, represents the Ark in Dogon Mythology in which Monno, the father of humankind, and various other gods came down to Earth. It is 8.5 inches tall, 22 inches long.