Item Description: A seated female figure with arms stretched above the head. Each hand holds a container, the lids of which are kneeling female figurines. Both the larger figure and the female lid-pieces feature a traditional hairstyle common among Bamana women. This sculpture is an ancestor shrine figure.

Cultural Profile: The Bamana reside in an area which was once a great center of trade. They are an agrarian people whose natural resources include iron, gold and silver. Historically, their artisans were highly skilled blacksmiths who forged these metals into tools, jewelry, and other useful items. This along with their pottery making and woodcarving talents made them among the most valuable citizens in the Western Sudan, as well as helped to support the area as a popular trade center. They developed deep plowing techniques for millet and used cattle for plowing and dairy products. Additionally, they used irrigation for cotton and other special crops.