Cleveland Museum of Art

Ring

Date

before 1975

Medium

Copper alloy

Culture

Africa, West Africa, Mali, Dogon-style maker

Department

African Art

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

This ring may have belonged to a Hogon, the highest religious dignitary in a Dogon community, who wore it among the many insignia of his status. The horse is a kind of moving throne, indicating the physical and symbolic power of its rider, who is placed physically in space above others. While it is difficult to make out details on the rider, the horse is well-equipped with a bridle and saddle. The circular shapes at the front and back of the animal's sides may represent shields. To make this ring, a smith first modeled it in wax. The wax was covered in clay and melted out when baked, leaving behind a mold to pour liquid metal into. Horses were known in the region of present-day Mali from early eras, recorded in the accounts of the Arab traveler Ibn Battuta in 1352, and in the Malian epic Soundiata , where riders on horseback masterfully used lances and swords

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