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Title:Legends, Sorcerers, & Enchanted Lizards : Door Locks of the Bamana of Mali
Author:Pascal James Imperato; Foreword by Robert J Koenig
ISBN:0841914141 : 9780841914148
Illustrations:b/w photos
Format:Paperback
Size:240x255mm
Pages:93
Weight: .522 Kg.
Published:Holmes & Meier Publishers Inc - December 2001
List Price: 18.95 Pounds Sterling
Availability:In Print
Subjects:African studies: Carving & carvings: AFRICA


The Bamana people are known for their rich artistic traditions, including the creation of masks, statues, door locks, head dresses, and ritual and utilitarian objects: their door locks are among the most remarkable of all African art. Sculpted of wood in a rich variety of forms, they depict mythological and historical figures, social events, and representational figures -- crocodiles, lizards, tortoises, owls, bats, butterflies, humans. Known as 'konbarabara', these exquisite locks were once presented to young women at the time of their marriage and affixed to the doors of their new homes. The beauty of the carvings and the ingenuity of the locking systems present a fascinating study of this unusual art form. The volume is divided into three parts. Part 1 provides an overview of the Bamana people and their philosophical and spiritual beliefs. Part 2 presents a comprehensive discussion of Bamana doors and locks. Part 3 contains sixty-nine photos each with detailed captions explaining the symbolism of the various forms, interpretations of graphic signs, and descriptions of the locking devices.

"...well researched and lucidly written. ...a welcome addition to Bamana studies and more broadly to African art studies..." -- Mary Jo Arnoldi, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution.