This Dogon granary door lock (ta koguru) is surmounted by a cruciform design. This very abstract form could represent the god amma, coded as such by the sky at the top, the air, and the earth. Water should be symbolized by the rectangular-shaped form carved on the body. It would be also the representation of the four elements and the four cardinal points. It's the same form as the inside compartments of a granary.

Wooden door locks (ta koguru) were used on the doors of dwellings, cookhouses, sanctuaries, and on granary shutters (see attached picture). They were a prized gift for young brides, given to women by their husbands as a sign of esteem and affection once they have given birth to a son, and passed down from generation to generation. As such, they conferred enhanced social status. Each lock is given a name in accordance with its message, person, myth, or any anecdote referred to.
18^th / 19^th century.

If you want to know more about this object, receive a catalog of this site (Acrobat PDF format), or send us your remarks, … click here. Please notify us with this object id : 4323.