Early Bambara Mali Wrought Iron Sculpture. Depicts a warrior with a spear riding on a horse, a classic image from the West African culture. 

Size: 8 1/2 x 10 1/2 in. 

The Bambara are a Mandé ethnic group from West Africa primarily inhabiting southern Mali, and are the largest ethnic group in the country. The name is a fairly recent moniker ascribed to them by the Toucouleur Islamic conquerors in the mid 1800s meaning “Believer” or “Infidel” because of their staunch resistance to conversion. The people are known for fierce fighting skills and their rich history, which includes their role in founding the Mali Empire and later establishing their own powerful kingdoms like Segu and Karta. A strong emphasis on agriculture, a complex social structure, and a vibrant tradition of art, music, and dance, with particularly sought after wood carving and wrought iron sculpture, has made tourism a fundamental part of their existence, as they were some of the earliest African people to embrace the new trend as it emerged in the 20th Century.

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