"Two Rain Figures with Raised Arms" is a wood sculpture created by the Dogon Tribe in Mali Africa. The single figure with raised arms is one of the most distinctive subjects of Dogon sculpture. It is commonly agreed that this pose is a gesture of prayer, the figure reaches toward the sky in order to bridge the heavens with the earth. Some historians have suggested that this pose is specifically meant to represent an appeal for rain. In the case of these specific statues, the figures could be interpreted as having vessels raised above their heads in order to collect the rain.

Size: 16" tall, the base is 5" x 5"

The Dogon tribe is an indigenous group of people that live within the rocky steep slopes of the central plateau region of Mali in West Africa. Established by refugees who retreated from the Muslim-controlled lands in order to avoid being converted to Islam. This early oppression, and continued persecution from jihads and later French colonialists, pressured the Dogon people to settle along the walls of the Bandiagara Escarpment in nooks and crannies in order to better protect themselves. This isolation has preserved their intensely spiritual culture and traditions for nearly 1,000 years. The relatively dry climate of the region has had the fortunate effect of preserving Dogon artworks for far longer than is usual for African wood sculptures.