Bongo Wood House Post, Based

Before there were walls to hang things on, there were posts to hold the roof up.

In many communities of Sudan and the region, carved posts supported the roofs of homes and granaries, and a face or figure could give the building a protective or commemorative presence. This one, early 20th century, rises seventy-seven inches. At the top, a simple stylized face with deep-set eyes and a long nose, beneath a flat crown. Below, the shaft is shaped into a stack of swelling, ring-like sections, so it reads almost like a standing figure.

Dark, weathered, flecked with pale mineral spots and checks from long exposure. On a square black base.

A stranger worth having over.