H x W x D: 207 x 46.3 x 33.5 cm (81 1/2 x 18 1/4 x 13 3/16 in.)
Type:
Architectural Element
Geography:
Mali
Date:
Mid-20th century
Label Text:
This type of ladder--basically a notched tree--provided people with a way to access their roofs as outdoor living spaces or to reach the upper levels of their granaries. While most often identified with the Dogon peoples, similar ladders are used by many groups that build baked or pounded mud house compounds from northern Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana and Togo to Burkina Faso.
Description:
Tall Y-shaped notched wood ladder with well-worn steps.
Provenance:
Drs. James and Gladys Strain, Riverdale, New York, 1999-2000 to 2011
Michael Oliver, New York, -- to 1999-2000
Exhibition History:
African Mosaic: Selections from the Permanent Collection, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., November 19, 2013–August 12, 2019 (deinstalled January 21, 2015)
African Mosaic: Celebrating a Decade of Collecting, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., November 19, 2010-March 1, 2013
Content Statement:
As part of our commitment to accessibility and transparency, the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art is placing its collection records online. Please note that some records are incomplete (missing image or content descriptions) and others reflect out-of-date language or systems of thought regarding how to engage with and discuss cultural heritage and the specifics of individual artworks. If you see content requiring immediate action, we will do our best to address it in a timely manner. Please email nmafacuratorial@si.edu if you have any questions.
Image Requests:
High resolution digital images are not available for some objects. For publication quality photography and permissions, please contact the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives at https://africa.si.edu/research/eliot-elisofon-photographic-archives/