A very fine and well handled old Mossi Bigga doll from Burkina Faso, West Africa.Such dolls are often carved as playthings for your girls to practice being a mother, they were given to little girls in her compound as instructional toys. If a married woman has trouble conceiving her first child, she places a doll called biiga, which is usually larger and more carefully carved than the children's toys, in her skirt at her back where she would normally carry her infant. If this brings her luck and she bears a child, she will treat the doll exactly as she does the new infant. Before the mother washes the child she washes the doll, and she rubs shea-butter on it to give it a beautiful, glossy skin, just as she does her baby. Dressed up in bits of cloth and decorated with bright beads and cheap earrings, these wooden children) are kept by mothers for many years.As you can see this doll has a deep well rubbed surface patina, elaborate style, incised linear designs and is a well handled old example. Custom mounted to professional style base. The Doll measures 14.75 inches tall ( 16.25 inches tall on base)Mossi peoples, Burkina faso, West Africa.

Well handled and worn, good condition.