Figure

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Culture Bamana

Title Figure (Boli)

Date Unknown

Medium Wood, bark, roots, and and incrustation

Dimensions Object: 15 × 6 1/2 × 20 1/4 in. (38.1 × 16.5 × 51.4 cm)
Overall: 15 × 6 1/2 × 20 1/4 in. (38.1 × 16.5 × 51.4 cm)

Credit Line Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University

Accession Number 70.48

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About this Work

According to traditional Bamana beliefs, an energy or force called nyama animates the universe. Objects such as this boli are made to harness that energy and use it for the benefit of the community. The thick, crusty surface is the result of offerings such as millet, other vegetal matter, beer, and chicken or goat blood, all of which are applied to attract nyama and serve as physical evidence of its presence. A boli does not represent a particular creature.

Provenance
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Provenance research is ongoing for this and many other items in the Eskenazi Museum of Art permanent collection. For more information about the provenance of this artwork, please contact the department curator with specific questions.

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Cite this Page
"Figure | Collections Online." Collections Online. Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University, 2025. https://artmuseum.indiana.edu/collections-online/browse/object.php?number=70.48