The sculpture of two seated human figures was made by the Dogon of Mali. Upon this are seated a male and female, the male with his left arm around the female’s shoulders. They have traditional Dogon proportions, with short legs, long torsos and elongated arms. The male’s chest rendered as a single block while the woman has prominent breasts. One of the most striking aspects of the representation is the degree of bilateral symmetry that describes man and woman as reflections of each other with delicate and subtle departures that indicate their distinct identities. The significance of the piece is rooted in Dogon mythology, as – like most African groups – ancestral couples featured heavily in their creation myths, and were revered as gods in their own right. The sculpture is implying a long history of handling and usage, probably by the hogon (i.e. shaman) of a large Dogon group.