This carved wooden stool comes from the Dogon people of Mali and was likely used for ceremonial or symbolic purposes rather than everyday seating. The stool is supported by a series of standing human figures and is flanked by two horse heads. In Dogon culture, horses are associated with prestige and leadership, while stools like this one often indicate status, ancestry, or spiritual authority.
 
The Dogon people are known for their complex cosmology, masked dances, cliffside dwellings, and highly symbolic sculpture. Their visual and ritual traditions reflect a system of beliefs tied to creation myths, social order, and ancestral reverence. This stool integrates those values through its figural design and structural symbolism.