Gurunsi Door Lock

The Gurunsi people of Burkina Faso and northern Ghana, like many of their West African neighbors, once carved stylized doors and locks out of wood to secure the entrances of homes, granaries and shrines. This highly developed custom of crafting aesthetic designs for utilitarian purposes faded over time, with contemporary metal hardware replacing the once ubiquitous tradition. As a result, wooden door locks like this one are a rare find. This lock features a wonderfully weathered and incised patina, with metal locking pins still in place and a unique arrow shape on the lower half of the piece.

12″

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