Among the Bamana of Mali, for example, male blacksmiths and woodcarvers constitute a professional caste. They are commissioned by political and initiation associations to create ritual objects. Art and style Masks, which often combine human and animal traits, or traits from different animals, are used in agricultural, funerary, or entertainment performances. Figures may combine commemorative, ancestral, and protective functions. Sculpture from the Western Sudan tends to be angular and elongated, and anatomical details are often minimally suggested.
Surfaces are matte or encrusted from repeated libations.
Brilliant pigments are frequently applied, particularly to masks and headdresses, but they fade with time.