Striking a dramatic silhouette, this Senufo pulley features anthropo-zoomorphic qualities that suggest a hybrid being both human and avian. The weight of solemnity and monumentality transmitted through this sculpture far transcends its modest physical size.
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Heddle pulleys are used in strip-weaving, a process that uses very small looms to produce long, narrow strips of cloth which are later sewn together to create a larger textile, such as a blanket. The advantage of this type of loom is that it is highly portable and easy to assemble. Heddles are always used in pairs. They are tied together by a string that runs through a pulley situated above the loom. The weaver's feet operate the heddles, alternately, during the weaving process.