Kuba Vessel with Incised Pattern

A braided band wraps the belly, and the red in its grooves makes the carving stand out.

This vessel with incised pattern is Kuba, from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Central Africa, and dates to the 20th century. It is carved wood. Kuba carvers are known for covering everyday objects with intricate geometric patterns, many with names and meanings of their own. The rounded body is dark and glossy, rising to a wide, everted rim. Around its widest part runs a deep interlaced band carved in relief, its recesses filled with a reddish brown. The base below is smooth and slightly flattened. It is 7.25 inches deep and 6 high.

Ornament where it counts, and polish everywhere else.