Koma Terra Cotta Funerary Figure

Stretched thin and bearded, with a head full of tiny teeth and no particular hurry.

This Koma terra cotta funerary figure is Koma, from Northern Ghana, West Africa. Terra cotta is simply fired earthenware, and in West Africa it has been shaped into figures and vessels for well over a thousand years. Slim, tall body with a compact, crested head and a mouth lined with small incised teeth. Arms hang along the sides, and the plain torso tapers into short, rough legs. The finish is a dull, dark brown. It is 2.25 inches wide, 2 deep and 7 high.

Remarkably calm for someone smiling with that many teeth.