Nigerian Akwanshi Figural Marker, Based

Two round eyes and a ringed nose, looking out from a boulder with great composure.

This Akwanshi figural marker comes from Cross River, Nigeria, West Africa, and dates to the 13th or 14th century. It is stone, shown on a base. Akwanshi stones of the Cross River region are generally believed to commemorate ancestors or important figures, though much about their meaning is still debated. The face is pecked into the surface of a rough, speckled stone, with ringed eyes, a long nose and a small round mouth. A curved line marks the brow. Below, the stone narrows and the surface warms to orange. It is 12 inches wide and 23.5 high.

A face that has kept its counsel for a very long time.