Mossi Lidded Vessel with Snake Motif

A snake climbs the whole height of this pot, taking its time.

This lidded vessel is terra cotta, made by the Mossi people of Burkina Faso, West Africa, in the mid 20th century. Across the region, potters made vessels for storing water, grain and beer, and more elaborate pieces could also serve household shrines or mark important occasions, though meanings vary. A raised, textured snake winds in deep waves around the swelling body and rises over a round lid, head lifted. The dark brown surface carries a low shine. It sits on a short flared foot, 19 inches high.

It would be a bold person who lifted that lid without asking.