Mambila Ceramic Figurative Vessel

All its power is in the body, covered in tiny pinched ridges.

The Mambila of Cameroon, Central Africa, made this terra cotta vessel in the 20th century. Elaborately modeled earthenware is commonly associated with ceremonial and ritual use. A small head with an open round mouth sits between two coiled arms that hold hollow cups at its shoulders. Below is a swollen body covered in vertical rows of small raised points, like a pinecone or a pomegranate. The tone is deep brown with orange glimpses.

About 14 inches tall. The texture alone is worth the floor space.