Mambila Ceramic Figurative Vessel

Stripes of pale slip and a necklace of ridges around a tall, serious neck.

Cameroon, Central Africa, is home to the Mambila potters who made this terra cotta vessel in the 20th century. Vessels of this form are commonly associated with ritual contexts. A ribbed neck carries a ring of beads and a head with two white-tipped eyes and a wide mouth. Pale bands cross the shoulders, with arms folded below over a round belly bearing a small navel. The finish is a smoky dark brown with a few red accents.

About 14 inches tall. Neat in banding, loose in character.