Djenne Long-Necked Vessel

A round belly, a tall neck and a lip that flares just enough to pour cleanly.

This long-necked vessel is Djenne, from Mali, West Africa, and dates to the 12th to 17th century. It is terra cotta. The inland Niger delta around Djenne was home to one of the earliest known towns in West Africa, and its potters worked in a long and accomplished tradition. The body is nearly spherical, finished in a red slip that has worn pale in patches. A raised ridge circles the shoulder, and two grooved bands ring the narrow neck below the flaring rim. It is 13.5 inches high and 8.5 in diameter.

Simple lines, taken seriously.