Djenne Ceramic Fetish Vessel

Buttons down the front, a tiny hat on top, and nothing said about either.

This fetish vessel is Djenne, from the Sanga area of Mali, West Africa, and dates to the 16th to 18th century. It is terra cotta. Ceramics from the Djenne region are widely associated with the inland Niger Delta, where clay work has a very long history, and vessels like this are often called fetish pots in the trade. The oval body carries a column of round bosses down the front, a pierced hole at the shoulder, and a stippled texture throughout. A flat collar and pointed knob form the lid-like top. It is 8 inches high and 5.25 in diameter.

Formal in a small, unhurried way.