Djenne Ceramic Fetish Vessel

Three bumps in a row and a wealth of fine ridges, all on a pot with a small, pointed lid.

This fetish vessel is Djenne, from the Sanga area, Mali, West Africa, and dates to the 16th to 18th century, in terra cotta. Djenne pottery is well known for tactile surfaces, and examples called fetish vessels are often prized for their unusual shapes, though their exact use remains debated. This one has a rounded, egg-like body, a short rim and a conical cap. Combed lines run diagonally across the whole surface, and three round bosses sit in a vertical line along the front. The clay is a warm sandy tan with patches of dark staining. It is 6.5 inches high and 4.25 in diameter.

Heavily textured, and modest about it.