Djenne Ceramic Fetish Vessel

An egg with a lid, and a lid with a little peak on top.

This fetish vessel is from the Djenne People of the Sanga Area, Mali, West Africa, and dates to the 16th to 18th century. It is terra cotta. The Inland Niger Delta around Djenne is known for terra cotta figures and vessels, generally understood to have served ritual purposes, though their exact meanings are still debated. The body swells into a full oval, its surface covered in close rows of rouletted texture. A few small knobs rise from the shoulder. A flat collar sits at the neck beneath a pointed stopper, and the clay shows grey and buff patches throughout. It is 4.4 inches wide and 7 high.

Sealed tight, and keeping its counsel.