Djenne Ceramic Vessel, Mali

Round, buttery pot wearing a few thin grooves like pinstripes.

This incised terra cotta vessel is Djenne, from Mali, West Africa. Djenne potters of the inland Niger delta in Mali are known for coil-built earthenware, often decorated with incised and applied bands of geometric pattern. Rounded vessel with a wide open mouth and a smooth matte surface in soft mustard yellow. Several fine incised rings circle the shoulder. Dark scuffs and grey smudges mark the lower belly and one side. It is 5.5 inches high and 5.5 in diameter.

Sunny, plump and not at all bothered by smudges.