Bambara Ceramic Vessel, Mali

A pot that wears a heart on its chest.

Bambara potters of Mali, West Africa, shaped this terracotta vessel in the 20th century. Vessels of this kind were commonly made to store or carry water, grain and household goods, and some are associated with ritual use. The body is a round, low-shouldered globe beneath a short flared neck. A raised heart-shaped panel in reddish slip fills the front, edged with a rope-like ridge that also rings the neck, and small knobs project at either side. The surface is dark brown and softly scuffed.

About ten inches high and wide. It holds a shelf together, or a bowl of lemons.