Lobi Terra Cotta Ceremonial Pitcher

Round-bellied jug with a handle and a smoky, weathered skin.

This Lobi terra cotta ceremonial pitcher is Lobi, from Burkina Faso, West Africa, and dates to the 20th century. Terra cotta pitchers are shaped by hand and fired in open fires, a pottery method used widely across West Africa for vessels that hold water and drink. Large pitcher with a globular body, a flared mouth, a thick strap handle and a few raised ridges around the shoulder. The surface is dark brown and gray, scuffed and patchy, with pale spots across the lower belly. It is 12 inches high and 10 in diameter.

Plump, dignified and entirely unbothered by wear.