Djenne Ceramic Fetish Vessel

One small hole at the shoulder, and a crack across the base that has settled in for the long term.

This fetish vessel is Djenne, from the Sanga area of Mali, West Africa, and dates to the 16th to 18th century. It is terra cotta. Djenne terra cottas turn up in many forms, and vessels with a stopper-like neck are often described as containers for protective substances, though documented use is scarce. The body is a broad dome that narrows sharply to a collared knob. Fine vertical ribbing covers the upper shoulder, and the clay shifts from sandy buff to a warm orange. It is 7.25 inches high and 5.25 in diameter.

Sturdy, old and not about to explain what it carried.