Koma Terra Cotta Funerary Figure

Mouth rounded into a perfect O, mounted on a stand with a surprised look.

This Koma terra cotta funerary figure is Koma, from Northern Ghana, West Africa. Funerary figures in many African traditions are generally linked with remembrance of the dead and with family ties to ancestors, though meanings differ widely from one community to the next. A rounded head with a ridged cap and ringed oval eyes. The short nose sits above a wide, open mouth with a deep hollow. The surface is a sandy tan with gentle scuffing, and a slim metal mount holds it on a black base. It is 3 inches wide, 3.25 deep and 3.5 high.

Caught mid-gasp and wisely never allowed to finish.