Koma Janiform Funerary Figure

A pointed crown, coiled eyes and two flaring sides that look ready to speak.

This janiform funerary figure is Koma, from Northern Ghana, West Africa, and dates to the 13th to 17th century. It is terra cotta. Janiform heads, with faces looking in two directions, are a recognized type within Koma terracotta, and scholars generally leave their meaning open. The head rises to a tall point, with spiral eyes and a squared nose standing out in relief. At each side the clay flares outward into open, lipped projections, and a crack runs down one side of the face. The surface is buff and gray, gritty to the eye. It is 4.25 inches wide, 2.5 deep and 4.5 high.

Facing both ways is a reasonable precaution.