Koma Ceramic Funerary Figure, Based

The tongue is out, and it has been out for several hundred years.

This funerary figure is Koma, from Northern Ghana, West Africa, and dates to the 13th to 17th century. It is terra cotta, mounted on a base. Koma pieces have been found in burial mounds in the region, and researchers generally connect them with funerary practice while admitting much is still unknown. The column-shaped head has narrow, outlined eyes, a short nose and a heavy upper lip, with a broad tongue dropping out below. A small ear curls at one side. The pale clay is crusted and worn. It stands 4.5 inches high and 2 wide.

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