Koma Ceramic Funerary Figure, Based

Ringed eyes, a long straight nose and a mouth set in a line of quiet patience.

This based funerary figure is Koma, from Northern Ghana, West Africa, and dates to the 13th to 17th century. It is terra cotta. Simpler Koma heads, with a few applied features on a hollow cylinder, are among the most characteristic forms of the tradition. The clay here is a pale, sandy buff. The open top flares slightly, and two round eyes in raised rings sit on either side of a long, narrow nose. A thin closed mouth lies just below, and the form tapers steadily to a narrow point. It is 9 inches high and 2.5 wide.

Plain spoken, in clay.