Koma Ceramic Funerary Figure, Based

Traces of red still cling to the eyes and lips, like makeup that never quite came off.

This funerary figure, based, is Koma, from Northern Ghana, West Africa, and dates to the 13th to 17th century. It is terra cotta. Some Koma terracottas retain traces of pigment or slip, a reminder that their surfaces may once have looked quite different. The clay here is pale and sandy, with reddish touches outlining the features. A thick rolled rim circles the open top above hooded eyes, a broad nose and a mouth of stacked ridges, and a rounded chin projects below. The column continues straight down. It is 6 inches high and 2.5 wide.

A little color goes a long way, and lasts.