Mambila Ceramic Anthropomorphic Vessel

The mouth of the figure is the mouth of the jar.

This anthropomorphic vessel is Mambila, from Cameroon, in terra cotta. Pots in human form among the Mambila are generally linked to protection and health, and the figure's body may have been understood as more than a decoration, though researchers remain cautious about details. A tiny beaded face surrounds the open spout, with small ears at each side. A flat oval hangs below it, on a long neck lined with raised beading. Beaded bands run down the chest, and two thin arms curve around the wide belly to meet in small hands. Twenty-five inches high and 15 wide.

Few vessels are this direct.