Djenne Terra Cotta Vessel

Four inches of clay from the Niger Delta. It has been underground a while.

The inland Niger Delta around the ancient city of Djenne was home to a flourishing urban culture, and its potters produced a wide range of vessels for daily life. This one dates between the 12th and 17th centuries. The body is full and teardrop-shaped, swelling toward the base and rising to a short, thick, rolled rim.

The surface is a soft mix of rose, pale pink and buff, with mottled patches and light mineral deposits, abraded by centuries in the ground. Put it near some books. They will not mind.