Bura Figurative Vessel Top

Like a pear, if a pear had been left out for several centuries.

This figurative vessel top was made by the Bura people of Niger in the 11th to 15th centuries. Among the Bura, terra cotta sculptures served a funerary role, surmounting jars placed over burials. The head has an unusual, rounded, pear-like form, with a row of small knobs along the crown. The face is subtle, with small eyes and features worn soft. Below, a chin or neck area is covered in fine stippled impressions.

The surface varies from gray-brown to pale buff, with patches of earth deposit and darker staining. Eight and a half inches tall. It has no intention of being explained.