Bura Figurative Vessel Top, Based

Sturdy, round, and a good deal gentler than it looks at first glance.

The Bura people of Niger made this vessel top in the 11th to 15th centuries. Such sculptures were placed on jars in the burial grounds that are the main record of Bura culture. The head is a rounded block with a softly domed crown. Two small punched holes mark the eyes. A broad nose and wide mouth are modeled in low relief, and the ears are rounded projections with small piercings.

The pinkish orange clay is rough and eroded, giving the features a timeworn softness. Seven and a half inches tall on a black stand. Whatever it knows, it is not telling.