Gurunsi Lidded Storage Vessel

In Burkina Faso, the pots were the women’s work. So was knowing what went inside.

This lidded storage vessel is Gurunsi, made in the 20th century, shaped by hand to keep grain, seed and household provisions. The round body is a warm reddish brown, circled by a raised band pierced with small holes and centered on a single round boss. A darker domed lid with an arched loop handle sits snugly on top. Twisted fiber cord threads through the holes and over the lid, ending in loose tassels.

Ten inches tall. It carries the honest wear of daily use, which is the only kind worth having.