Djenne Bottle-Form Vessel

Built by hand. Fired in an open bonfire. The women of Mali traditionally made pottery this way, and the vessels carried water and other liquids.

This bottle-form terracotta is from the 19th century and stands over nineteen inches tall. A full, rounded body rises to a long, narrow neck with a small flared lip. Bands of fine impressed and incised lines decorate the shoulder, and an all-over roulette texture covers the lower body. The surface is dark and smoky, giving way to patches of warmer orange clay, especially along the neck, where wear is most visible.

The fire left its signature. So did the hands.