Mambila Terra Cotta Figurative Vessel

Studs, row on row, on an egg of clay.

This terra cotta vessel in the form of a woman was made by the Mambila peoples of Cameroon in the 20th century, for domestic or ritual purposes. The open mouth is the vessel opening, framed by projecting lips, rounded ears and a crest of small knobs.

Her long arms loop down from the shoulders, the hands meeting beneath her breasts. The lower body is egg-shaped and covered with rows of raised, pointed studs. Reddish-brown and whitish residue cling to the upper half, while the lower half stays dark. Fourteen inches tall, on a round base.

Armored below. Open-mouthed above.