Sudanese Terra Cotta Lidded Vessel

Grain, water, provisions. A covered pot in 19th-century Sudan was the pantry.

This lidded terra cotta vessel was fired in Sudan and stands about thirteen inches tall. Its decoration reflects a long tradition of potting in the region. The rounded body rises to a short collar neck closed by a fitted lid with a flat knob. Bands of finely impressed crosshatching circle the shoulder, interrupted by small applied tabs and raised lugs.

The surface shifts from warm brown to gray and black, with fire clouding and wear from firing and long use. It has been handled a good deal. Lift the lid. See what you decide to keep in it.