Description:

Africa, Niger, Bura Asinda-Sikka culture, ca. 3rd to 11th century CE. A memorial head made of baked terracotta, modeled in a characteristically phallic form with a pronounced aquiline nose above petite pursed lips. The eye nodules exhibit small piercings, and miniscule raised nodules adorn both cheeks. The coiffure is detailed with rings of small impressions with a rounded top, and the entire figure is covered in orange-brown slip. Examples like this were initially discovered in 1975, many by farmers who were preparing their fields. Hence many Bura sculptural works were accidentally broken by shovels before serious archaeological excavations began in 1983. Size: 3.375" W x 11.75" H (8.6 cm x 29.8 cm).

Provenance: Mark Clayton collection, Long Beach, California, USA; Mr. Clayton is a noted African expert and collector who recently had Nigerian bronze objects from his collection featured in an exhibition at the UCLA Fowler Museum entitled "Summoning the Ancestors" (September 2018 - March 2019).

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#145760

  • Condition: Repair to coiffure and nose with small chips and light adhesive residue along break lines. Small losses around base, with minor abrasions and fading to coloration around body and head, and light encrustations. Nice earthen deposits throughout.

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May 9, 2019 8:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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