Lot 129
Africa, Niger, Burkina Faso, Bura Asinda-Sikka culture, ca. 3rd to 11th century CE. A terracotta funerary phallic form urn with a human head at one end. The human face is detailed with globular, coffee bean shaped eyes, a characteristically long pronounced nose, an open mouth above a jutting chin, applied fillet ears, and remains of a plaited coiffure. Just beneath the elongated neck is an applied collar incised with vertical, linear markings followed by the conical body that was likely impressed with textiles to create a nice texture and further adorned with three petite nubbins, perhaps to represent nipples and penis. Ceramic forms like this example have been found upside down in graves, buried with their openings faced downwards, filled with belongings (cloth remnants and other objects), teeth, and some bones of the deceased. This traditional ritual demonstrates the Bura-Asinda-Sikka people's belief in the continuation of fruitfulness from birth to life to death to rebirth. Examples like this were initially discovered in 1975, many by farmers who were preparing their fields. Hence many Bura-Asinda-Sikka urns were accidentally broken by shovels before serious archaeological excavations began in 1983. Size: 4" W at the widest x 15.5" H (10.2 cm x 39.4 cm)
Provenance: Ex Peter Arnovick Collection, Los Altos CA
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#112199
- Condition: Expected surface wear with repair to head and chip to lower rim. Overall very good.
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