Africa, Inland Nigeria, Dakakari, ca. early 20th century CE. A handbuilt terracotta Dakakari seated shrine figure of an animorphic bull or ox-like form in beige and red hues with long horns, a pronounced crest or ridge running along the midline of its head, round eyes, and a projecting snout. The visage is not naturalistic but rather quite abstract and expressive. The creature's body is also far from naturalistic. Note the relatively long torso with applied outie navel and penis, extended, elongated arms, and by comparison, short, diminuitive legs, not to mention the absence of delineated fingers and toes. It is possible that this figure may have been attached to a spherical vessel as the Dakakari practiced libation ceremonies using such vessels as a major component of their funerary traditions. The Dakakari practice was to bury elite individuals with terracotta grave markers comprised of a human or animal figure atop a spherical vessel. Only the most skilled potters (usually post-menopausal women) were commissioned to create these vessels with rather plain spherical bodies to be buried into the earth with zoomorphic or anthropomorphic superstructures in memoriam to the deceased. Each year the family honors the deceased by pouring libations of beer mixed with maize flour onto the grave markers and into nearby vessels. This small bull-like creature must have added great drama to the burial site. Size: 4.25" L x 3.75" W x 5.5" H (10.8 cm x 9.5 cm x 14 cm)

Provenance: Ex Peter Arnovick Collection, Los Altos CA

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