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Description

Red-brown pot with a cylindrical body and wide circular opening; lip is flared. Bottom section of body bulges outward before tapering into a high foot. Bands of incised decorations all along cylindrical section of body; bands consist of plain and diagonal lines, and zigzags. Raised square grids and plain lines with vertical decorations throughout bands. Two raised circles along front centre of body, with two conical protrusions on either side; two small circular protrusions in between the raised circles. Conical protrusions have horizontal lines incised across their sides, circular protrusions are covered in dots, and circles are filled with raised squares. Dot motifs border all protrusions and the circles. Bottom section of body and base of pot are undecorated.

History Of Use

Used for storage of grains and dry goods. Nupe women are considered to be among the best potters in Africa. Most of their pottery types have remained fairly static for around 250 years and were probably introduced after their conversion to Islam. The vessels almost always feature lovely incised decoration, though others do have anthropomorphic features.

Narrative

Collected by the donor in 2020 in the village of Giri (Bida Valley). They were previously owned by Mr. Obangsi Otuli Kenneth, a retired ceramics teacher living in the Benue Region.

Specific Techniques

Constructed using hand-coiling and pinching techniques, then fired in an open kiln. After cooling, each pot is naturally stained with burnt ochre colour.