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Container, Possibly for Water

A work made of blackened terracotta.

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  • A work made of blackened terracotta.

Date:

Early/mid–20th century

Artist:

Gur-speaking peoples, possibly Frafra
Ghana or Burkina Faso

About this artwork

The direct pull technique of pottery making is used by culturally interrelated Gur-speaking peoples such as the Kasena, Lela, Nuna, Nunuma, Sisala, and Winiama in Burkina Faso and the Gurensi, Nabdam, and Tellensi in Ghana, who are collectively called the Frafra. This vessel may be Frafra in origin. It was purchased in Burkina Faso but may have come from just across the border in northern Ghana, in the region occupied by the Frafra. Its shape—a round body with a tightly indrawn neck and a flared mouth—is common on both sides of the border. The vessel’s large size and narrow neck suggest that it may be a container for carrying or storing water, although its handsome embellishments may indicate a ritual use. Its surface has an almost metallic appearance, and its iconography includes a horse, lizard, and wavy and spiral lines. Horses are longstanding symbols of power and wealth in the region, dating to the fifteenth– and sixteenth-century invasions that heralded the establishment of the Mossi states.

Status

Currently Off View

Department

Arts of Africa

Culture

Gur

Title

Container, Possibly for Water

Place

Ghana (Object made in)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

Made 1900–1950

Medium

Blackened terracotta

Dimensions

58.4 × 38.7 cm (23 × 15 1/4 in.)

Credit Line

Gift of Keith Achepohl

Reference Number

2005.231

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

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