Massive Head Sculpture
Bura, Niger
Terracotta
12th - 14th century CE

Terracotta works of the Bura-Asinda-Sikka culture come from a singular necropolis located north-west of Niamey, the capital of Niger.

In 1975, a young man found two Bura heads by chance. He gave them to his children to play with, and not until three years later did the Department of Art and Archaeology learn about the find (there was only one head remaining by then). Another five years later, excavations began in an area covering several hundred meters (and down to depths of two meters). 

A large number of terracotta works were found in grave complexes, and were assigned to the 3rd - 11th centuries. They are richly ornamented, in some cases phallically designed, conical receptacles that were buried with the opening facing down and filled with the clothes and belongings of the deceased. Some of them are anthropomorphically designed, such as half-figures, heads, and equestrian figures. The heads, often completely flat, are distinguished by a great deal of simplicity and in most cases decorated with longitudinal bulges in relief (Schaedler, Earth and Ore, 1997). 

Thermoluminescence (TL) tested by Francine Maurer (Alliance Science Art).

11.5 in :: 29 cm

InventoryID #13-1578

SOLD