Storage Container

Massive, wide-mouthed storage containers—some up to five feet in diameter—are made across a wide region of Mali, Burkina Faso, and northern Ghana. Too big to move easily, these huge pots must be fired individually. Women use the vessels for a variety of household purposes, principally the germinating of millet or guinea corn to make beer. Such containers can also be used to store beer, water, or personal possessions. The enigmatic imagery on this thick-rimmed example includes three staffs (probably denoting an old form of metal currency), an arrow-shaped motif (perhaps symbolizing women), and a water buffalo head or mask