Nupe Vessel Support

The Nupe people of Nigeria were touted as some of the finest ceramicists in Africa. Everyday objects like this elegant, cylindrical vessel support received detailed attention. This flaring terra cotta form would have been buried halfway in the ground in a Nupe home, and used as a a stable base for a stack of traditional round pots. Home interiors would be lined with entire walls of these supports, each with a full stack of pots. The top portion of this sculptural work is darkened with smoke from cooking fires. There is visible encrustation where the bottom would have been buried in the ground.