Long-necked vessel

12th–16th century

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 341

Since the first millennium ce, skilled female potters in what is today central Mali have produced a diverse repertoire of fired ceramics, including household items, burial urns, and representational devotional works. This vessel represents one example of the various elegant, hand-modeled Middle Niger ceramics. Beyond its utilitarian form, it features a careful decorative finish. The artists created impressed designs that imitate woven basketry by repeatedly stamping braided fibers around the vessel's exterior.

Artwork Details

Object Information

Overview

Provenance

Title: Long-necked vessel
Artist: Middle Niger artist(s)
Date: 12th–16th century
Geography: Mali, Inland Niger Delta region
Culture: Middle Niger civilization
Medium: Terracotta
Dimensions: H. 11 1/16 × Diam. 8 1/4 in. (28.2 × 21 cm)
Classification: Ceramics-Containers
Credit Line: Bequest of John B. Elliott, 1997
Object Number: 1999.47.67
Curatorial Department: The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing

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