Funerary Vessel
The Akan peoples honor the deceased with accumulations of pottery vessels at spots in cemeteries called asensie, or "places of pots." These displays serve as points of remembrance for the living and facilitate communication with the deceased in the afterlife. Such pots may be more or less elaborate depending on the wealth and social standing of the person commemorated. Decoration ranges from the simple geometric designs of this vessel to raised figural ones evoking Akan proverbs that refer to the lineage of the deceased. While not created as receptacles for food, it is possible that simpler, more utilitarian examples may have been employed in the final meal that marked the end of the funerary rites.
Artwork Details
- Title: Funerary Vessel
- Artist: Asante-Akan artist
- Date: 19th–mid-20th century
- Geography: Ghana
- Culture: Asante-Akan artist
- Medium: Terracotta
- Dimensions: Diam. 10 in. (25.4 cm)
- Classification: Ceramics-Containers
- Credit Line: Purchase, Mr. and Mrs. Milton F. Rosenthal Gift, 1980
- Object Number: 1980.68
- Curatorial Department: The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing
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