Water Jar (jigada)

Bamana people, Mali, African

20th century

  • Titles Water Jar (jigada) (Descriptive)
  • Artist Bamana people, Mali
  • Medium fired clay and slip
  • Dimensions 23 x 20 in. Diam. (58.4 x 50.8 cm)
  • Credit Line Collection of the Art Fund, Inc. at the Birmingham Museum of Art; Dick Jemison Collection of African Pottery, AFI.383.2012
  • Work Type water jar
  • Classification Containers

See More of the Collection

Round, brownish vessel with four knob handles has large spout opening at top, and numerous spout openings around shoulder; appliqued snake figure winds around openings, and red pigment is applied to spouts and snake.
Iron staff with finial composed of one large, central bird surrounded by fourteen small birds, used by priest of Osanyin, the orisha (deity) of herbal medicine
Dark brown glossy vessel has rounded bottom which is larger than top half of vessel; mid-point marked by raised bands. Shoulder has herringbone pattern.
Wood figure of Ptah-Soker-Osiris, the mummiform figure wears a tripartite wig and a short chin beard, on an integral plinth which was originally inserted in a separately made base, traces of polychrome preserved throughout.