West Africa, Ghana, Koma culture, 13th to 16th century CE. A hand built and nicely modeled terracotta male figure, sitting with both long-fingered hands placed upon his knees. Depicted nude save an applied choker, his nipples and penis are explicitly delineated, and he looks up with coffee bean eyes, a broad nose, and an open mouth as if singing or praying. His expressive visage is topped by a ridged coiffure. A rare and wonderful example. Size: 3.125" W x 9.875" H (7.9 cm x 25.1 cm); 10.125" H (25.7 cm) on included custom stand.
Koma figures were first discovered in the 1980s during archaeological fieldwork directed by Professor Ben Kankpeyeng (University of Ghana). Created by a previously little-understood people in what is known as Koma Land, the figures are often fragmentary. Although there is a paucity of literature on how such figurines were used, scholars have suggested they were used in special ceremonies and rituals in which the spirits of the ancestors were invoked.
Provenance: ex-Dr. Peter Horvath, Massachusetts and Florida, USA; ex-private collection, Massachusetts, USA, 1970s
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#156735
Condition
Broken across waist and lower arms with repair along the crack line. Restored 'seat' and left eye with tiny loss on upper eyelid section. Light encrustations in some areas and nicks to head, body, and limbs. Nice earthen deposits throughout.