Bura Phallic Funerary Terracotta Urn ceremonialblade Bird’s Head Peninsula

Bird’s Head Peninsula

Hall & Company

divine sacrifice

Small chips in the rim and surface wear consistent with age and use

flared lip

Bura Phallic Funerary Terracotta Urn ceremonialblade Bird’s Head PeninsulaThe Bura Asinda Sikka culture, c. 200 1200AD, Niger or Burkina Faso, West Africa. This unusual, rare, and small sized Bura funerary vessel, crafted in an ovoid, phalliform form, reflects the intriguing burial practices of the ancient Bura Asinda Sikka culture. Such vessels were buried with their openings facing downward, a ritualistic tradition whose full meaning remains shrouded in mystery. The Bura culture, dating from the 3rd to the 13th century