Vessel

Accession Number
2000/2.110

Title
Vessel

Artist(s)

Object Creation Date
early 20th century

Medium & Support
terracotta

Dimensions
12 5/8 in x 9 1/16 in (32 cm x 23 cm)

Credit Line
Gift of Dr. James and Vivian Curtis

Subject matter
This vessel may have been created by the Mambila peoples of Nigeria and Cameroon and used for storing and pouring palm wine. The three-branched spout suggests that it may be Mambila, rather than from the Cameroon Grassfields region which also produces pottery, including palm wine vessels. 

References Cited: 
Forni, Silvia. 2007. "Containers of Life: Pottery and Social Relations in the Grassfields (Cameroon)."African Arts 40.1: 42-53.
Gebauer, Paul. 1979. Art of Cameroon. Portland, Or.: Portland Art Association.
Homberger, L. 2008. Cameroon: Art and Kings. Zürich: Museum Rietberg.
Northern, Tamara. 1984. The Art of Cameroon. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution.
Page, Donna. 2007. A Cameroon World: Art and Artifacts from the Caroline and Marshall Mount Collection. New York: QCC Art Gallery Press.

Physical Description
Large round vessel with three columnar spouts at the top that share a raised lip. The three spouts are decorated with small incised circles. 

Primary Object Classification
Ceramic

Primary Object Type
vessel

Collection Area
African

Rights
If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit http://umma.umich.edu/request-image for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form. Keywords
pottery (visual works)
prestige
social status
symbols of office or status
vessels
wealth
women (female humans)

& Author Notes

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