Accession Number
1997/1.348

Title
Lamp

Artist(s)
Baatonu (Bariba)

Object Creation Date
20th century

Medium & Support
terracotta

Dimensions
19 1/8 in x 12 13/16 in x 11 7/16 in (48.6 cm x 32.6 cm x 29 cm)

Credit Line
Gift of Dr. James and Vivian Curtis

Subject matter
Bariba peoples, also called Baatonu (plural Baatombu), live in northeastern Republic of Benin and northwestern Nigeria. Lamps, such as this one, would have been fueled by shea butter. With its many uses, shea butter has been used as lantern fuel, used for moisturizing skin, and even used for cooking. Some lamps, such as this one, are adorned with animal and human figures. 

References Cited: 
Berzock, Kathleen Bickford. 2005. For Hearth and Altar: African Ceramics from the Keith Achepohl Collection. New Haven and London: Yale University Press. 

Physical Description
A terracotta lamp with a rounded bottom on a circular base. The upper portion of the lamp is covered with multiple human and animal figures. The top of the lamp is formed by a short neck surmounted by a small bowl with two handles. 

Primary Object Classification
Ceramic

Primary Object Type
lamp

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
figures (representations)
household accessories
lamps (lighting devices)
lighting devices