Nigerian Terracotta Bull

This is a bit of an oddity. I know only that this piece came from Nigeria, presumably the northeast. The half-moon decorations on the body are similar to details on Sao terracottas, but the clay is dissimilar. Although I have seen many Sao figurines of cattle, they have been uniformly plain with a hump, horns, and a sense of movement, but otherwise lacking detail. Here, the decorations are not only numerous, but deeply imprinted even though they have since filled up with fine, impacted earth, indicating that the piece was buried for a considerable period. The body is hollow and there is a hole in the belly. The end of the tail is missing and one foot has been restored so that the figurine stands on its own. The head tilts deliberately to one side, evoking a large healthy animal at pasture. The clay is very solid and, at the break, reveals itself to be similar to Nok pieces in that it is heavily grogged with a fine, burnished slip coat surface. 9″ long and 4″ high.

Inquire About This Item