Bowl, D88.185

Small clay bowl. 52mm height, and 81mm width at top outside diam. Top inside diam. = 64mm. Bowl gradually narrows from top to bottom. At 15mm from bottom bowl flares to form base. Top bowl lip is 7.5mm wide. Top of lip is painted white. At 3 separate intervals parallel narrow blue lines have been painted running across lip from inside to outside. Two of the groupings contain 14 lines and one contains 15 lines. Inside of bowl has been rubbed (possibly with smooth stone or another piece of pottery) to produce a smooth gold brown colour. Possibly a gold wash has been added to enhance the effect. Outside of bowl is reddish brown, likely caused by type of clay and being fired at low temperature. Base of bowl has one chip missing and another chip glued back on. Peck marks in bottom of bowl - possibly caused by end of spinning whorls bouncing along bottom of bowl - suggest that bowl has had some use.

Consistent with donor description as from Maiduguri (Borun Province, Northern Nigeria). Clay/terra cotta (brush fired/low temperature), white and blue paint. Consistent with donor description as spinning bowl, i.e. to hold/contain whorling spindles while spinning raw cotton into thread. Small clay bowl. 52mm height, and 81mm width at top outside diam.. Top inside diam. = 64mm. Bowl gradually narrows from top to bottom. At 15mm from bottom bowl flares to form base. Top bowl lip is 7.5mm wide. Top of lip is painted white. At 3 separate intervals parallel narrow blue lines have been painted running across lip from inside to outside. Two of the groupings contain 14 lines and one contains 15 lines. Inside of bowl has been rubbed (possibly with smooth stone or another piece of pottery) to produce a smooth gold brown colour. Possibly a gold wash has been added to enhance the effect. Outside of bowl is reddish brown, likely caused by type of clay and being fired at low temperature. Base of bowl has one chip missing and another chip glued back on. Peck marks in bottom of bowl - possibly caused by end of spinning whorls bouncing along bottom of bowl - suggest that bowl has had some use. Height = 52mm. Outside diam. at top = 81mm. Inside diam. at top = 64mm. Lip of bowl is 7.5mm wide. —Joel A Vanderburg

Donated

Locality Nigeria