This serene ceramic sculpture of a human head
was made by one of the most inscrutable groups
in pre-colonial Africa: the Bura. It is an unusually
well-modelled example. The piece stands on a
columnar neck with a broken base – implying
that it may have once been part of a larger
object – and has an oval, upwards-pointed face
with a pointed chin. The bottom one third of the
base is flared, the upper regions of the neck
being much slimmer. The face is angled upwards,
which exaggerates the elegant proportions of the
head. The ears are cup-shaped and mounted on
the rear of the jawline. The nose is long and
curved separating coffee-bean eyes. The mouth
is a similar shape but with flared, thin lips. The
face is decorated with two vertical keloid
scarifications on each temple, and three more on
the forehead above the centre of the nose. There
is no obvious coiffure. The back of the figure is
plain, which implies that the piece was designed
to be seen from the front – and, given the face’s
orientation, from above – perhaps as a devotional
object or idol.
The Bura are a true paradox: almost nothing is
known of this shadowy Nigerian/Malian group.
They appear to have originated in the first half of
the first millennium AD, although the only
archaeologically-excavated site (Nyamey) dates
between the 14th and 16th centuries. They are
contemporary with – and probably related to –
the Djenne Kingdom, the Koma, the Teneku and
a satellite culture known as the Inland Niger
Delta. Insofar as can be ascertained, the Bura
share certain characteristics with these groups;
for our purposes, these include extensive
ceramic and stone sculptural traditions. The Bura
appear to have been sedentary agriculturists who
buried their dead in tall, conical urns, often
surmounted by small figures. Their utilitarian
vessels are usually plain, while other “containers”
– the function of which is not understood – are
often decorated with incised and stamped
patterns. Their best-known art form is radically
reductivist anthropomorphic stone statues, with
heads rendered as squares, triangles and ovals,
with the body suggested by a columnar,
monolithic shape beneath. Phallic objects are
also known; some phallomorphic objects may
have been staffs, perhaps regalia pertaining to
leaders of Bura groups. Ceramic heads are
usually more complex than their stone
counterparts, with incised decoration and
variable treatment of facial proportions and
features. There are a few very rare equestrian
figures: these bear some resemblance to Djenne
pieces. Almost no intact human or equestrian
figures are known.
The role of these figures is almost totally
obscure. Equestrian figures probably represent
high status individuals, and the very few full-
body representations of humans may be
portraits or ancestor figures. Intuitively – as with
so many other groups both inside and beyond
Africa – figures with exaggerated sexual
characteristics would tend to be associated with
fertility and fecundity, as would any artefact
modelled in the shape of pudenda (although the
sceptre-like qualities of some such pieces
should be noted – see above). The distribution of
decoration on some ceramic pieces (notably
phalluses) may suggest that they were designed
to be viewed from one angle only – perhaps as
adorational pieces. Many pieces are believed to
have been found in burials, perhaps implying an
importance that would have been linked to social
standing and status.
This is a well-made and desirable Bura sculpture,
and a striking and attractive piece of ancient art
from one of Africa’s lost civilisations.
