Bura
Burkina Faso and Republic of Niger, AfricaGrave Marker, ca. 1200
Not on view
Terracotta
Dimensions29 1/4 × 10 × 8 1/2 in. (74.3 × 25.4 × 21.6 cm)
Museum purchase with funds from the Collection Endowment, 2003.2
Objects similar to this terracotta structure have been found in burial sites throughout Bura territory, implying this object might have functioned as a grave marker. A grave marker may indicate important social standing of the deceased. Though little is known of the Bura people and their art, they are known to share certain characteristics with neighboring peoples, including extensive work in ceramic and stone.
