A stunning piece of Bura-Asinda-Sikka artistry which is still intact, this terracotta phallic shaped vessel is in pretty good condition for its age, I say that as it looks ancient and I am no archaeologist, this could seriously be hundreds of years old!!! fired red clay, traces of red pigment, and a earthy material (dirt /sand) elaborately decorated, navel-like projection with a patterned design similar to the Dogon belief and worship which are the Nummo / Nommo which is on one side. it has slight damage., minor missing parts, ; such steles were found buried in the ground with the opening pointing downwards. They are said to have been filled with clothes and further belongings of the deceased. The archaeological ‘Bura culture’ was first discovered in 1975 to the northwest of Niamey, the capital of the state of Niger, and in neighbouring Burkina Faso. The stylistically unequivocal, typical terracotta finds have been dated to the period between the third and the eleventh centuries AD. Dimensions CM: 44 long x 12 diameter Provenance: I purchased this from a UK auction and they gave me the information to where it had been excavated. Lot number and auction house will be sent to winning bidder