15th C. Ghana Koma Culture Janus-Headed Pottery Finial (Auction 2026-06-05, Lot 150)

$385.50

West Africa, Ghana, Koma culture, ca. 15th to 16th century CE. A highly stylized terracotta janus-headed finial rising from a thick cylindrical shaft, the opposing faces rendered with applied eyes and open mouths as if singing or intoning, giving the sculpture a commanding presence suggestive of vocalization or breath. Koma terracottas are associated with ancestral, ritual, and possibly shrine-related practices in northern Ghana, often discovered in burial or ceremonial settings and reflecting complex spiritual systems. Janus imagery and open mouths are thought to relate to communication with the spirit world. Size: 8.5″ L x 3.75″ W (21.6 cm x 9.5 cm)

Provenance: private Colorado, USA collection; ex-private Los Angeles, California, USA collection; ex-major gallery, Beverly Hills, California, USA, primarily acquired between 1985 and 2005

Condition: Repaired and restored, with head reattached to shaft with infill across breakline. Loss to the eye on one side of head.