Bura Phallic Terracotta Funerary Figure

The Bura Asinda-Sikka culture, c. 200-1200AD, Niger or Burkina Faso, West Africa.

This impressive and unusual slab-shaped phallomorphic terracotta figure, dating from 200-1200 AD, is a remarkable example of the Bura Asinda-Sikka culture of West Africa. Featuring a distinctive rounded protrusion on one side, this enigmatic artifact reflects the symbolic and ritualistic traditions of an ancient civilization whose artistic expressions remain shrouded in mystery.

The Bura culture, which flourished in the lower Niger River valley of present-day Niger and Burkina Faso, was first uncovered in 1975 near Niamey, Niger, with the accidental discovery of the Bura-Asinda-Sikka necropolis. Subsequent excavations in the early 1980s revealed a society that thrived between the 3rd and 13th centuries AD, leaving behind a rich legacy of highly distinctive terracotta funerary art.

Renowned for their tubular and ovoid anthropomorphic urns, Bura artisans crafted funerary vessels and sculptural figures often featuring mounted horsemen, stylized heads, and abstract forms. These urns, typically buried upside down, contained human remains, iron arrowheads, textiles, and ritual food offerings, indicating complex spiritual and funerary traditions. Some pieces, like this one, incorporate phallic or fertility motifs, suggesting their role in ancestral veneration or ceremonial rites.

An exceptionally rare and evocative artifact, this terracotta figure serves as a powerful testament to the artistic and cultural heritage of one of West Africa’s most fascinating ancient civilizations. A prized addition for serious collectors and institutions dedicated to African antiquities.

Good condition. Age-related wear with a few small chips and scratches on surface. Rich encrusted patina. Size approx. 22,5cm x 12,3cm x 4,0cm. 

Provenance: Dutch private collection

References and further reading:

Bura Funerary Urns: Niger Terracottas: An Interpretive Limbo?, Michelle Gilbert, African Arts, The MIT Press, Vol. 53, No.1, Spring 2020, pp. 66-75.

Earth and Ore: 2500 Years of African Art in Terra-cotta and Metal, Karl-Ferdinand Schädler, Panterra, January 1, 1997.

Un "Village des Morts" à Bura en Republique du Niger', Boube Gado, in J. Devisse (ed.), Vallées du Niger, Paris: Réunion des Musées Nationaux, 1993, pp. 365-74.

One Hundred Years of Archaeology in Niger, Anne C. Haour, Journal of World Prehistory, Vol.17. No.2, June 2003, pp. 181-234.