In the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, young women learned how to make pottery from their mothers before establishing families of their own. Terracotta water jugs were once readily found in family compounds across northern Nigeria. The basic form of this vessel is modeled on a dried gourd, a simple natural container, and is one of the most recognizable forms of Nupe pottery. The artist responsible for this pot has subtly stylized the shape by creating a flat passage near the neck. The round lower chamber holds a great deal of water, while the narrow neck and dishlike rim help keep the liquid from sloshing out of the vessel when it is moved.



Nupe water jars were in high demand for their handy engineering, as well as for their attractive geometric designs. Especially talented potters may have sold their wares through traders across the region. Wealthier people could afford water jars with incised lines, such as these, as well as passages of red and black; the richest clients would have hired a metalsmith to create bronze fittings to further embellish their housewares.

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