The terracotta objects of Djenne continue to baffle, amaze and delight scholars and art lovers around the world. The figures and pottery thus far discovered have shed much light on a unique culture, whose artistic output is essentially confined to objects used for cult purposes. This very impressive pedestaled bowl rises as if from the earth like a rare plant, blossoming into a lovely flower. It's columnar portion is formed of layered ridges which give texture and a resemblance to bark of a tree. The underside of the bowl is smooth allowing the eye to glide around the surface until resting on the intricately textured rim. This pattern is composed of short slashes and triangles with corrugated edges.The contrast between unadorned and decorated areas is very effective and aesthetically pleasing. This bowl may have contained ritual offerings for ancestral spirits, or have been used by a member of the nobility as an eating vessel. Whether for spirits of other realms or for the living, this bowl will always be elegant and graceful.