In the valleys of Northern Ghana, the remains of a mysterious vanished culture have been emerging from ancient burial mounds. As in many ancient civilizations in both the old and new worlds, the burials are accompanied by terracotta sculptures that reveal much about the people who created them. The bold expressionism and appreciation for the human form that characterizes these works is unique in the canon of African art. This dramatic piece depicts a stylized idol with two heads, or rather a single head with two distinct sides. He has four eyes and two mouths, both open in a shout. Rendered with powerful abstraction, he reminds us of a figure in a Picasso painting, or perhaps an African Janus. His function can only be guessed at; is he a guardian spirit? A symbol of the duality within human nature? A mythical hero? Such an object, haunting and mysterious, cannot help but stir the imagination.