A singularly unique vessel from a virtually unknown people, this jar is composed of a bulbous body with a small pedestal end that has a hole bored in the center. At the top is a stylized head, having a long, pointed face that droops at the chin, nearly touching the chest. Curved thick bands on the sides serve as handles or arms of the figure with small hands. The middle area, or “chest,” has three central raised double bands like twisted fiber or rope, with raised circles in the center and connected to outside bands by short segments placed at an angle. Old Calabar, situated at the mouth of the Cross River, was an important trading center and consequently had considerable contact with Europeans. Such objects as this one may have served a similar purpose as those of the Nnim fertility cult of the Ejagham, who are part of the Cross River group. The elemental, primal quality of this vessel speaks volumes, though it keeps its original function a secret.