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 conon of African art. This powerful example depicts a man seated on a stool with his hands crossed on his knees. The artist has exaggerated this gesture, as if to emphasize the sitter's rapt concentration on some unknown point. What causes this attitude of awe? Is it some secret of the spirit world, or simply the modern surroundings in which man now finds himself?