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 from that characterizes these works is unique in the canon of African art. This fascinating piece depicts a seated woman with hypnotic features,who may be either a goddess or a dead ancestress. The hollow space atop her head was perhaps intended for fetish material. Her full lips and jutting jaw give her face a vigorous drama, but it is her eyes that most rivet the attention. They stare not at the visible world but at one unseen, the realm of the spirits. She makes us feel the presence of a deeper reality, of a place ordinary mortals can only guess at.