A Nupe pot support stand, hand-built from terracotta to cradle the distinctive round-bottomed Nupe water pots. The broad, flat rings encircling the trunk are both practical and decorative.
Traditionally these stands were partly buried in the floor, keeping the pots' contents clean while saving space — whole walls of Nupe homes were lined with rows of them, each stacked with pots. Many show signs of that life below ground, with encrustation and darkening to the upper portions from cooking and household smoke.
The stands are hollow, so they double as storage containers — a neat reflection of the resourcefulness and craft of the Nupe people.
