Commemorative Container (Abusua Kuruwa)

From the 17th to the mid-20th century, the abusua kuruwa (literally, “family pot”) featured prominently in commemorative rituals for the nobility among the Asante and related peoples, including the Kwahu. This large, boldly embellished vessel takes the form of a storage container on which raised motifs—including snakes, a bird, and two male figures (one holding a rifle)—are applied. These had proverbial meanings or illustrated necessities, such as a chiefly entourage, that the deceased would require in the afterlife. A family pot was displayed during second burial celebrations and could be used on a shrine, as evidenced by this vessel’s crusty patina.