Bamana tradition dictates that only the wives and daughters of blacksmiths have the right to make pots. Water containers, which are prominently displayed in a family compound, are among the most decorative and individualized of their wares. The potter begins by forming the vessel’s base over a convex mold. Coils are then added to complete the walls and lip. Raised embellishment, like that seen on this water container, is no longer common. Here a series of abstract lizards stretches across the vessel’s entire expanse.