A Komaland terracotta head, Northern Ghana. Among the Koma people of northern Ghana, terracotta heads represent a distinctive regional tradition within West African ceramic sculpture. These objects are primarily associated with ancestral veneration and ritual commemoration in the Koma communities scattered across the northern savannah zone. Koma terracotta heads are typically modeled in baked clay with a hollow interior, often retaining evidence of coil-building techniques. They usually feature elongated, oval faces with prominent foreheads, high-bridged noses, and slit or almond-shaped eyes. A hallmark of the northern Ghanaian style is the treatment of hair or coiffure, which may be rendered as incised linear patterns, ridged crests, or stylized topknots, creating a textural contrast with the smooth facial surfaces. In some examples, raised scarification motifs appear on the forehead, temples, or cheeks, indicating either personal or symbolic identity. The surfaces are usually burnished or lightly polished, with a warm, reddish-brown coloration typical of local clay. Occasionally, traces of pigment or residue suggest ritual handling or periodic offerings. In terms of form, Koma heads tend to emphasize verticality and simplified geometric proportions, with careful modeling of planes to convey spiritual presence rather than naturalistic detail. These regional characteristics—elongated oval faces, stylized coiffures, and incised scarification—distinguish northern Ghanaian terracottas from other contemporaneous West African ceramic traditions. CAB38031