Pot
19th century (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
Zulu pottery achieved a high degree of sophistication in the 19th century. The use of pottery became more widespread as Zulu communities changed from scattered, mostly pastoral clans to being concentrated in large military kraals. Large clay pots were made for the mass storage of food and brewing of beer (utshwala). A variety of smaller pots of different shapes and sizes was created for serving and drinking beer.
Making pottery was a highly-specialised skill. Clay was dug near the homestead, dried out and later reconstituted with water when required. Different kinds of clay were used for different sizes of pot, with finer clay being used for smaller, more delicate vessels. Pots were constructed using the ‘thumb and coil’ method before having their external surfaces smoothed down with a small pebble.
The smooth spherical base of this pot was probably made to store beer. While some small storage pots did have a cylindrical neck (to avoid losing any of the contents) the neck of this pot is too crudely made for a Zulu user and it may have been designed for European use, perhaps as a vase.
Making pottery was a highly-specialised skill. Clay was dug near the homestead, dried out and later reconstituted with water when required. Different kinds of clay were used for different sizes of pot, with finer clay being used for smaller, more delicate vessels. Pots were constructed using the ‘thumb and coil’ method before having their external surfaces smoothed down with a small pebble.
The smooth spherical base of this pot was probably made to store beer. While some small storage pots did have a cylindrical neck (to avoid losing any of the contents) the neck of this pot is too crudely made for a Zulu user and it may have been designed for European use, perhaps as a vase.
Object details
Categories | |
Object type | |
Materials and techniques | Earthenware, unglazed burnished clay |
Brief description | Earthenware pot, KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa, 19th century |
Physical description | Round earthenware vessel with short neck, lower part of which has incised design. Main body of vessel burnished and re-fired in smoky fire to produce a dark finish. |
Dimensions |
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Style | |
Credit line | Presented by Major Garden |
Object history | Accession register entry: '[pasted in label] Bottle of dark brown earthenware, with incised decoration and lustrous surface. From Natal. Zulu, 19th century. H 6 7/8 in., diam. 5 5/8 in. Given by Major Garden. Transferred from the Museum of Practical Geology, Jermyn Street. / Body nearly globular, short neck, the lower half of which expands downwards and is incised with geometrical devices.' |
Summary | Zulu pottery achieved a high degree of sophistication in the 19th century. The use of pottery became more widespread as Zulu communities changed from scattered, mostly pastoral clans to being concentrated in large military kraals. Large clay pots were made for the mass storage of food and brewing of beer (utshwala). A variety of smaller pots of different shapes and sizes was created for serving and drinking beer. Making pottery was a highly-specialised skill. Clay was dug near the homestead, dried out and later reconstituted with water when required. Different kinds of clay were used for different sizes of pot, with finer clay being used for smaller, more delicate vessels. Pots were constructed using the ‘thumb and coil’ method before having their external surfaces smoothed down with a small pebble. The smooth spherical base of this pot was probably made to store beer. While some small storage pots did have a cylindrical neck (to avoid losing any of the contents) the neck of this pot is too crudely made for a Zulu user and it may have been designed for European use, perhaps as a vase. |
Collection | |
Accession number | 4295-1901 |
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Record created | July 22, 2008 |
Record URL |
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