Pottery

Pottery Abstract Pottery is one of the oldest forms of art in the world. It traces its origins to traditional African societies; the oldest pottery remains discovered by archaeologists have been traced to Africa.

In African tradition, pottery performed a number of roles including storing water, cooking, and brewing beer. The steps involved in the production of pottery were just as significant as the finished product. The process involved collecting clay, building the vessels by hand from scratch and firing it in a kiln.

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2 Various studies have demonstrated the importance of pottery in African culture. The process of making pots was a technical process that acted as a metaphor for explaining the human experience. Pottery was also used as a part of certain rituals.

Despite being an ancient practice, it is still very much alive in most parts of Africa. This paper examines why pottery was invented and the role it played in Early African societies. It performs a comparative analysis of pottery in traditional African societies, vis-à-vis the practice of pottery in modern African society

3 Why Pottery Was Invented and The Role it Played in Early African Societies Name University Course Instructor Date

Why Pottery Was Invented and The Role it Played in Early African Societies Introduction In today's globalized world, there has been a transition in the symbolism and uses of pottery. Pottery is the process of making pots and other vessels using clay and other ceramic materials. There is sufficient evidence to indicate that pottery began independently in subSaharan Africa. Pottery is thought to have been practiced in parts of the continent, such as Mali and East Africa. There was a significant practice of modern pottery in ancient Egypt, where the

4 pottery practice was highly sophisticated. It is important to look into pottery from the perspective of what it tells about people's history, especially due to the insufficiency of Africa's written history (M'Mbogori, 2015).

African history is primarily passed down from generation to generation orally. Very little of the continent's history is recorded in writing. Pottery is therefore crucial because it is one of the archives of history. Pottery can be used to understand African history in the context of migration patterns and the interactions among Africans that caused the spread of languages. It is possible to gain a deeper understanding of the continent's history through the close study of pottery artefacts.

The study of pottery can be divided into three distinct categories. The first category is techniques that can be studied by observing the methods of decorating pottery; the second category is the techniques that can be understood by studying the process of clay-making, while the third category can be studied by studying the methods used to mould the clay (Ostermann, 2002).

Importance of Pottery Pots are an important a source of insight on people's cultures. The lives they lived, their sources of livelihood, and the skills they possessed. Shards of pottery found in Africa showed that pots were made in Africa as early as 7000 BC. To understand the significance of pottery in ancient African history, and its significance today (Moubrey, 2011).

The practice of pottery in Africa began in the 7th millennium BC, and has carried on to the present day in most parts of the continent. In most cases pottery was done by women. They produced pots of different styles and sizes for a variety of uses such as transport, brewing beer, storage, cooking, dyeing and other uses. Pottery was also commonly used during spiritual rituals.

5 Ceramic technology is the process through which pots are made. As demonstrated in this paper, there are significant differences between ancient and modern-day African pottery. The symbolism and methods of the art of creating pottery are no longer the same. The uses of pots have also changed. The results provide new ways of understanding ancient African pottery and modern African pottery practices. Furthermore, the studies are useful in analyzing whether there have been any positive changes in African pottery over time. A positive shift would indicate the appreciation and growth of African cultures, while a negative shift would indicate that a decline in the appreciation of African culture. The research uses examples from East and South Africa to illustrate its findings.

Contemporary African pottery differs from most traditional pottery. It has a more refined finish and a better-formed shape than traditional pottery. They generally do not fit the aesthetics of a vessel that is used for multiple uses. Modern-day pottery is used less often and, in most homes, serves as a reminder of ancient African history. However, the past cannot be separated from modernity as it's taken many millennia of experimentation, design and production for African pottery to achieve its current level of refinement.

Archaeologists have observed changes in pottery across the African continent. Early forms of pottery were thick, textured and highly decorated. Contemporary pottery is thinner and has finer decorations and textures. The main explanation for these changes is that the technologies and cultural meanings of pottery have changed over the millennia. There have also been changes in the gender that predominantly produces pots. In the early years, pot-making was mostly done by women. However, the craft has since been taken over by men. The changes from the traditional to the modern pottery can be attributed to globalization, where Africans have assimilated the cultures of other continents. It can also be attributed to the transformation of

6 African societies from egalitarianism to capitalism. Archaeologists have so far emphasized that the primary differences between the two forms of pottery lie in the shape, design and decoration.

Research Question There is insufficient research on the implications that changes in technology have had on pottery over time. By studying the differences in pottery then and now, we will be able to answer questions such as: What are the key physical differences between historic and contemporary pottery?

Do both forms of pottery hold the same symbolism?

Are both traditional and contemporary forms of pottery used for the same purposes?

Is pottery still a thriving industry in contemporary African society?

Have there been any differences between historic and contemporary pottery?

The paper also discusses the implications that these changes have had on pottery. The basis of the research is data collected from previous research. The objective of the study is to assess whether the changes in pottery between historical and contemporary times have been positive.

The Invention of Pottery Pottery has been practices for thousands of years in Africa. Pots were usually made by women and they often combined utility with aesthetics. The procedure of pot-making varied from community to community across the continent. However, the standard procedure of making pots involved three main steps. These are mining clay and sifting it to ensure that is pure enough to make good quality pottery. Once the clay was mined and purified, some inert matter was added into it to make it less elastic and decrease the shrinkage of pottery during drying and firing. Inert matter included dry animal dung, chaff from winnowed cereals, and small pieces of

7 straw.The second step was mixing the clay with water to form a paste that could be used to make the pots, and the last step is moulding the clay into a pot.

The Role of Technology and Culture Change in Pottery There is insufficient research in the area of archaeology that addresses the areas of changes in technology and culture. Undoubtedly, advancements in technology have had a significant impact on culture, which in turn has changed how people use and view pottery.

Changes in culture come at a cost, and the symbols of a community's culture, such as pottery in this case bear the brunt of the change. The pottery techniques have had to change because the traditional methods of making pottery have proven to be too time-consuming.

As social

structures alter people's daily patterns, this has led to the movement of people and ideas, and ultimately has transformed the concept of pottery. In this paper, we examine the changes in the techniques, meaning and uses of pottery in Africa. In this regard, it examines whether pottery holds the same value in contemporary African society as it held in the past.

Research Aims and Objectives This research aims to study why pottery was invented, and the role it played in traditional African society. It will compare this against how the pot is used and perceived in the modern African society. This is done with the objective of seeking to understand whether the practice of pottery holds the same value that it did in the past, and whether the changes have been positive or negative.

Methodology Secondary sources were used to collect the data used for this research. This was the most appropriate method of data collection since the information required was for a wide geographical area, that is, the entire African continent. Despite being one of the most ancient art forms in sub-

8 Saharan Africa, pottery is still widely practiced in many parts of the continent. However, it has experienced many changes with regard to the scale of production, the methods of manufacturing, functions of the product, and its symbolism. In most communities, the ancient functions of pottery such as cooking, storing and rituals have been replaced by more modern functions such as decorating.

Results / Findings of the Study From the time of its invention to date, African pottery has remained an important form of artistic expression among many communities. According to Hood, traditional pottery techniques are still used by Africans especially in the rural areas (2020). In most of the areas across Africa, pottery is only done by hand; the potter's wheel is not available. Potters use three main techniques, these are; modeling from apiece of clay, using the coil method and lastly, potting using clay that is readymade. Once the vessels are made, they are manually decorated using simple patters by incising and making impressions on the vessel. However, the pottery used for religious rituals usually has deeper incisions and more elaborate designs. The pottery methods used in Africa are, to a large extent, very traditional. They have been passed down from generation to generation with little to no alterations made to them. Due to the low levels of mechanization in the continent, manual methods are used. Additionally, once the pottery is moulded, it is fired in the open. In most households where pottery is practiced, there are still no kilns. However, despite the highly manual methods of preparing the vessels, the finished product is beautifully defined yet simple.

In many African communities, there are still many superstitions and beliefs that surround the process of making pottery. Some people believe that the deities only allow women to make pottery, while others believe that it is a man's work. Other cultures believe that there has to be a

9 cleansing ritual prior to the commencement of pottery. Other communities believe that potters can only create good vessels when they abstain from sexual relations prior to doing the work.

Communities such as the Bamana of West Africa only allow women into the practice when they are still virgins and if they come from a family where the skill is practiced (Swartz, &Dumett, 2011).

There are also African communities that divide pottery into male and female shapes.

Among the Bamana, for example, the longer, slender pottery is considered male, while the shorter and rounder ones are considered female. Most communities still produce ritual pottery to date. This type of pottery often has more elaborate markings and decorations. They may also include the symbol of the deity to whom they are dedicated.

Gosselain explains that the pottery-making tribes of Namibia such as the Caprivi get the soil for clay moulding from termite hills (2008). They prefer this soil because it is already hardened, therefore, can be used to make better quality pots. Potters harvest the clay manually.

Just like in traditional African society, the clay is tempered to make it sturdy enough for pottery.

Generally, African pottery varies depending on the source of its origin. The traditional and religious customs, as well as the people's diets determine the type of vessels. Communities such as the Somono are renowned for making the widest selection of pottery; ranging from cooking to storage vessels. The Manika potters also make a variety of pottery such as water jars, pots and steamers. Communities such as the Bamadaga have special pottery for keeping sacred medication. Still, there are African communities such as the Dogon, who only make pottery for the basic functions for cooking and storage. It is relatively easy to identify the origin of pottery from its shape, structure and patterns.

Meaning of the Study

10 Pottery is used by archaeologists as one of the primary sources of information on past cultures. The process of making it ready for potting is often long and laborious especially where modern technology is not available.The study of pottery can be used to perform a myriad of social investigations. In this case, for example, it can be used to determine whether African communities have incorporated technology into the production of pottery. A low adoption of technology could be an indicator of a poor socio-economic status. To perform this study, the works of researchers such as Hunt, (2017) will be used as a reference point.

This research shows that in most African communities, there have been very little, if any, changes in the process of creating pottery. The same manual traditional techniques are used at all the different stages of making pots, from the collection of clay to the final process of firing the finished product. While, on the surface, it may appear to indicate that the pottery culture is wellpreserved, it also shows that there is a very low level of economic development and mechanization among African communities. The lack of significant change in pottery techniques is also an indicator of low levels of education among the communities involved in pottery.

Ideally, seeing that pottery was invented many millennia ago, there should be a steady progression in the craft. The fact that he pottery is made by hand is also an indicator of the people's socio-economic status. If they had machines to do the work with, they would produce more pots, and perhaps earn more money from trading in pottery. However, since they can only annually produce a few pieces per person, their capacity to generate a higher income from the art is limited. In urban areas, using pottery to cook or store is considered backward, and people tend to prefer plastics and cooking pans which are faster and more accessible. This study show that a lot needs to be done to promote the pottery industry in Africa. Despite being highly skilled at

11 their work, most potters still live within the margins of poverty and lack sufficient education and training.

References Gosselain, O. P. (2008). Ceramics in Africa: Encyclopaedia of the History of Science, Technology, and Medicine in Non-Western Cultures. Springer.

Hood, R. (2020). African tribal pottery styles. Ceramics and Pottery Arts and Resources.

Retrieved 9 December 2020, from https://www.veniceclayartists.com/african-tribalpottery-styles/.

12 Hunt, A. M. W. (2017). The Oxford Handbook of Archaeological Ceramic Analysis. Oxford University Press.

M'Mbogori, F. N. (2015). Population and Ceramic Traditions: Revisiting the Tana Ware of Coastal Kenya (7th-14th Century AD). Archaeopress.

Moubrey, C. (2011). 4.African Pottery - Journey Through Ceramics. [online] Sites.google.com.

Available at: <https://sites.google.com/site/journeythroughceramics/african-pottery> [Accessed 9 December 2020].

Ostermann, M. (2002). The Ceramic Surface. University of Pennsylvania Press Swartz, B. K. &Dumett, R. E. (2011).West African Culture Dynamics: Archaeological and Historical Perspectives. Walter de Gruyter.