H x W x D: 22.9 x 24.7 x 24.5 cm (9 x 9 3/4 x 9 5/8 in.)
Type:
Ceramics
Geography:
Zimbabwe
Date:
Mid 20th century
Label Text:
African potters--primarily women--handbuild a variety of vessels that they embellish with beautiful colors, designs and motifs before firing them at low temperatures. Containers made for daily use hold water or serve as cooking utensils. They also make vessels to be used in special ceremonies or that become part of an assemblage of objects placed in a shrine.
This vessel is a fine example of the Shona potter's artistry. The body has a consistent thickness and is well burnished. The outside appears to have a graphite slip, commonly used in the area, while the inside of the mouth is slipped with red hematite clay. There are four registers of alternating graphite triangles and incised, cross-hatched triangles. The red bands that separate the registers were probably created by a red hematite slip. The vessel's narrow, high-necked opening indicates it probably held water or the traditional maize beer.
Description:
Jar with an ovoid body of consistent thickness that is well burnished. The outside appears to have a graphite slip, while the inside of the mouth is slipped with red hematite clay. There are four distinct registers of decoration consisting of triangles produced by crosshatched incisions. The red bands that separate the registers were probably produced by a red haematite sllp.
Provenance:
Michael Graham-Stewart, London, -- to 1990
Content Statement:
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