Pottery is one of the most vital artistic traditions in many parts of Africa. Potters, who are generally women, produce the containers of various sizes and shapes that are necessary for storing foodstuffs and water, as well as larger jars for brewing beer and smaller pots for cooking. Other vessels are made to honor deities, rulers, and communities.
In many parts of Africa, pottery is handcrafted with traditional coiling and molding techniques passed down through generations. Generally, pottery manufacture in Africa is carried out in five basic steps: preparing the clay, molding, drying, firing, and decorating.
In some regions of Africa today, pottery production is losing its aesthetic quality and ritual relevance. This derives in part from the imposition of European colonial rule in the nineteenth century and the use of new imported containers. These factors destabilized the functional processes of pottery, among others, significantly affecting the practice of this form of artistic expression.
These ceramic vessels, received as gifts from many different donors, may inspire more scholars in African art to conduct research and continue the efforts of documenting artistic traditions and innovations in African pottery. They stand as examples of historical continuity and models for the creation of new designs in Africa and elsewhere.
