Cleveland Museum of Art

Lidded Pot

Date

1900s

Medium

Terracotta and plant fiber

Culture

Southern Africa, South Africa, Zulu, mid-20th century

Department

African Art

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

This large, beautifully shaped vessel was used for the serving of beer, an essential component of Zulu hospitality. Undecorated vessels were for private household use, and ornamented examples were reserved for guests. Zulu pottery is produced by women, and is typically thin-walled, with a burnished black surface. Decoration may be incised around the shoulder, as in this example, or may consist of raised bumps that resemble body scarification. The basketry lid protects the vessel's contents from flies or debris; contemporary pot lids are often woven of telephone wire with a colorful plastic coating

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