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Beer Pot Zulu, South Africa Fired clay
 Collection of The African Art Museum of The
S.M.A. Fathers Gift of Bill and Gale Simmons, 1996 While wood sculpture in the
form of masks and figures is most familiar to us, many cultures of sub-Saharan
Africa have produced masterpieces in other media. Zulu beer pots, for the
storage of their brews, are made by the coil method, smoothed, incised or
embossed with geometric patterns and then fired, which hardens the clay and
turns it black. Only now being sought by collectors, the vessels are stunning
in their simplicity, restraint and elegance. When not in use the opening is
covered by a basketry lid to keep out flies. |