Traditional Pottery in Zimbabwe

The use of clay as media in making pots was a craft started long back as the pots were used for cooking and decorative purposes in this article in belief we are going to focus on pottery in Zimbabwe.
Gale (1977)defines pottery as a collective term that may be used to describe anything made out of clay which has be fired and heated through a certain temperature.
Historical background of pottery in Zimbabwe dates back to several thousand of years ago infact in the early settlement and the beginnings of using fire.
It was an essential part of Zimbabwe's material culture which can evidently traced through the various traditions discovered through archeological excavations.
Pots used in various ocassions and purposes such as gifts,to hold grains ,water ,preparation of food ,brewing of beer and so on.The decoration of kitchens were made colourful and beautiful by the use of pottery.
Archeologists are able to identify people
by findings of pottery which show distinctive decorations of particular cultures.Variations of these designs for example incessions ,cross hatching ,stamps ,chevrons etc. These occur right through lend distinctive characters to Zimbabwe pottery.
However with the emergence of colour the decorative qualities appeared to have decline leading to the introduction of mass production of durable container vessels of all types.This implies that although the traditional craft was still practiced ,the fine qualities of the past was disappearing for example of the old craft have been superceded by some chevron decorations applied with modern paints.
Manufacture of traditonal pots was practiced by women who were the main decorators of kitchens and other household rooms,prepared food ,gathering food and brewing beer.
The clay was collected from specific layers which occur in the sub soils.The dry clay must be grounded into fine powder and this normally done on a flat grinding stone.After sifting with winnowing basket.The dry powder left behind was mixed with water and was ready for pottery.
A circular platform was used as a base for the pot which was built up in a series of coils.A wooden shaping tool was used to help to shape the pot into the required size and form,If the pot was to be decorated it would be incisized with a pointed object before it dry.The finished pot will be stored in a cool dry place for 48 hours before being given the final smoothing with a rounded river pebble which known as "hurungudo" in vernacular chishona dialect.This polishing process gives the vessel a shining surface .
A final drying process now takes place and the pot was left in the sun for 12 hours .On the 4th day firing takes place.Pots are placed on top of each other,mouth down in a hallow.