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craft was still practiced ,the fine qualities of the past was disappearing for example of the old craft have been superceded by some chevron decorations applied with modern paints.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.
Showing posts with label history. Show all posts
Showing posts with label history. Show all posts
Sunday, September 26, 2010
THE HISTORY OF GREAT ZIMBABWE NATIONAL MONUMENT
"Great Zimbabwe or stone buildings" is the name given to stone ruins spread out over 9 722 hectares within the morden day city of Masvingo.
The word "Great" distiquishes the site from hundred small ruins around Zimbabwe.The majority of people were speakers of a language known as " CHIVANHU" or "CHISHONA"which consists of many dialects the major ones being CHIZEZURU,CHIKARANGA,CHIMANYIKA AND CHINDAU.
The shona called themselves vanhu who speak a language chivanhu .The popular name shona is a ndebele word derived from "ensthonalanga "which means people of the west named by Mzilikazi.
The history behind the name "ZIMBABWE", has not been established. The word Zimbabwe is clearly from the chikaranga dialect of chivanhu or chishona.The name is a short for for "ZIMBA REMABWE" a shona dialect Chikaranga the term which means the great or big house built of a stone boulder.
A linguistic analysis of the name Zimbabwe clearly indicates that the origin of the name refers to the ancient city of Great Zimbabwe whose huge building were built of stone boulders.
The Chikaranga -speaking shona people are found around Great Zimbabwe in the current province of Masvingo and have been known to have inhabited the area since the great building's inception.
The other argument is that Zimbabwe is contracted form of "dzimba woye" which simply means houses in Zezuru another shona dialect.This term specifically reserved for chiefs ' houses or graves.
It should also be noted that the Chizezuru speaking people are found to the North-east of Great Zimbabwe ,about 500 kilometres away.
The first theory could be said to have the advantage of a linguistic analysis that produced the outcome that it ties in the physical nature of the ancient city of Great Zimbabwe and that is based on language in use today among the people who are found in the surrounding area today.
The second thought of the name Zimbabwe brings in the concept of veneration of the ancient city which is known to be associated with Great Zimbabwe as national monument.However , a linguistic analysis would seem not to as sound as that of the first thought. For example "dzimba woye" in both Chikaranga and Chizezuru ,be sensibly contradicted to become Zimbabwe.
Dzimba literally means "houses" and "woye" is merely a sound used in respectful solicitation .Thus the two words can't lead to the name Zimbabwe.
Moreover the Chikaranga word "bwe" doesn'exist in Chizezuru the word is "dombo". It should be noted that Chizezuru and Chikaranga are merely dialects of one language called Chivanhu or Chishona only a few words lie outside their intersection for example "bwe" and "dombo".The lack of proximity of the Zezurus to the Great Zimbabwe seems to dimiss the second theory as baseless.
The veneration of Great Zimbabwe as a shrine or religious centre started sometime after its inhabitants deserted the palace.The various historians cited the reasons such as overpopulation dwindle of resouces such as fire wood or out break of diseases,due to persistent droughts,forced inhabitants to look for greener pastures for their cattle which was their staple food.The decline in gold trade led people to seek other avenues for trade.Conservation was no longer practiced and some people left the area because they want to form their state ,for example Nyatsimba Mutota.
Great Zimbabwe was associated with the chiefs courts,veneration and religious shrines,for instance there is a venerated stone boulder "dombo ramwari" (stone of God) as noted above dombo is the Chizezuru word for bwe in Chikaranga..
There is also a place known as chibwedziva in nearby CHIREDZI which also indicates a culture of veneration stone structure as well as water in natural dams and lakes.
The word "Great" distiquishes the site from hundred small ruins around Zimbabwe.The majority of people were speakers of a language known as " CHIVANHU" or "CHISHONA"which consists of many dialects the major ones being CHIZEZURU,CHIKARANGA,CHIMANYIKA AND CHINDAU.
The shona called themselves vanhu who speak a language chivanhu .The popular name shona is a ndebele word derived from "ensthonalanga "which means people of the west named by Mzilikazi.
The history behind the name "ZIMBABWE", has not been established. The word Zimbabwe is clearly from the chikaranga dialect of chivanhu or chishona.The name is a short for for "ZIMBA REMABWE" a shona dialect Chikaranga the term which means the great or big house built of a stone boulder.
A linguistic analysis of the name Zimbabwe clearly indicates that the origin of the name refers to the ancient city of Great Zimbabwe whose huge building were built of stone boulders.
The Chikaranga -speaking shona people are found around Great Zimbabwe in the current province of Masvingo and have been known to have inhabited the area since the great building's inception.
The other argument is that Zimbabwe is contracted form of "dzimba woye" which simply means houses in Zezuru another shona dialect.This term specifically reserved for chiefs ' houses or graves.
It should also be noted that the Chizezuru speaking people are found to the North-east of Great Zimbabwe ,about 500 kilometres away.
The first theory could be said to have the advantage of a linguistic analysis that produced the outcome that it ties in the physical nature of the ancient city of Great Zimbabwe and that is based on language in use today among the people who are found in the surrounding area today.
The second thought of the name Zimbabwe brings in the concept of veneration of the ancient city which is known to be associated with Great Zimbabwe as national monument.However , a linguistic analysis would seem not to as sound as that of the first thought. For example "dzimba woye" in both Chikaranga and Chizezuru ,be sensibly contradicted to become Zimbabwe.
Dzimba literally means "houses" and "woye" is merely a sound used in respectful solicitation .Thus the two words can't lead to the name Zimbabwe.
Moreover the Chikaranga word "bwe" doesn'exist in Chizezuru the word is "dombo". It should be noted that Chizezuru and Chikaranga are merely dialects of one language called Chivanhu or Chishona only a few words lie outside their intersection for example "bwe" and "dombo".The lack of proximity of the Zezurus to the Great Zimbabwe seems to dimiss the second theory as baseless.
The veneration of Great Zimbabwe as a shrine or religious centre started sometime after its inhabitants deserted the palace.The various historians cited the reasons such as overpopulation dwindle of resouces such as fire wood or out break of diseases,due to persistent droughts,forced inhabitants to look for greener pastures for their cattle which was their staple food.The decline in gold trade led people to seek other avenues for trade.Conservation was no longer practiced and some people left the area because they want to form their state ,for example Nyatsimba Mutota.
Great Zimbabwe was associated with the chiefs courts,veneration and religious shrines,for instance there is a venerated stone boulder "dombo ramwari" (stone of God) as noted above dombo is the Chizezuru word for bwe in Chikaranga..
There is also a place known as chibwedziva in nearby CHIREDZI which also indicates a culture of veneration stone structure as well as water in natural dams and lakes.
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