Beer pot, mid 20th century
Zuluexpand_more
Clayexpand_more
Anonymous gift of fundsexpand_more 99.115.1
Not on Viewexpand_more
Among the Zulu peoples, home-brewed sorghum beer is the preferred food of the ancestors. Beer drinking is an indispensable part of communal celebrations of life’s milestones, including birth, marriage, and death. Pots for serving and drinking beer are embellished with textured patterns, some of which are figurative, and then blackened in a smoky reduction firing of grass or dung. Blackening attracts the ancestors, whose presence and blessing are desired.
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- Beer pot
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- Accession Number
- 99.115.1
- Curator Approved
This record is from historic documentation and may not have been reviewed by a curator, so may be inaccurate or incomplete. Our records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
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