Vase - Terracotta - Beautiful Mangbetu vase

Anthropomorphic Pottery - Mangbetu

In Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda... and as in many other African countries, it is the women who are the potters. Men are responsible for the extraction and transport of the clay soil. Everything else is up to the women.

The clay mixed with sand is trodden underfoot. The technique used for making the pots is the so-called "coil" method. The potter stacks the clay coils and levels them with a spatula, a piece of calabash. The exterior walls, still moist, are decorated with motifs using a small rush braid.

The pots are left to dry, about a week, sometimes in the shade, sometimes in the sun. Firing takes place the day before the market. First, dry herbs are burned inside the pots to avoid too great a temperature difference between the interior and exterior. The pottery is piled on a bed made of twigs or stones and old pots. It is covered with dry herbs. The firing lasts from one to two hours.

The potter removes each pot from the kiln with a long pole and sprinkles them with water mixed with ash.

The pots will be taken to the market the following day to be sold or exchanged.

Superb piece, with great finesse in the details.
Rare object on the market, especially of this quality and in this condition..

Ethnicity
Mangbetu / Makere
Country of origin
Congo, D.R.
Main material
terracotta
Surface appearance
for everyday use
Apparent condition
very good condition
Conservation state
in its original condition
Height, cm
38
Weight, g
5219
Shipping Collissimo