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Source Description
This large, beautifully shaped vessel was used for the serving of beer, an essential component of Zulu hospitality. Undecorated vessels were for private household use, and ornamented examples were reserved for guests. Zulu pottery is produced by women, and is typically thin-walled, with a burnished black surface. Decoration may be incised around the shoulder, as in this example, or may consist of raised bumps that resemble body scarification. The basketry lid protects the vessel's contents from flies or debris; contemporary pot lids are often woven of telephone wire with a colorful plastic coating
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
160818
label
Lidded Pot
core
obj
dtoType
object
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
160818
contentType
object
title
Lidded Pot
description
This large, beautifully shaped vessel was used for the serving of beer, an essential component of Zulu hospitality. Undecorated vessels were for private household use, and ornamented examples were reserved for guests. Zulu pottery is produced by women, and is typically thin-walled, with a burnished black surface. Decoration may be incised around the shoulder, as in this example, or may consist of raised bumps that resemble body scarification. The basketry lid protects the vessel's contents from flies or debris; contemporary pot lids are often woven of telephone wire with a colorful plastic coating
date
1900s
citation
rights
CC0
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
wikidata
Q79982652
genreSpecific
Vessels
imageCount
1
source
import
dimensionsRaw
Diameter: 45.7 cm (18 in.); Overall: 33 cm (13 in.)
cul
Southern Africa, South Africa, Zulu, mid-20th century
accession
1999.13
Source extras
tec
Terracotta and plant fiber
tombstone
Lidded Pot, 1900s. Southern Africa, South Africa, Zulu, mid-20th century. Terracotta and plant fiber; diameter: 45.7 cm (18 in.); overall: 33 cm (13 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, John L. Severance Fund, 1999.13
collection
African Art
creditline
John L. Severance Fund
updatedAt
2026-05-29 08:21:37.914000
sourceId
160818
dept
African Art
coll
African Art
med
Terracotta and plant fiber
thumbnail_url
image_url
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
photo
mediaId
54f7ddf8d12c57c0