Traditional Pottery Raw Material Formulation: The Theoretical Basis of Practice

Abstract

From time immemorial, pottery, which has been the preserve of women in most African cultures, has sustained the arm of local and household economy in Africa. Long before the idea of MDG sprouted, this indefatigable sorority has organized and supported its craft and even financed it within the context of its social milieu. To be able to further empower them and bring into their trade a sense of newness, it becomes compulsively expedient to understand the theoretical background behind what they do and the grounds they have covered. As profit is the basic incentive for business, the question of economic benefits for these women ought to be a central streak of any intervention. The traditional pottery practice is a simple one rooted in the apprenticeship system which is handed down from one generation to the next. With the exception of a few cultures where men also practice it, pottery is an affair for women. Ignorant of the academic theory of their practice, traditional potters start from the entry point of body preparation to prepare for the exit point of pots’ thermal firing and survival. Since firing must be administered to the wares, if they must make a utility sense, it becomes inevitable to make such early pre-emptive preparations to ensure no or limited firing casualty rate.  This paper looks at; 1). The theory of multi-coloration in  secondary clays and its linkage with body preparation and adjustment for effective potting, and 2).To interpret the theory by the engagement of visual images which simplify comprehension.

Key Words: Pottery; Firing; Traditional Potter; Multi-coloration; Apprenticeship; Raw material; Grog.