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ANNALS OF THE

SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

VOLUME 49

ANNALS

OF THE

SOU FF AFRICAN MUSEUM

VOLUME 49

PRINTED FOR THE

TRUSTEES OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

1967-1968

LIST OF CONTENTS

Lawton, A. C.

Bantu pottery of southern Africa (published September 1967)

RUDNER, J.

Strandloper pottery from South and South West Africa (published March 1968)

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A. G. LAWTON

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA

September 1967 September

Volume 49 Band

Barty, 7a). Deak

ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

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n =

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Fe ae eee

Te Opals SAM 8803. Zulu, Msinga, Natal. 1936 (see figure 14).

2.) Top, 73 SAM 8938. Tsonga. Near Morrumbene, Mozambique. 1963 (see figure

68).

3. 2nd row, I.: SAM 1168. Ngwaketse. Kanye, Botswana. 1908 (see figure 112).

4. 2nd row, centre: © SAM 8or1o0. South Sotho. Leribe, Lesotho. 1958 (see figure 80).

5. 2nd row, r.: SAM 8or2. South Sotho. Leribe, Lesotho. 1958 (see figure 99).

6. 3rd row: SAM 6578. Sotho. Lydenburg, Transvaal. 1946 (see figure 150).

7. 4th row, l. top: SAM 8695. Venda. Louis Trichardt, Transvaal. 1962 (see figure 218).

8. 4th row, l. bottom: SAM 8801. Lemba. Sibasa, Transvaal. 1936 (see figure 237).

Q. 4th row, r.: SAM 8799. Lobedu. Pietersburg, Transvaal. 1936 (see figure 167).

10. Bottom, l.: SAM 8970. Manyika. Inyanga Reserve, Rhodesia. 1963 (see figure 256)

11. Bottom, r.: SAM 4098. Kualuthi. Ovamboland. 1923 (see figure 309).

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA

A. C. LAWTON, M.A.

(With plates I-X XV and 331 text-figures)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

Abbreviations : : : E 3 : : I

Part I General frmodictiont : : ; , 2

Part II ‘Technology of Pottery ermiacrre : :

Part III General Classification of Pottery Types . : 21

Part VI Pottery Techniques and Types Classified by eribe

To Negunin: . : . : : : : E30

2. Tsonga . : : : : ‘ ; ame 38)

3. Sotho . : : : : : é 2 802

4. Venda . Sat euiaeeas : 2 . 193

5. Lemba . : 3 : : é : - 212

Gm C@hopitae wen) wees Ba Pee |. 2TG

7. Shona . : : : : : . 92230

$.(blerero ~- : : : : ‘ . 281

Qa ATOM wins Seis sul Melee) ks. 204

1Oa@kayango,lribes*. 49 7 ~f |. .- 300

Discussion and Conclusions. : ; f : : : - 307

Summary . : : : ; : : : : oa 2915

Acknowledgements oO eS a ee Sei MERION er) seme S Oy,

IRGISRSTOSS Sg SU es et 8

Description of Figures . : : : : ; : e322

EUS UIECS penne st at ys | 8 : : : : ; ; 369

List of Plates fase SS AON eit ae A nna? C7!

Platesand Maps... ‘ : : : : : After 434

Index ~ 5 : : ete : : : ; : 5 ASS

ABBREVIATIONS

AFRIK. Africana Museum, Johannesburg

BLM. National Museum, Bloemfontein

BM. British Museum, London

BWYO. National Museum, Bulawayo

CAM. Cambridge University Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology

COP. National (Ethnographic) Museum, Copenhagen

EL. East London Museum, East London

HAM. Museum fiir Vélkerkunde, Hamburg

PAR. Musee de l’Homme, Paris

PITT. R. Pitt Rivers Museum, Oxford

QVMM. Queen Victoria Memorial Museum, Salisbury (used by Schofield)

SAL. Queen Victoria Museum, Salisbury

SAM. South African Museum, Cape Town

ALWALy Transvaal Museum, Pretoria

UGH: University of Cape Town collection, on permanent loan to

South African Museum, Cape Town

WIND. State Museum, Windhoek

WITS. Department of Social Anthropology and African Administration,

University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.

Ann. S. Afr. Mus. 49 (1), 1967: 1-440, 25 pls., 331 figs.

ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

PART I: INTRODUCTION

The Bantu people of Southern Africa entered this region from the North

in successive migratory waves and advanced to the regions which they now

inhabit, the first of the immigrants crossing the Zambezi at about the beginning

of the Christian era. Pottery of a type belonging to the earliest Iron Age

traditions, and found north of the Zambezi (Clark, 1959), has been found at

Zimbabwe where it has been dated a.p. 330 by radio-carbon tests (Robinson,

1961b).

Contact with different people and new environments resulted in changes

in the way of life and material culture of the migrants; this is evident in regard

to pottery. This process is still going on today and is illustrated by the Swazi

in Sekhukhuneland, who, using their traditional methods, make pottery in the

Sotho style for sale to the local Pedi people, who in this area have abandoned

the manufacture of their own wares.

These changes became more pronounced and permanent with the settle-

ment of the European in Southern Africa. We know from the observations of

early travellers and anthropologists that pottery used to be made in larger

quantities throughout this area than it is today when the percentage of potters is

relatively low. Many having the knowledge no longer use it, preferring to

buy pots from those who have built up a small home industry in pottery, or to

utilize the cheaper more durable types of commercial utensils sold at local

trading stores.

Further, in many Bantu schools throughout Southern Africa, which are

attended by pupils from a number of different tribes and where pottery is

taught as a subject, the method taught is not traditional to all pupils, and may,

indeed, be foreign to them all.

Not only are new techniques being introduced but new forms have been

adopted in imitation of Western articles such as vases, sugar-bowls, tea-pots

and casserole dishes, and many traditional vessel types are being neglected.

The more specialized ritual earthenware articles have become far less common,

and in many cases have disappeared completely since traditional beliefs have

been revolutionized.

The principle aim of this survey is to record present-day techniques and

pottery types and to investigate the possibility of using pottery as a basis on

which to make cultural classifications and comparisons.

On the whole literature on this subject is scattered and consists mainly o1

references to pottery in the diaries of early travellers and missionaries and short

descriptions in social anthropological studies. The major work on this subject

to date is Schofield’s Primitive Pottery (1948). Although ethnological studies

were used for comparison, the main scope of the work was archaeological and

it was felt that a more detailed ethnological study than Schofield had been able

to include was needed before this type of pottery disappears. Further, it is

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 3

hoped that the archaeologists will find the survey of use in the correlation of

prehistoric and present-day pottery traditions.

The summary is limited to the geographical area south of the Zambezi

and Cunene rivers and within that to the Bantu peoples, generally called the

Southern Bantu. Within this group of peoples there are certain cultural

affinities which are reflected in their pottery; some of these bind the whole

group together, such as the lack of a wheel; others demonstrate local differences,

for example, colour, shape and decorative patterns.

As the Hottentots and Bushmen fall into neither the same ethnic nor

cultural grouping as the Bantu they have been excluded from this survey.

The survey involved field trips to as many reserves as possible in the time

available. Pottery demonstrations were watched, potters interviewed and

photographs taken of earthenware utensils in use and methods of manufacture.

Every attempt was made to confirm information received from as many

informants as possible, but in some cases only one potter could be found and

there was no means of knowing whether his or her methods were typical of

their group. The data is further limited by the fact that at least two, and

sometimes three languages were required at an interview. Information collected

in the field has, however, been augmented from the literature and by the

examination of museum collections.

The following is a list of the tribes included in the survey based on a

classification after Van Warmelo (1935; 1951), Posselt (1927), Hahn (1928) and

Junod (1927), and personal investigation.

DIVISION SUBDIVISION TRIBAL GROUP

1. NGUNI 11 Cape Nguni Xhosa, Thembu, Bomvana,

. Mpondomise, Mpondo

12 Immigrant Cape Nguni Fingo, Hlubi, Bhaca, Xesibe

13 Natal Nguni Zulu and others

14. Swazi Ngwane, Khandzambili, Transvaal

Swazi

15 S. Transvaal Ndebele Manala, Ndzundza, Hwaduba

16 N. Transvaal Ndebele Moletlane, Laka, Maune

17 Tshangana (Gasaland)

(see 23 below)

18 Rhodesian Ndebele

2. TSONGA 21 South Tsonga (Ronga)

22 Nhlanganu

23 Tshangana

24 Nkuna and others in

Transvaal

25 North Tsonga in Nwalungu, Hlengwe, Tswa

Transvaal, Mozambique

and Rhodesia

26 Mixed Tsonga in Transvaal

27 Central Tsonga in

Mozambique

DIVISION

3. SOTHO

4. VENDA

5. LEMBA

6. CHOPI

7, SHONA

8. HERERO

g AMBO

10. OKAVANGO

TRIBES

(Non-Ambo)

ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

103

104.

SUBDIVISION

South Sotho (Basuto)

West Tswana

East Tswana

Central Sotho

East Sotho

North East Sotho

North Sotho

West Venda

East Venda

South Venda

Chopi

Tshongonono

Karanga

Rozwi

Kaokoveld Herero

Damaraland Herero

Bechuanaland Herero

North Ambo

South Ambo

East Ambo

Mpukushu

Diriko

Sambiu

Angolan immigrants

' TRIBAL GROUP

Sotho, Kwena, Hlakwana, Fokeng,

Phuti, Tebele

Thlaping, Thlaro, Rolong, Huruthse,

Ngwaketse, Kwena, Mangwato

Kxatla, Kwena,* Phalane,* Phiring,*

Taung,* Po,* Tlokwa,* Hlalerwa,*

Malete*

Pedi, Tau, Kwena, Koni, Roka

Kutswe, Pai, Pulane

Letswalo, Phalaborwa, Lobedu

Kxaxa, Koni, Birwa, Tlokwa,

Xananwa

Lemba

Lenge, Chopi, Khoka

Zezuru, Manyika, Korekore, Tonga,

Karanga, Kalanga, Ungwe, Tawara,

Hera

Rozwi, Ndau

Tjimba, Himba, Herero

Kwanyama, Ndombondola, Kwankwa

Ndonga, Kualuthi, Kuambi,

Ngandjera, Mbalantu,

Nkolonkathi, Eunda

Kuangari,+ Bunjaj

* Given by Van Warmelo (1935) as individual tribes.

+ Classified here on basis of hut types and their own traditions, but classified linguistically

with the Okavango Tribes. (Westphal, E., Linguistic Prehistory of Southern Africa, Africa, 33:

3, 237, July 1963. O.U.P. London.)

The map showing tribal distribution has been compiled from maps and

information from the following sources, which have been modified by findings

in the field:

South West Africa—South West Africa Scientific Society Map 1957

Bechuanaland Protectorate —Statistics on the Herero from the Department

of Tribal Affairs and Social Services, Mafeking

Republic of South Africa—Van Warmelo, (1935)

Rhodesia—Posselt (1927), Doke (1931)

~Mozambique—Rita-Ferreira (1959), Junod (1927)

Information collected during the survey regarding the distribution of some

aspects of decoration, form and technique has been shown on three maps.

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 5

PART Ii: TECHNOLOGY OF POTTERY MANUFACTURE

INTRODUCTION

It is almost certain that pottery was invented more than once in different

centres and at different periods, and that the knowledge was diffused from

these regions. The centres are not known and it is indeed often difficult on the

available evidence to trace the routes along which the knowledge of the art

spread. This is seen in Africa. The earliest known North African pottery is

from sites in the Egyptian Fayum, dated by radio-carbon to between 4500-

4000 B.c. (McBurney, 1961). It is suggested that this tradition is related to that

which developed in the Near East, where well-made pottery occurs at Jericho

as early as 7000 B.c. (McBurney, 1961). The pottery in North Africa is recorded

in conjunction with a partly hunting and partly agricultural way of life, and

at Jericho it occurs in an early farming context.

In Kenya, however, two sherds of pottery were discovered apparently in

situ at Gambles Cave in conjunction with an Upper Paleolithic Kenya Capsian

Culture (Leakey, 1931). Geological evidence suggests a date not later than

10000 B.c. (Leakey, 1931); but comparison of a bone harpoon, which was

found in conjunction with the pottery, with one from Ishango, where radio-

carbon tests were possible, suggests a date of about 6000 B.c. (Oakley, 1961).

This places the pottery finds from Kenya considerably before those of

North Africa; and they are, furthermore, associated with a more primitive way

of life. It is generally felt, however, that this dating is too early for pottery in

this region and that the material may be out of position after all.

In any event, it is likely that wherever the diffusion centre or centres of

the earliest African pottery were located (and this is not known) the techniques

used by the earliest potters were much the same as those used by Bantu potters

today. These have been handed down through generation after generation,

gaining and losing in importance as the way of life of prehistoric man changed.

These methods were finally brought south to the region of survey by people

practising an Iron Age culture. The form that pottery has taken, however, has

evolved to meet the needs of the makers and decorative practices have like-

wise changed.

Potters in the area under discussion were questioned without success as to

whether there are any traditions relating to pottery among their people. No one

was able to trace a knowledge of pottery beyond their mothers or grand-

mothers, nor were there any folk-tales relating to the manufacture.

1. POTTERS AND THEIR EQUIPMENT

THE POTTERS

With a few exceptions all the pottery of the Southern Bantu is manu-

factured by women. The exceptions are found only in South West Africa, where,

among the Diriko and Mampukushu, men are responsible for the manufacture

(Shaw and Rudner, verbal information), and among the Kuangari and

6 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Bergdama where there are potters of both sexes (Lebzelter, 1934; Shaw, verbal

information). In some groups of the Angolan Nyemba who have settled in the

Okavango, the potters are men (Kangara), and in others women (Masaka)

(Hellberg, in it. 6.11.61). This suggests that pot-making by men in the region

of study is due to Angolan influence, and is not typical.

It was found in the field that the manufacture of pottery today is not

confined to members of particular families but that it is undertaken by anyone

interested. In spite of this pottery is a specialized craft. Although most of the

potters interviewed had learnt their craft from either their mothers or grand-

mothers, a large number of them had learnt by watching others at work, or at

government or mission schools. ‘The mothers of some of these potters had been

unable to make pottery.

The potters practise their craft to fulfil both their own domestic require-

ments and orders placed by neighbours. The exception to this is perhaps found

in regions where the weekly market has become a social event, and goods for

sale range from vegetables to the products of home industries. In these areas

there is a greater degree of specialization, and the potters are able to count on

a steady income from the sale of their wares.

It would seem that the status of the Bantu potter has been gradually

changing. It was found in the past that the knowledge of pottery techniques

was guarded within certain families, and that pottery was an hereditary craft

(Martin, 1941; Schapera, 1953). Then, as now, pottery was made both for the

potters’ domestic use and for trade, which took the form of barter, the vessels

being exchanged for the amount of grain they could contain. Today, pottery

is generally paid for in cash, but a few of the potters interviewed preferred to

barter their wares as in the past.

An interesting development has taken place in southernmost Mozambique,

where women manufacture their own domestic ware by hand, and men are

employed in Portuguese-owned factories where a primitive kick-wheel is used.

Here pottery is manufactured for both the Portuguese and the indigenous

people, traditional shapes being made for the latter. The influence of three

factories of this type—at Lourenco Marques, Vila de Jaoa Belo and Magude—

is widespread, as lorries and buses carry loads of their pottery to the more

northerly districts for sale at local trading stores. In a number of these districts,

for example Sitila and Funhalouro, there is no clay for pottery, but even in

others where clay is available this ware is popular.

Another aspect of the influence of these factories, and a good example of

modern culture diffusion, is seen in the large number of small one- or two-

man factories owned and worked by men who have learnt the use of the

kick-wheel.

TIME AND PLACE OF MAKING

A potter chooses a place to work in which is sheltered both from the wind

and the direct rays of the sun, the reason for this being that she has found or

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 7

has been taught that clay is most manageable when cool and wet, and drying

caused by heat and wind reduces its plasticity, making shaping more difficult

and causing cracking.

Many potters make their pots indoors whatever the weather. A Budgja

potter in the Mtoko district, a maker of very large beer-pots, who made her

pots indoors at all times, claimed that because of this she had never had any

breakages. Some potters, however, work indoors only if the weather is poor,

preferring to find a sheltered place outside the hut. Among some of the Ambo

tribes of South West Africa we find greater specialization. An underground

room (Plate XXV No. 75) is constructed for the manufacture of pottery.

Tonjes (1911: 68) described a hut (ondjiboldo) the roof of which reached to the

ground. There was a gap under the eaves to allow for ventilation, and one

narrow doorway was the only means of entry and source of light. An alternative

to this was a shelter, used exclusively for the manufacture of pottery, built next

to the fireplace or ‘kiln’ (Lebzelter, 1934).

Potters practise their craft when they have the time and inclination. No

particular time of day is considered more suitable than another. Some potters

are able to make pottery throughout the year, others are too busy in the fields

until after the harvest, and are able to do so only in the slack period. Rainy

weather is not generally considered suitable for the manufacture of pottery,

but many potters work indoors on rainy days.

MATERIALS USED

It was found throughout the area under discussion that most potters fetch

their own clay.* Among some tribes this is, in fact, believed to be essential for

the success of the pottery, and is probably due to the importance of the choice

of the correct raw materials (see, e.g., Tlokwa, p. 161).

It was found that the most sought after clays were those from river banks

and termite heaps, which sources yield clays with the highest degree of plasticity

(cf. Schofield, 1948; King, 1942), although other sources are utilized where

necessary.

A hoe is generally used to dig the clay, which is collected either wet or

dry and carried to the homestead in a light container, such as a basket or

paraffin tin. Some potters store the clay damp before preparing it by adding

water and pounding. Others dry the clay in the sun, then grind or pound it to

a fine powder, either between two stones or with a wooden pestle in a pottery

bowl. Inequalities and foreign bodies are removed. Water is then added to the

powder, and the mixture kneaded or stamped until it is of the required

consistency (Plate XXI No. 60). On one occasion clay collected from a river

bed in the Maseru district was shown to be practically ready for use. The

potter dug it, added a little water and after she had stamped and kneaded it

*The term ‘clay’ here applies to the material used in the manufacture of pottery and has

no mineralogical significance. The conditions which the material has to satisfy are: (1) that it is

plastic and malleable when wet; (2) that it retains the shape into which it is formed when it

dries; (3) that it undergoes metamorphosis at a low temperature.

8 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

alternately for four minutes it was ready for use.

A number of potters interviewed mixed a non-plastic material with the

clay, which they said was to strengthen it. Skilled potters are able to tell from

the feel and appearance of the clay whether it is necessary to add anything or

not. (The effect of the addition of a non-plastic material, or filler, is to prevent

excessive shrinking while drying, thus producing a stronger material. The

amount of filler has to be carefully judged, as the addition of too much will have

a weakening rather than a strengthening effect.) :

Fillers used by Bantu potters include finely ground potsherds, sand, and

earth containing asbestos. The asbestos acts as a binder as well as a filler and

increases the cohesion of the clay. The filler is added to the clay either after

it has been powdered or when water has been mixed with the clay and it has

been thoroughly kneaded. It has been noted that the consistency of the clay

with which a potter works varies with the individual; it is not known, however,

whether this is a matter of personal taste or a requirement dictated by a par-

ticular type of clay.

In the manufacture of modern ceramics it is the practice to allow the clay

to mature for as long as possible before use, and it is probable that some of the

Bantu potters are aware of the fact that clay improves with keeping. A number

of the potters interviewed did not use the clay until at least twenty-four hours

after preparation.

Traditional materials used in the decoration of pots include red and yellow

ochre, graphite and a white material—sometimes chalk or ash. These are dug

locally or else bought at stores or from travelling salesmen. The preparation

and application of these materials vary slightly from tribe to tribe, but the

ochre is generally ground to a fine powder (Plate XIII No. 31), mixed with

water and applied either with a piece of cloth or the finger. After application

it is immediately burnished with a smooth, round, river pebble. One instance

was recorded where a fatty substance was added to the ochre to make it more

adhesive (p. 71). Graphite is applied in the same way or else rubbed directly

on to the wetted surface of the pot and then burnished. The white colour is

rubbed across the patterned surface of some pots by a number of Tsonga and

Tswana potters, to make incised or grooved designs show up. The above

materials are generally applied before firing, but as they tend to fade during

this process the pots are sometimes touched up with colour afterwards.

A decorative material now fairly commonly used is enamel paint. This

is applied with a stick, a thorn or even a brush, after firing. Paint is used either

as a substitute for natural decorative materials (which are becoming increasingly

scarce in some districts) to complete the traditional decorative patterns, or

else to give an all-over colour finish.

TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT

No wheel is used in the manufacture of pottery by the Bantu of Southern

Africa. The pot may be shaped on a flat stone, a grass ring, the lid of an iron

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 9

cooking-pot, in a basket (Plate XV No. 36), on an enamel dish (Plate XXIV

No. 72), or on a potsherd (Plate XXII No. 61). The potter usually turns the

support on which she is working, although in some cases she herself moves

around the pot. This is essential if the pot is a very large one.

Whatever the potter’s technique her most important tools are her hands.

With them she shapes her clay into a pot of the required form and size,

smoothing its surface so that, when she has finished, it is usually impossible to

tell how it was made. Various ancillary tools are used to assist in the shaping

and smoothing of the vessel, among those observed by the writer being a piece

of wood, metal or glass, ox-ribs, clam-shells, a piece of calabash, tema pods

(Bauhinia kirki Oliv.), large fruit pips and mealie cobs. The choice is made

from the most suitable of available materials. These tools are generally placed

in a container of water at the potter’s side ready for use.

A knife, strip of metal or flat piece of wood may be used to scrape away

small amounts of clay below the termination of the wall to produce a ‘thickened’

rim (Plate XXII No. 62). The same tools are used to make a cut or bevelled

rim. In this case the edge is cut evenly with the blade of the tool and smoothed

with the fingers afterwards. Many potters use a piece of very wet cloth or soft

leather, which they fold over the rim of the pot and hold lightly in position

while turning the pot, to give a smooth and even finish to a rounded or thickened

rim (Plate XI No. 25). (A more detailed account of shaping rims is given under

Shaping, p. 12.)

Thorns, sharp sticks, hairpins and the blade of a knife have been observed

in the decoration of pottery with incised designs. Grooved lines are produced

with tools of the same type but with a wider edge or point. The head of a nail,

the end of a grass or reed stem, the fingernail or the handle of a knife is used to

give simple stamped impressions. For compound or comb-stamped designs,

which are made by pressing the tool into the clay or rolling it across the surface,

shells, bracelets and the end of a bunch of grass stems were mostly commonly

described by informants. Mention should be made here of the use in former

times of birdbones (Robinson, 1963), pottery roulettes (Robinson, 1960) and

specially cut calabash combs (Schofield, 1948) for the making of stamped deco-

ration.

2. METHODS OF MANUFACTURE

' BUILDING ~

The building of a pot can be divided into two sections, that of the base

and that of the body, and there is more than one way of constructing each.

A pot may be started with the base and built up to the rim, or the base may be

closed after the body of the pot has been shaped and dried slightly. Alternatively,

the pot may be built from the widest diameter to either rim or base and, after

being slightly dried, turned over and the other section completed.

The method used by a potter will depend upon the technique which she

has been taught, modified to a certain extent by her personal approach.

IO ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

The following are the basic body techniques used by the Bantu potters

in the area under discussion :

(a) Moulding from the lump

Technologically this is the most primitive method (Leach, 1945). After

the clay has been prepared a piece the required size is made either into a ball,

which is placed on the support on which it is to be built, or into a squat cone,

the pointed end of which is placed in soft sand. The form is then hollowed with

the fingers, the sides being squeezed and smoothed up and out to give the

required size and shape (Plate X Nos. 20 & 21; Plate XXII No. 61).

A variation of this technique is to hollow out the lump of clay entirely,

and build and shape the body of the vessel before closing the base.

(b) Coiling

In this technique the body of the vessel is formed with rolls of clay made

between the palms of the hands and built up spirally. Each coil slightly overlaps

the one below, either on the inner or outer surface, and after each length is

added it is damped and flattened into position so that the pot wall if well made

eventually gives no indication of how it was built. The lengths of clay used in

this technique vary, but as long as they are wound spirally the process may be

considered to be coiling (Plate IX Nos. 17-19). The base of vessels built in

this way may be made first and built on to, or else closed after the building and

shaping of the body.

The pot is built up with a number of rings of clay placed one on top of

the other. The rolls of clay from which the rings are formed are made in the

same way as described under coiling. The length and thickness of the rolls

vary greatly and the rings may be formed from one such roll or a number of

short rolled pieces, which are smoothed together when in position around the

circumference of the wall either individually or when the ring is complete, the

former method giving an ill-defined and the latter a well-defined ring (Plate XII

Nos. 26 & 27; Plate XXV No. 74). The base of vessels built in this way may be

made first and built on to, or else closed after the building of the body.

A second type of ring technique is the formation of each ring by making a

large hole in a flat, round cake of clay. The rings so formed are placed one on

top of the other as in the previously described method, until the vessel is the

required height. This technique was observed only among the Kangara

Nyemba, an immigrant people from Angola who have settled in the Okavango.

The base of the vessels built in this way is closed by beating the lower walls

together after the body has been shaped.

(d) Building with lumps

In some cases pots are built up with lumps of clay, sometimes of no par-

ticular shape, which have merely been broken off the prepared material.

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA if Al

Into this category falls the method of building a vessel from the widest

diameter with one or more flattened, roughly rectangular pieces of clay. These

pieces are placed on their edges and joined together to form a circle. Where one

piece is used the short sides of the rectangle are joined together. The walls so

formed are smoothed upwards and shaped as desired, to form either the upper

or lower half of the vessel. The rest of the vessel is completed after a period of

drying by turning it over and shaping the other section either with or without

the addition of clay (Plate XVIII Nos. 45-48; Plate XIX Nos. 49-52).

The base of a vessel may be shaped in any of the following ways:

(1) Moulding from the lump—either as an integral part of the body technique

or only to form the base and lowest section of the walls of the pot (Plate X

No. 20; Plate XXII No. 61).

(2) Flattening a ball of clay or winding a coil of clay spirally and smoothing

the ridges on both surfaces to form a flattened pad. A base formed in

this way may be used to start the vessel or to fill the opening at the bottom

of a vessel which has already been shaped (Plate IX Nos. 17 & 18).

(3) Beating or shaping the walls of the vessel inwards until they meet, after

building the body.

(4) Adding pieces of clay to the lower wall of a vessel and smoothing it inwards

to close the hole. In some cases, the small hole formed by beating the wall

together is closed by the addition of a roll of clay shaped into a small ring

around the circumference. This additional clay is then smoothed across

the opening (Plate IX Nos. 50-52).

In building a vessel a potter may use one of the above basic body tech-

niques, or a combination of two. For example, pots moulded from the lump

may be built up to the correct height by the addition of rings of clay (Kuangari)

or pieces of no particular size or shape (South Sotho, Mount Ayliff). Further,

pots built with an open base may be started with pieces of clay of no particular

size or shape placed in a ring and smoothed together and upwards and then

built up with rolls of clay added to form rings (Kwena, South Sotho). There are

numerous combinations of body and base techniques, the following being the

most common. (Further details of these methods are given in the ethnology

section, Part V.)

I. Body: Moulded from the lump which is entirely hollowed out.

Base: (i) Formed by beating or shaping walls inwards, e.g. Tlokwa;

Hananwa; both North Sotho.

(ii) Formed by adding clay and shaping walls inwards, e.g. Mari,

Ungwe; both Shona.

II. Body: Coiled.

Base: (i) Formed from spiralled pad, e.g. Swazi.

(11) Formed from lump, e.g. Swazi.

(iii) Filled in with pad of clay after shaping body, e.g. Lobedu.

12 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

III. Body: Built with rings. :

Base: (1) Moulded from the lump, e.g. Mabaso, Mamteto; both Natal

Neguni.

(i1) Formed by smoothing lower wall together after shaping, e.g.

Ndau, Zezuru; both Shona.

(111) Formed by smoothing lower wall together after shaping and

addition of clay, e.g. Manyika, Shona.

IV. Body: Built from lumps.

Base: (i) Formed with pad of clay at the start, e.g. Fokeng, South

Sotho.

(11) Formed by smoothing lower walls together after shaping upper

section, e.g. Tlokwa, East Tswana.

(111) Formed by smoothing lower wall inwards after addition of

clay to slightly dried upper section, e.g. Huruthse, West

Tswana.

SHAPING

The processes of building and shaping a pot are inseparable. As a potter

builds a vessel she automatically goes about forming it to the desired shape. In

order to keep her material plastic the potter keeps it wet by working with wet

hands and using tools which are kept, and frequently wetted, in a container of

water by her side. If after these precautions the clay appears to be drying too

quickly, a little water may be sprinkled over the pot from time to time.

When the clay is in a plastic state it can be easily moulded and smoothed

into shape. The potter may use various tools to help her shape and smooth

the pot surface but a good deal of the work is done with her hands. The most

common way of shaping the body and neck, whatever the final shape of the pot

is to be, is to put one hand inside the vessel and to work with the other on the

outer surface, using the hand inside to push the plastic clay outwards and the

hand outside to control and smooth it (Plate XII No. 23; Plate XV No. 36).

Three basic methods of shaping the rim of a vessel have been observed by

the writer. (Some of these techniques have been described before, but they are

included here for reference purposes. )

(1) The simplest method of shaping the rim is to round it off with the thumb

and first two fingers of the right hand, which are held in position around

the termination of the wall in such a way as to remove all irregularities at

the edge. This hand is held still while the pot is turned with the left hand.

This process may be followed by holding a very wet soft piece of cloth or

skin over the rim while again turning the vessel (Plate XI No. 25).

(2) A cut rim is made with either a strip of metal or a knife. The clay may be

cut straight across or with an inward or outward bevel.

(3) The third technique is used in the shaping of a thickened edge. A narrow

ring of clay is smoothed on to the previously rounded termination of the

vessel wall. A little clay is then gently scraped away below the rim formed

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 13

in this way, making a slight, horizontal groove. The edge is then smoothed

with a piece of very wet, soft skin (Plate XXII No. 62).

A carination or salient ridge in the body of a pot may be the result of

working the lower half onto the already formed and dried upper section. This

method is used by the Tswana peoples. A second way of obtaining this effect

is to mould the body with a well-defined projecting curve and, when it has

dried slightly, to add a roll of clay on the outside of the wall over the projection,

and by shaping with the fingers produce a well-defined ridge. This method was

observed among the T'shangana of Mozambique. The Ronga method was to

bend and smooth the clay wall to form the ridge while the clay was very

plastic (Plate X No. 22).

The slight horizontal depression around the base of the neck of many

Shona vessels is formed by exerting slight inward pressure with the thumb

around the outside of the neck while supporting it on the inside with the fingers

of the same hand.

DRYING

After a pot has been formed and before it is fired it must be dried. This

process should take place as slowly and as evenly as possible so as to prevent

cracking. Drying is an important stage in the manufacture of pottery and

many of the breakages are attributed by potters to firing vessels which are still

wet, or which have dried unevenly.

There are two stages in the drying process. During the first, pots, sometimes

covered with dry cloths, are placed indoors away from draughts so that they

may dry as slowly and evenly as possible. The period for which the pots are

kept inside varies from two days to three weeks. The second stage of drying,

not found among all tribes, usually takes place out of doors when the pots are

placed in the sun daily but are returned to the hut in the late afternoon when

the temperature starts to fall. Again the period of drying varies—the pots may

be placed in the sun only on the morning of the day on which they are to be

fired, or they may be placed outside every day for a week or longer.

The length of time required to dry a pot depends upon the type of clay

used, the size and thickness of the vessel and the climatic conditions. These

factors should be taken into account when comparing the lengths of the drying

periods given by informants, as should the fact that firing is frequently post-

poned until a sufficiently large batch of pottery to make firing worth while

has been accumulated.

In modern ceramics, when the clay has lost its plasticity and the pots have

become fixed in shape, they are termed ‘leather-hard’. It is at this stage in the

manufacture of Bantu pottery that most decoration is done, although some is

carried out immediately after shaping. (See Decoration.) Pottery which is to

be burnished is generally allowed to dry to this condition and then, after

burnishing, put aside for another period of drying before firing.

14 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

FIRING ;

The firing of the pottery is the climax of the whole process and is under-

taken with much care. The potter chooses a day which, according to her

experience and intuition, will be suitable. Potters interviewed stated that firing

does not take place in rainy weather or on a day when there is a very cold wind,

as the pots would be subjected to too great and rapid change in temperature if

they were very cold when placed in the fire. Some potters claimed that they

welcomed a breeze to fan the fire, and that they built the hearth in asheltered

position in such a way as to use air currents to the best advantage while

affording protection to the pots.

There is some variety in the type of hearth selected for the fire, the most

common being: a level piece of ground, which may have been specially cleared

for the purpose (Zezuru); a slight hollow, either natural or prepared (this

type may be used as an alternative to the first on windy days); a hole at least

deep enough to contain the fuel and all the pots to be fired (Tswana, Karanga).

The hearth may be built up with stones, as among some South Sotho tribes

(Plate XVI Nos. 37-39), or, as is more common, merely left open (Plate

XX No. 56). A more specialized method of firing is recorded by Lebzelter of some

of the Ovambo tribes, who build the fire in a hole which is then covered with

wood and sand, the pots being placed in smaller individual holes near by and

likewise covered (Lebzelter, 1934).

Wood, dried dung, and bark have all been recorded in the field and

literature as fuels. The varieties of wood and bark used as fuel are chosen for

the high temperatures they give and the length of time for which they burn.

Dung burns slowly and with a constant temperature, and is used by many

potters for this reason, even when there is no shortage of wood. Some potters

appeared to be aware that the temperature at which the firing takes place,

together with the length of firing time and the type of material used, influences

the quality of the ware. The firing times given by informants varied from half

an hour to three hours or more. A Ronga potter in Mozambique stated that

when firing pots for her own use she used a hotter fire than when she fired for

customers. She stated that the greater heat gave a better ware, but increased the

risk of cracking during firing, and that low temperatures for longer periods

were more reliable. Some potters, however, are of the opinion that a slow, low

fire produces better ware, and it may be that this depends upon the material

and possibly the degree to which the pots have been dried. (The fact that potters’

criteria may vary and that language difficulties may result in misunderstandings

must be borne in mind.)

The number of pots fired at one time depends on the number which have

been dried, their size and the amount of fuel available. The numbers recorded

in the field vary from one to fifty or more.

- Some potters warm their pots at small grass and twig fires before placing

them in the large fire (Mabaso, Tugela Ferry; Kuangari, South West Africa).

A small amount of the fuel from this preliminary fire may be put inside each

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA I5

pot, and some of it may be used to kindle the large one. Grass is commonly used

as kindling. The pots are generally put in position on a layer of fuel and then

either entirely covered with fuel or else covered with sherds and pieces of zinc

over which the fuel is packed. The placing of packing material between the

fire and the pottery is claimed by some potters to prevent the formation of

black patches on the vessels, which they believe to be due to contact with the

fuel. (The scientific explanation for these discolorations is that where the fuel

rests on the pottery a reducing atmosphere, i.e. an atmosphere without air, is

formed in which iron compounds in the clay oxidize to give a black colour

(Searle, 1949). See also special firing methods under Decoration.)

Pots are placed in a variety of positions for firing. Those observed and

described in the field are listed below:

(1) upside down;

(i1) right way up;

(iii) on sides with mouths facing each other;

(iv) on sides with bases facing each other;

(v) small ones inside large ones—both upside down.

There does not appear to be any uniformity within tribal groups in the

positioning of pots for firing and it may be therefore a matter of individual

choice. The reasons given by potters for their particular method of placing the

vessels show conflicting beliefs. For instance a Sotho potter at Tzaneen explained

that she placed her pots on their sides, base to base so that the fire could get

into them. On the other hand a South Sotho potter from Quthing, living among

the Taung in the north-west Cape, placed her pots upside down to prevent the

fire from going inside the pots.

Once the fire has been built up and lit the potter keeps an eye on it to

_ see that the pots remain covered, and on some occasions she may have to add

further fuel. A potter is able to judge when a pot is fired by its colour (all

potters interviewed said that their pots became red hot in the fire).

In most cases the pots are allowed to remain in the embers of the fire until

they are completely cold. When firing is started in the late afternoon the pottery

is generally allowed to remain in position until the following morning. A group

of Venda potters in the Louis Trichardt region, however, were insistent that

the pots should be removed from the fire immediately they were done, other-

wise they would spoil. Long sticks are used to remove vessels from the hot ashes.

SEALING /TESTING

Potters were questioned about treatment of vessels after firing. It was

found that either there was no treatment (and in some cases the potters seemed

rather mystified by the question), or else methods of treating the pot to make it

impervious or testing it for strength were described. The following is a summary

of the information obtained.

Many potters claimed that their wares were ready for use after firing

without any further treatment. It may be that these potters preferred their

16 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

wares to be porous in order to keep the contents cool and fresh; this was in fact

the reason given by a South Sotho man for his preference for earthenware

vessels to the modern Western utensils. On the other hand, two Swazi potters

claimed that if a pot was well made and well fired it would be waterproof. This

may be true for vessels made of certain types of clay when fired in an open fire.

The object of sealing a pot is to render it impervious to liquids and the

methods used by Bantu potters observed and described in the field are listed

below:

(a) by cooking porridge in the pot;

(b) by smearing the scum of kaffirbeer on both the inside and the outside

surfaces of the pot;

soaked ;

(d) by washing the pot with milk;

(e) by smearing the pot inside and out with wet kaffircorn bran, which is

washed off before use;

(f) by smearing with acacia gum;

(g) by smearing the pot outside with wet cow dung;

(h) by filling the pot, while it is still hot, with water in which some bark of the

mukaretti tree (Burkea africana Hook.) is placed.

A number of potters claimed that they strengthened new vessels by pouring

boiling water into them while they stood on a fire. As this method was given

more than once it has not been disregarded, and it is suggested that it may be

possible to produce a sufficiently high temperature to seal the pot in this way if

a particular type of raw material has been used. Or it may be that the potters

do not distinguish clearly between ‘strengthening’ and testing strength, and

that in fact this method is only a test, under which an ill-made pot would leak

or crack.

MENDING

Pots which crack in drying or firing are not necessarily discarded. Slightly

cracked, unfired pots can be repaired by wetting the clay around the crack

and smoothing firmly with a stone.

A number of substances used to repair cracks in fired pottery have been

described by potters and recorded in the literature. In Bechuanaland a mixture

of either the gum of a root (unknown) and fat, or of cement and black paint

is used. In this territory there is more mending done than elsewhere and large

quantities of pottery are sold after being repaired. The only other district where

this was recorded was Bushbuckridge, where Nhlanganu potters used black

wax from old beehives to mend pots before sale.

At Qacha’s Nek, Basutoland, a concoction made from Ammocharis falcata

(Cook, in lit. 27/1/64) is used for mending pottery which has cracked during

firing. A'Tlokwa potter in Gaberones stated that she mended her own cracked

pots with a little cement softened with raw linseed oil.

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 17

Mending is done with wire and a stick by a Swazi potter in the Mankaiana

district, and this technique is recorded by Bryant (1949) as being a traditional

Zulu method, but was probably for old, favourite pots.

If potters do not mend their wares, or decide that the damage is too great

for them to do so, the sherds are probably still put to use, as containers if

possible, as lids, as supports in the manufacture of pottery, or perhaps, after

grinding, for use as a filler. A Chopi woman in the Makupulane district of

Muchopes demonstrated how she used a sherd as pumice for her feet.

The attitudes of potters to the mending of pottery varied. One informant

stated that she did not know how to mend pottery, although she had tried,

whereas another one stated firmly that if vessels cracked during firing it showed

a flaw and they were therefore not worth repairing.

3. DECORATION

Among all the Bantu peoples of Southern Africa some form of decorating

pottery is practised. Potters of some tribes decorate a large percentage of

pottery, whereas among others decoration is rare. Generally speaking, pots

used for drinking, serving food, storing dry foodstuffs or liquids and for washing

are decorated, and large beer-brewing and cooking vessels are left plain.

It was found that the type of decorative design used by the potters of a

tribal group followed the same general style, but this was not always the case.

Potters use traditional designs, or modern ones learnt at schools or copied from

Western motifs, which are popular among their customers. Many traditional

designs are being replaced by those which show a strong European influence.

The techniques used by Bantu potters today may be described as follows:

GRAPHIC TECHNIQUES

The following methods of decoration are generally used after the pots have

dried to a leather-hard condition, although they are sometimes carried out

immediately after shaping. The decoration of pottery with grooved and incised

designs after firing has been seen (No. 149, SAM 4991) and is mentioned by

Schofield (1948: 188), but none of the potters interviewed described the

decorating of their wares at this stage.

Incising

_ The cutting of fine lines with a V-section, using a sharply pointed stylus.

Tools recorded for this use include thorns, sharp sticks, hairpins and knife blades

(Plate XXII No. 63).

Grooving

Sometimes called channelling—the cutting of wider lines with a U-section.

The tools used have a wider point or edge than those used in incising.

The division between these two techniques is not always clearly definable.

18 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Dragging (Compound Grooving)

The drawing of a comb tool across the clay surface to produce a series of

parallel incised or grooved lines. The only tool observed for use in this technique

was a plastic hair-comb.

Stamping

Stamped impressions may be made either singly or collectively. The tools

recorded for making a single stamped impression include the head of a nail,

the end of a grass stem, a reed stem, the finger-nail and the handle of a knife

(Plate XXII No. 64). A compound stamped design—i.e. the stamping of a

number of impressions at the same time—is made by impressing a comb into

the clay, either by rolling it across the surface or by applying even pressure to

the tool so that each tooth of the comb is impressed at the same time. Tools

observed in use for compound stamping include shells (both rolled and simple

compound stamping), two or more grass stems (simple compound stamping)

and bracelets (rolled stamping).

PLASTIC TECHNIQUES

The following two techniques are carried out while the clay is plastic,

just after the shaping of the vessel in the case of applied decoration, and during

shaping in the case of moulding.

Applied

Small variously shaped pellets of clay are applied to the outer surface of

the pot, which has been deliberately wetted. The projections or bosses vary in

size, and may be placed at random or in a definite design.

Moulded

Ridges and bosses of a decorative nature may be raised from the body of

the clay during the shaping of the vessel.

COLOUR TECHNIQUES

Application of colour

The most common raw materials used in pottery decoration are graphite

and ochre, various forms of which are used. The sources and application of

these materials have been discussed under materials (p. 8).

The application of these traditional materials is generally carried out when

the pot is leather-hard either in conjunction with graphic designs, or over the

entire surface. Sometimes colour is applied in patterns without graphic borders.

Other natural decorative materials, the use of which is recorded in the

literature, are described in the ethnology section (Part V), in the sections

dealing with the Zulu (p. 60), Ronga (p. 83) and South Sotho (p. 114).

The use of enamel paint as a decorative material is discussed under

materials (p. 8).

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 19

Special firing methods

While in the field two methods of blackening pottery deliberately by firing

were watched.

(i) This method was recorded among both South Sotho and Swazi potters and

is quoted by Bryant (1949) as being used by the Zulu.

After the pots have been fired and cooled they are either put into a

small grass or brush fire, or placed on the ground and bundles of burning

grass placed around them in such a way that the smoke comes in contact

with the pots. The pottery retains particles of carbon which give it a black

finish.

(ii) The second method was used by a Mabaso potter near Tugela Ferry,

Natal (p. 51).

After the pots had become red hot the fire was smothered with very

finely powdered dung which caused the pots to turn black. According to

the potter this was because of the contact of the smoke with the pots. This

explanation, which is true of method (i) above, is only partly true in this

case. The potter was using a clay containing iron and by smothering the

fire she produced a reducing atmosphere, in which the pots turned black

owing to the formation of less highly oxidized iron compounds (Searle,

1949) (see p. 15).

Traditionally animal fat is rubbed on the blackened pot to give a

lasting shine, and today black boot polish is used.

BURNISHING

Not all potters burnish their wares, and those who do, do not burnish

them all. For instance, in no tradition are large pots for brewing and storing

beer burnished, while the smaller pots made in finer ware may be burnished

whether they are decorated in other ways or not.

Burnishing is generally done with a river pebble or a smooth pip or large

flat bean. This is first done when the pot is leather-hard; and sometimes also

just before firing. Shepherd (1957) points out that shrinkage due to water loss

may result in loss of lustre.

The degree of burnishing recorded on modern Bantu pottery is very

variable.

SLIPPING

This belongs to some extent in the section on the application of colour, but

since the process is not entirely a decorative one it is treated here. It is not

certain whether there is in fact any true ‘slipping’ practised by Bantu potters

in this region. A slip is defined as a secondary coat of clay, generally a finer

material than the body, used to improve the colour and the texture of a vessel

and to render it less porous. A slip is applied before firing, and should harden

at the same temperature as the clay, otherwise it will flake off.

A South Sotho potter in the Herschel district described a technique which

20 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

could possibly be a primitive method of ‘slipping’. Before firing the pot was

coloured with a very liquid mixture of ochre and water. Two pots from the

Herschel district (SAM 8564 and SAM 8533) made by other potters are

coloured by the application of a material which has fired a deeper red than

the clay used in the manufacture of the body. It was learnt from the maker of

one of these vessels that the colour was applied before firing, and it is apparent

that it was in a very liquid form as it has run down unevenly inside the vessel.

The surface of this pot is covered with a very fine network of cracks, which may

be due to the fact that the two clays have different hardening temperatures.

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 21

PART Ill: GENERAL CLASSIFICATION OF POTTERY TYPES

The diversity and range of the vessels make a classification into regular

definable groups very difficult. Although a number of types do not fit into any

scheme, some sort of order can be obtained by imposing arbitrary limits.

Subdivision of pottery types may be: statistical, by obtaining-correlation

coefficients from defined measurements on the pot or ratios between defined

measurements; functional, according to the use to which the vessel is put; or

visual, according to the shape of the body of the vessel or its salient features.

A visual type of classification has finally been adopted as being the most

practical, and pottery types were grouped as pots, bowls, beakers and

zoomorphic forms.

Schofield’s definition of bowls (Schofield, 1948), as ‘vessels in which the

vertical height is not greater than the overall measurement across the rim’, was

used, since this definition is visually satisfactory and also to some extent con-

nected with use. Beakers were grouped according to the size of the vessel and

its use as a drinking utensil.

The two first-mentioned basic groups, that is bowls and pots, have been

subdivided into vessels with and without necks. Three basic types of neck have

been defined. Differences in the shape of vessels grouped by this method are

pointed out in a description defining, if possible, the basic shape of the vessel,

the type of base, the type of rim and any other salient features.

Owing to the difficulty of finding a terminology to suit all variations of a

feature, it has been necessary in some cases to use more than one term to

describe features grouped together according to definition, e.g. inward-sloping

or inturned necks. |

Naturally, there is a certain amount of insignificant variation in pots of

the same basic shape, because they are made by hand and not by machine, but

these variations would gain unnecessarily in significance if grouped separately

in avery detailed classification. On the other hand, a small but significant

variation might be lost in too simple a classification.

In the following system the number of groups has been kept to a minimum

and the terminology made as simple as possible to facilitate its application to

a large variety of vessels. For the same reason an attempt has been made to

avoid, wherever possible, the use of ratios and angular measurements in the

defining of feature and class subdivisions.

The following diagrams illustrate some of the features and vessel types

which have been observed in the area under discussion — possible combinations

of features not seen have not been drawn.

BASE

The part of the vessel upon which it stands. The most common variations

are:

22 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

(1) Projecting— (iv) Projecting —

) Rounded (11) Flattened rounded flattened

(vi) Pointed (vii) Pedestal

af ri

RIM

The termination of the vessel wall. The most common variations are:

(i) Cut

(ii) Rounded

(i1) Flattened (iv) ‘Thickened

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 23

(v) Flattened thickened

a b

Rims of all types may occur on vessel walls of even thickness or on walls

which have been deliberately tapered.

NECK

That part of the vessel above the body commencing with a point of

inflection and terminating in a rim. There may be a further point of inflection

in the neck itself, in which case it is described as compound.

A point of inflection is defined throughout as the point at which a curve

changes from convex to concave, or concave to convex; at which a curved line

is joined by a straight one; or at which a straight line changes direction.

When describing the neck of a vessel the following information is given

where possible:

(1) Whether the point of inflection is well or poorly defined. A point of inflec-

tion is described as well defined if there is an angular join of a curved and

straight wall; or an angular join of a convex and concave wall.

(ii) Whether the neck is tall or short. A neck is described as tall when it

exceeds one-quarter the measurement of the height of the entire vessel.

The three main types of neck are defined below:

A. Upright—in which, if the neck itself were extended, the mouth diameter

would remain the same.

B. Everted—in which, if the neck itself were extended, the mouth diameter

would increase in size.

CQ. Inturned or inward sloping —in which, if the neck itself were extended, the

mouth diameter would decrease in size.

The following diagrams illustrate some of the types of neck seen on

Southern Bantu pottery. No indication of relative wall thickness is intended.

ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

A. Upright

Tall upright neck formed Tall upright neck formed

with well-defined with poorly-defined

point of inflection

Meee ee we

Short upright neck formed

with well-defined with poorly-defined

point of inflection point of inflection

B. Everted

Tall curved everted neck

formed with poorly-defined

point of inflection

Short straight everted neck

formed with well-defined

point of inflection

Tall straight everted neck

formed with well-defined

point of inflection

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 25

Tall curved everted neck

formed with well-defined

point of inflection

Short everted neck formed with

poorly-defined point of

inflection (compound)

C. Inturned or inward-sloping

Short straight inward- Short curved inward- Tall inturned

sloping neck formed with sloping neck formed with neck formed with

well-defined point of poorly-defined point of poorly-defined point

inflection inflection of inflection

CARINATION

An angled inflection in the vessel wall forming a ridge on the outer surface.

A carination may occur in pots or bowls either at the widest diameter or at the

base of the neck. In some vessels the base of the neck and the widest diameter

coincide, in which case the point of inflection forming the base of the neck is

in fact part of the carination.

Pot with carination Pot with carination

Pot with carination at base of neck, above widest at base of neck and

at widest diameter diameter widest diameter

26 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Bowl with carination Bowl with carination

Bowl with carination at at base of neck, above at base of neck and

widest diameter widest diameter widest diameter

Sub-carination: A sharply curved but not angled inflection at the widest

diameter of a pot or bowl.

Sub-carinated pot

The following classification of vessel types is used in this survey.

BOWL

A vessel in which the diameter across the mouth is greater than the height.

This class may be subdivided as follows:

A. Open-mouthed bowls

Deep hemispherical bowls Shallow wide-mouthed bowls

B. Incurved bowls

(a2) Without necks.

Spherical bowls Shallow wide-mouthed bowls

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA Pag |

Shallow narrow-mouthed

Carinated bowls

bowls

Sub-carinated bowls

(b) With necks.

(i) Upright.

Deep spherical bowls with

short upright neck formed

with poorly-defined point

of inflection

Wide-mouthed bowls with

tall upright neck formed

with poorly-defined point

of inflection

Deep spherical bowls with

short upright neck formed

with well-defined point of

inflection

(ii) Everted.

Deep spherical bowls with

short straight everted neck

formed with a well-defined

- point of inflection

Deep spherical bowls

with short curved everted neck

formed with a poorly-defined

point of inflection

28 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Subcarinated bowls with

short curved everted neck formed

with poorly-defined point

of inflection

This group includes carinated bowls with everted necks (see p. 26).

POT

A vessel in which the diameter at the mouth is less than the height and

less than the widest diameter. Pots may be classified as follows:

A. Pots without necks

Spherical pots Sub-spherical pots

CW) Ce

Bag-shaped pots—i.e. with Inverted bag-shaped pots—1.e.

widest diameter nearer base with widest diameter nearer

than mouth mouth than base Barrel-shaped pots

Carinated pots Sub-carinated pots

> Ga

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 29

B. Pots with upright necks

For examples of vessels of this class see p. 24.

C. Pots with everted necks

For examples of vessels in this class see pp. 24 and 25.

D. Pots with inturned or inward-sloping necks

For examples of vessels of this class see Dp: -25:

BEAKER

Vessel in which the height exceeds the greatest diameter; probably used

for drinking. There is great variety in this class.

ZOOMORPHIC VESSEL

Stylized animal-shaped vessels, probably made for ritual use.

MISCELLANEOUS

Pottery types which do not belong in any of the above-mentioned classes.

30 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

PART IV: POTTERY TECHNIQUES AND TYPES CLASSIFIED

BY TRIBE

INTRODUCTION

In this section the information collected about the pottery of the Bantu

of Southern Africa is set out under tribal headings according to the Classification

quoted previously (p. 3), so as to facilitate comparisons.

In each group the material has been divided into two main sections:

1. Previously unpublished information (referred to as FIELD):

(a) collected by the writer in the field and from personal study of museum

specimens, photographs and records;

(b) obtained by questionnaires completed by informants in the field.

In this section tribally undifferentiated pottery examples are listed with

reference by figure number to illustration and description in the text, but not

described except in the case of the Natal Nguni and South Sotho where many

tribal identities have been lost.

2. Information in the published and unpublished literature, including obser-

vations made by others on museum specimens which have not been seen by

the writer (referred to as LITERATURE).

Within each section the data has been set out under the following main

headings, with some sub-headings.

. Technology.

. Pottery forms, names and uses.

. Decoration.

. System of Distribution.

. Taboos and other practices in connexion with pottery manufacture and use.

Mm Pe Oo Nn »

In some cases it has been found necessary to include certain information

under a new heading, where it is not common to all groups.

At the end of each tribal group, the main points are summed up, and

these are compared and contrasted in a discussion at the end of each subdivision

and division.

1. NGUNI

11. CAPE NGUNI

No visit was made to the Cape Nguni tribes during this survey because

they had been visited in 1948 and 1955 by Miss Shaw.

(a) Xhosa

SECTION I—FIELD

Technology

The Xhosa people no longer manufacture pottery.

XHOSA

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 31

Pottery forms, names and uses

Pots

I. WITHOUT NECKS

Sherd of a barrel-shaped pot with thickened rim and slightly flattened

base. Height about 14 cm. Undecorated, smooth matt finish. (Laidler

Collection) |

Name and use: no record.

No further information in this section.

SECTION II— LITERATURE

Technology

Potters: The potters were women and pottery was made for domestic use

rather than for trading (Kay, 1833).

Materials: Anthill clay was used (Moodie, 1835; Fritsch, 1872), or clay

dug from river banks or special pits (MacLaren, 1918). The clay apparently

needed no filler, it was wetted, trodden with the feet and kneaded with the

hands to make it plastic (MacLaren, 1918).

Tools: Wood or bone smoothers were used (Fritsch, 1872).

Technique: The pot was built up from the base with successive pieces of

clay (Fritsch, 1872).

Drying: After the pot was shaped it was dried in the sun (Dohne, 1843).

Decorating: No information.

Firing: Dried cowdung was used as a fuel (Kay, 1833) and it was packed

both inside and around the vessels (Dohne, 1843).

Sealing: Dohne (1843) records the practice of boiling kaffircorn in each

new vessel, which was then smeared inside and out with the porridge and

returned to the fire until the remainder of porridge had boiled away. This

process closed the pores of the pottery and was mistakenly described by Dohne

as a glaze.

Mending: No information.

Pottery forms, names and uses

Bow Ls

I. WITHOUT NECKS

(1) Open-mouthed

Shallow open-mouthed bowls (Fritsch, 1872: 75).

Name and use: no record.

Pots

I. WITHOUT NECKS

Spherical pots. The most widely distributed type. (Fritsch, 1872: 75)

Name and use: no record.

XHOSA

32 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

2. WITH NECKS

(1) Upright

Spherical pot with upright neck and wide mouth which was sometimes

closed with a convex lid (Fritsch, 1872: 75).

Name: no record.

Use: for cooking (Fritsch, 1872).

(ii) Everted

Spherical pot with everted neck, fairly narrow in diameter (Fritsch, 1872).

Name: no record.

Use: for beer or water (Fritsch, 1872).

(i11) Inward-sloping

Calabash-shaped pot with flat base and inward-sloping neck formed with

a poorly-defined point of inflection. Height about 25-5 cm. Black ware,

decorated with moulded and graphic designs. (Nauhaus, 1881: 347, fig. 4)

Name and use: no record.

Further remarks on form, name and use

Form: Fritsch (1872) states that a number of vessels had blunt conical

bases and that these vessels were carried on the head supported in thick grass

rings.

Use: Pots were used as drinking vessels (Alberti, 1810) and a visitor to a

kraal was generally offered a drink of sour milk in an earthenware vessel

(Moodie, 1835).

Decoration

The only mention of decoration is by Nauhaus (1881) who describes and

illustrates a ‘dark black’ pot with three symmetrical protruding ridges patterned

with cross-hatching. (see above (iii)).

System of Distribution

Although potters made utensils for their own use, there was also a certain

amount of trade. A vessel with the capacity of two buckets was bartered for

an oxhide (Dohne, 1843).

Today the Xhosa generally buy pottery for domestic use from itinerant

South Sotho potters (Shaw and Van Warmelo MS.).

No further information in this section.

CONCLUSION

The Xhosa do not make pottery today and it is only from reports by early

travellers, together with the fact that there are words in the Xhosa vocabulary

for pottery vessels (Kropf, 1889) that we have evidence that they made and

used pottery. It is not known how long ago the Xhosa stopped making pottery.

XHOSA

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 33

Nauhaus’s description was of a pot no longer made at the time of his writing

(1881), but according to Soga, writing in 1932, pottery was still being made,

but in decreasing quantities. It would seem therefore that there was a long

period of decline in pottery manufacture before it was abandoned. Today such

pottery as is used is imported from Mt. Ayliff or bought from itinerant potters.

In both cases the potters are South Sotho.

The early records show that potters were women, and used anthill or

river-bank clay. All we know of the technique is that building started with the

base. Pottery was made for domestic use rather than for trade, but it is not

known whether potters were specialists.

The most detailed description we have of any vessel is that by Nauhaus

(1881) and it does not tally with other Cape Nguni ware, either described in

the literature or observed. Fritsch records the use of open-mouthed bowls,

spherical pots without necks and wide- and narrow-mouthed spherical pots

with necks, for eating, cooking and as containers for beer and water.

It is unlikely that contact with Europeans had any effect on pottery

making, except, by the introduction of trade goods, to speed its decline.

(b) Thembu

SECTION I—FIELD

Technology

The Thembu people no longer manufacture pottery.

Pottery forms, names and uses

Some specimens of pottery which came from Thembu households in the

Herschel district, Cape, in 1908 were seen in the South African Museum, Cape

Town. These pots are, however, made in South Sotho style (Nos. 69 and 71,

SAM 982). On a field trip to the Herschel district in 1961 it was confirmed that

there are today no Thembu potters there and only South Sotho style pottery

is in use.

No further information in this section.

SECTION II— LITERATURE

Technology

According to information collected by Makalima in answer to a Native

Affairs Department questionnaire in 1945, the Thembu of the Umtata district

still manufactured pottery at that time, and Hammond-Tooke (1956-7)

records fairly even distribution of pottery in 1956 in the same district, although

it is not known whether this pottery was made by the Thembu themselves.

Potters: The potters were women (Martin, 1836: 158).

Materials: Various types of clay were dug from the river banks with a

THEMBU

34 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

crow-bar and prepared by pounding and mixing with friable earth to prevent

cracking (Makalima, 1945).

No further information in this section.

Pottery forms, names and uses

Schofield (1943) describes Thembu pottery as being similar to Mpondo.

Decoration

Thembu pottery was decorated by notching the rims (Schofield, 1948).

No further information in this section.

CONCLUSION

The Thembu were not visited and no pottery attributed to them was seen.

From the literature, however, it is known that Thembu did make pottery.

Schofield (1948) describes their earthenware as being very similar to that of the

Mpondo with decoratively notched rims, like his Natal Coastal, ware.

The Thembu of Herschel use South Sotho pottery and have done so for at

least sixty years. Thembu of the Transkei now use pottery bought from itinerant

South Sotho potters, but informants in the Umtata district knew of a few

Thembu who made pottery as recently as 1945. There is, however, no detailed

description of the types of pottery they made. Except for the facts that the

Thembu potters were women and that they used river-bank clay with a filler,

there is no further information.

SECTION I—FIELD

No information in this section.

SECTION II—LITERATURE

Technology

Potters: The potters are women (Shaw and Van Warmelo MS.).

Materials : No information.

Tools: No information.

Techniques: The method of shaping a vessel is to add short rolls of clay,

not coiled, to a rough base to form walls 0-75 to 1:25 cm. thick (Shaw and

Van Warmelo MS.).

No further information in this section.

Pottery forms, names and uses

Bows

I. WITHOUT NECKS

(1) Open-mouthed

- Deep and shallow straight-sided bowls with rounded rims and rounded

bases. Mouth diameter between 22 and 25 cm. Decorated by notching rims.

(Plate I No. 1, Nkanye, Elliotdale, Transkei)

BOMVANA

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 35

Name: ingcayi/ingai (Shaw and Van Warmelo MS.).

Use: no record; shallow type probably for serving food and deep variety

for serving and drinking beer.

Pots

I. WITHOUT NECKS

(a) Large barrel-shaped, wide-mouthed incurved, and truncated oval-

shaped pots with cut or rounded rims. Height 30-45 cm. No decoration. Matt

finish. Bark cord bindings used to strengthen vessels if necessary. (Plate I

No. 2, TM 35/380, TM 35/359)

Name: umphanda|mpanda (Shaw and Van Warmelo MS.).

Use: for storing water (ditto).

(b) Spherical, barrel-shaped and elongated bag-shaped pots. Height

20-25 cm. Undecorated and decorated. (TM 35/381, TM 35/440, Elliotdale,

Transkei)

Name: ingcayt/ingai/ngai (Shaw and Van Warmelo MS.).

Use: for drinking and serving beer (ditto).

Decoration

Only the small vessels are decorated, with either notched rims (Plate I

No. 1) or the application of small pointed lumps of clay.

No further information in this section.

CONCLUSION

Judging by the fact that only one Bomvana potter was located in a fairly

large area in 1948 (Shaw and Van Warmelo MS.), not a great deal of Bomvana

pottery is made today. The potter was a woman who built her pottery by adding

rolls of clay in incomplete rings to a flattened base. She appeared to be a

specialist.

_ Deep and shallow straight-sided bowls and a range of barrel-shaped pots

of different sizes without necks were made. Large sizes had a matt finish and

small were decorated with notched rims (cf. Schofield’s description of Thembu

ware) and/or small applied pointed lumps of clay. In shape and decoration

Bomvana pottery is comparable with that of the Mpondo and was probably

used for the same purposes, that is, large sizes for storing liquids and brewing

beer and small sizes as eating and drinking utensils.

(d) Mpondomise

SECTION I—FIELD

The Mpondomise do not make pottery today but use that manufactured

by other tribes. For example some of the Hlubi families of Qumbu make pottery

for sale to neighbouring Mpondomise (Ntusi, in lit. 5/6/63).

No further information in this section.

MPONDOMISE

36 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

SECTION II— LITERATURE

Wilson (1949) records that the Mpondomise used to make pottery, but

no description is available.

CONCLUSION

Today the Mpondomise use pottery bought from potters of other tribes

and although there is neither technological information nor record of pottery

types made by them it must be presumed that they made pottery in the past.

(ec) Mpondo

SECTION I—FIELD

Technology

The following information was obtained from a study of museum records

and photographs.

Potters: The potters were women (photograph SAM collection).

Materials: The clay is pounded until it is fine (ditto).

Tools

1. As a support on which to build: a small grass mat (photograph WITS,

mTakatyi River, Pondoland, 1931).

2. As smoothers: a piece of calabash (SAM 6063).

Technique: Vessels are built by vertically coiling a slightly flattened roll of

clay (photograph WITS, mTakatyi River, Pondoland, 1931; photograph

SAM collection, Umvume Springs, Pondoland, 1935).

Drying: After shaping, pots are dried indoors before firing. A photograph

shows large beer-pots drying upside down and small ones the right way up

(WITS Collection).

Decoration: No information.

Firing: The vessels are placed on their sides in a slight hollow (WITS

Collection).

No further information in this section.

Pottery forms, names and uses

Pots

I. WITHOUT NECKS

Small pots of a variety of shapes, with cut or rounded rims and flattened or

projecting bases. Height about 13-17 cm. Decorated with colour and graphic

design. (Nos. 2-6, SAM 6167 (2), SAM 6168, UCT 32/37, Flagstaff and

Nggeleni, Pondoland)

Name: ingcayi (museum records).

Use: for drinking and serving beer (ditto).

2. WITH NECKS

(i) Everted

Bag-shaped pot with short, straight everted neck formed with a well-

defined point of inflection, cut rim and flattened base. Height about 22 cm.

MPONDO

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 37

Decorated with graphic design and colour. (No. 1, SAM 6051, Umvume

Springs, Pondoland) |

Name: inkonga (Clarke—museum records).

Use: ‘for small amounts of foodstuffs, such as sprouted grain used in

beermaking, thin porridge, or light beer’ (Clarke—museum records); for use

by important people (Paramount Chief, E. Pondoland, Shaw and Van

Warmelo MS.). —

Decoration

The majority of Mpondo pottery seen was thick-walled and not particu-

larly well shaped. The finer-finished examples had a smooth matt finish or were

lightly burnished, and were sometimes coloured by the application of ochre.

Grass stems were used for stamping individual impressions placed in geo-

metrical designs, mainly triangles and L-shapes, and roughly moulded ridges

were also used for decorative purposes.

No further information in this section.

SECTION II—LITERATURE

Technology

Potters: The art of pottery was known only to a few women, and although

the knowledge was usually handed down from mother to daughter, any

woman who was interested might learn (Hunter, 1936).

Materials: A particular type of clay was used. It was dug by the potter and

prepared by pounding until it was fine (Hunter, 1936).

Tools

1. As a support on which to build: a small mat (Hunter, 1936).

2. As a smoother: a piece of calabash (Hunter, 1936).

Technique: The walls of the vessel were built up by means of vertically

coiling rolls of clay (Shaw and Van Warmelo MS.). The first ring was fitted

with a flattened lump of clay to form the base, before the walls were started

(Hunter, 1936; Plate IX, facing page 100).

Drying: This process takes place indoors (Hunter, 1936).

Decoration: No information.

Firing: Firing generally took place in a slight hollow, firewood was piled

around the pots, a little of the fuel being put inside each vessel. A blazing fire

was kept going for one and a half to two hours. (Hunter, 1936)

Sealing/ Testing: No information.

Mending: No mention is made of mending pots which crack during firing,

although there was a high percentage of breakages. These were known by

potters to be the result of uneven firing temperatures, or impurities in the clay,

but they were often attributed to the presence of strangers or unsuitable

observers at a firing. (Hunter, 1936)

MPONDO

38 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Pottery forms, names and uses

BOowLs

I. WITHOUT NECKS

(1) Open-mouthed

Small bowls with a diameter of approximately 15 cm. (Hunter, 1936).

Name: no record.

Use: for serving milk food (Hunter, 1936).

2. WITH NECKS

(ii) Everted

Wide-mouthed bowls with slightly everted necks (Schofield, 1948; necks

described by Schofield as rims).

Name and use: no record.

Pots

I. WITHOUT NECKS

(a) Very large barrel-shaped pots with cut rims. Height 58-62 cm.

Undecorated with exception of rim which may be notched. Bound with bark

cord to strengthen. (Plate II No. 4, Qawukeni, Transkei)

Name: imbiza (Shaw and Van Warmelo MS.).

Use: for fermenting and storing beer (Shaw and Van Warmelo MS.); for-

merly an earthen pot for cooking as distinguished from an iron one (Kropf, 1889).

(b) Large almost straight-sided pot with cut or rounded rim and slightly

projecting base. Height 55 cm. Undecorated. (Plate III No. 5, Luqhoghweni,

Lusikisiki, Transkei)

Name: tkhanzi (Shaw and Van Warmelo MS.).

Use: for fermenting and storing beer (ditto).

Warmelo MS. Photograph TM 35/437, Lusikisiki, Transkei)

Name: umphanda (Shaw and Van Warmelo MS.).

Use: for water (ditto).

(d) Small spherical, bag- and barrel-shaped pots with cut or rounded

rims and flattened bases. Height 13-19 cm. Decorated with colour and moulded,

stamped and notched designs. (Plate II No. 3, TM 35/439, TM 35/425,

TM 35/428, Lusikisiki, Transkei)

Name: ingcayilingat (Shaw and Van Warmelo MS.).

Use: for drinking and serving beer (ditto).

2. WITH NECKS

(i) Everted

(a) Large pot with short straight everted neck formed with well-defined

point of inflection, rounded rim and slightly flattened base. Height about

44cm. Decorated stamped design. (Plate TV No. 7, EL 740)

Name and use: no record.

MPONDO

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 39

(b) Large spherical pot with everted neck changing to upright (a border-

line case), formed with well-defined point of inflection, flattened rim and

rounded base. Height about 33 cm. Decorated with stamped design. (Plate IV

No. 8, EL 748)

Name: no record.

Use: for storing beer (Shaw and Van Warmelo MS.).

defined point of inflection. Height 30 cm. Decorated stamped impressions.

(Plate III No. 6 centre, Lusikisiki, Transkei)

Name and use: no record.

Decoration

Most of the Mpondo pottery illustrated in the literature is decorated. The

most widespread technique is the stamping of individual impressions in geo-

metrical designs, particularly L-shaped masses, loops and truncated triangles

around the mouth or neck of the vessel (Schofield, 1943). Applied lumps of clay

of various shapes are also popular and one example is decorated with a notched

rim.

Mpondo pottery often has a brown burnish (Schofield, 1943).

System of Distribution

As has been mentioned previously pottery is made by specialists, who are

today becoming fewer in number. During a field trip to Pondoland in 1948,

the ethnologist at the South African Museum, Cape Town, noted that every

homestead had some pots and that earthenware was used to the exclusion of

everything else in the manufacture of beer (Shaw and Van Warmelo MS.).

Those who are unable to make their own pottery, or prefer not to, buy what

they require from specialists who make to order. These orders may take a long

time to fulfil since the potter does not abandon her other domestic activities.

(Hunter, 1936)

_ Pottery used to be bartered but today a cash transaction is more usual.

Pots with necks cost more than the simple shapes (Clarke, in lit. 1939).

Taboos and practices in connection with pottery manufacture and use

If a milk bowl had to be used for beer, only the relative of the owner of

the homestead was allowed to use it (Hunter, 1936).

CONCLUSION

There are still a number of women who specialize in the manufacture of

pottery among the Mpondo, although their numbers are decreasing. Most

Mpondo families use pottery utensils, today particularly in the brewing and

storage of beer, whereas in the past they appear to have used them more widely

for eating and drinking from as well.

The technique used is vertical coiling. Potters usually learn their methods

from their mothers, but there is no taboo against anyone wishing to learn the

art. ‘Today cash sales are more common than barter.

MPONDO

40 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

The range of pottery types seen and described is quite small, consisting of

open-mouthed bowls (now scarce) and a range of pots of various sizes, both

with and without necks, mainly variations of the barrel shape. The necked

variety is seldom seen. The pottery seen was mostly poor quality thick-walled

ware, although it has been said that Mpondo ware used to be of a high standard.

Decoration took the form of stamped impressions, notched rims (cf.

Bomvana and Thembu) and the use of applied or moulded lumps of clay (cf.

Bomvana and Xhosa). Colour applied for decorative purposes was also seen.

All decoration was confined to small, fine ware only.

No European influence was noted, except in the shapes of pots made at

schools and in the smaller range of vessels made.

CaprpE Ncuni— Discussion

Among the Cape Nguni only the Mpondo make pottery in any quantity

today, although it is used by all tribal groups. Mpondo potters, who are

specialists in the art of pottery, use the coiling technique. They make a small

range of vessel types, decorated mostly with stamped or moulded designs.

Neither shapes, decorative techniques nor designs appear to have been influ-

enced by contact with the European styles.

The Bomvana appear to be losing this art more slowly than the other

Cape Neguni tribes, and there were still a few potters until recently. Among

this tribe, too, the potters are women who are said to use rolls of clay added to

a flattened base to build their pottery but it is not known in which technique.

Bomvana and Mpondo ware shows outward similarity in both vessel form and

decoration.

Among other groups of the Cape Nguni very little information is available

in regard to pottery. Both the Thembu and the Xhosa are said to have had

pottery traditions, but there is no adequate record of their techniques and only

scant information concerning their ware. Thembu pottery is compared with

Mpondo ware, and Fritsch’s description of Xhosa pottery gives insufficient

detail for comparison.

There is no evidence of a Mpondomise pottery tradition, but it was

probably the same as that of the Mpondo to whom they are kin.

Mpondo and Bomvana specialists sell their wares in the neighbourhood,

but most Cape Nguni buy the pottery they require from South Sotho potters,

who make it in the local style expressly for sale. In the regions bordering on

Basutoland (Lesotho), South Sotho and some Cape Nguni tribes live in close

proximity, and in the more coastal regions itinerant South Sotho potters sell

their wares.

Cape Nguni pottery, as represented by that of the Mpondo and Bomvana,

is today quite unlike that of any other Nguni group, with the exception of

some of that made by Xesibe and Bhaca. These similarities may be the result

of Cape Nguni influence upon the Immigrant Cape Nguni potters, whose

pottery also has features typical of that of the Natal Nguni pottery. European

CAPE NGUNI

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 4I

influence is not noticeable upon Cape Nguni pottery itself but has certainly

speeded its decline by the provision of alternative utensils.

12. IMMIGRANT CAPE NGUNI

The Fingo and Hlubi groups were visited during this survey, but no

potters were found among either of them.

(a) Fingo

SECTION I—FIELD

In 1961, the Fingo Reserve near Peddie, Eastern Cape, was visited. None

of the women interviewed was able to make pottery nor was any pottery seen

at the homesteads. There is no pottery attributed to the Fingo in museum

collections.

SECTION II—LITERATURE |

Shaw and Van Warmelo (MS.) state that in 1955 Fingo in the Tsomo

district said that they neither made nor used pottery and that this was denied

by the constable interpreter who claimed that pottery was brought into Tsomo

for sale by Fingo potters.

Technology

No information in this section.

Pottery forms, names and uses

The only record of Fingo pottery is in Thomas Baine’s painting ‘Fingoes’

which depicts a woman carrying a large open-mouthed vessel on her head

(Africana Museum, Johannesburg).

No further information in this section.

CONCLUSION

The term Fingo is applied collectively to all refugees and immigrants to

the Cape, mostly from Natal, after the Zulu rise to power (Van Warmelo,

1936). Considering the history of the Fingo tribes, it is not surprising that if

the peoples now forming this group had pottery traditions of their own, which

is likely, these have been lost.

Despite the fact that Shaw and Van Warmelo were told of Fingo potters

in the Tsomo district, no pottery was seen at Fingo homesteads. It is most

unlikely that there ever was a common Fingo tradition.

(>) Hlubi

SECTION I—FIELD

Hlubi were visited at Matatiele and Herschel. At Herschel no pottery was

made.

Technology

The following technological account is based upon information from

two sources:

HLUBI

42 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

(a) Hlubi informants in the Matatiele district who were visited in 1961. Very

little pottery was seen at the homesteads and it was not possible to locate

any potters although assured of their existence.

(b) An account of a pottery demonstration and interview with a Sotho woman,

who was married to a Hlubi, in the Qumbu district, recorded by Mr.

H. W. Pahl and Mr. D. M. Ntusi. This potter may have combined Sotho

and Hlubi techniques or used those of the Sotho entirely. (Ntusi, in lit.

5/6/1963)

Potters: Potters are women who learn the art from their mothers or grand-

mothers and who make utensils for their own use and for sale. Pottery is said

to be a paying industry as a good potter makes about ten pots a day (Pahl,

in lit. 5/6/1963).

Materials: Moist clay is dug from the river bed near the water’s edge with

a pointed wooden stick or a meta! rod. Each potter has her own clay hole

(umngxuma). Black clay is considered more suitable than red or yellow. The

potter carries small quantities of clay back to the homestead in an old dish.

If she has a large quantity to transport she asks others to help her with the

load. An ox-drawn sledge is sometimes used to transport large quantities of

clay over long distances. The clay is prepared for use by sprinkling it with

water and pounding it on a grinding stone. It is strengthened by the addition

of a filler (zntlatywa) obtained from a near-by hill. When it is the correct con-

sistency it is formed into regular shapes so that it will retain its moisture as long

as possible, and is stored in a large, clean container. It is possible to use the

clay immediately after preparation. (Ntusi)

Two slightly different methods of preparing the clay were recorded from

informants at Matatiele. The first was to dry the clay before grinding it finely

and mixing it with water; and the second to mix finely ground potsherds into

the freshly dug wet clay.

Tools

1. As a support on which to build: no record.

2. As smoothers: (i) for inside surface—a piece of calabash; (ii) for outer

surface —a flat stone, a piece of an iron hoop. (Ntusi)

3. As a cutting tool: for cutting rim— a piece of an iron hoop (Ntusi).

4. For decorating: (i) for graphic designs—a grass stalk (Matatiele) ; (11) for

stamped impressions—handle of a spoon, a piece of stick (Matatiele), a bone,

a piece of broken glass or china (Ntusi); (iii) for burnishing—a smooth stone

(Matatiele).

Technique: Potters work indoors as wind causes the pottery to crack (Ntusi).

Two techniques have been described. The first, used by the potter at Qumbu,

is to start at the base of the vessel which is formed from a flattened mass of clay

hollowed to form the base and the beginning of the walls. The vessels are built

to the required height by means of rings of clay placed on top of each other and

formed from two or more flattened lengths of clay. The second method,

HLUBI

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 43

described by informants at Matatiele, is to start with a ring of clay upon which

the walls are built, also by means of rings. The base is added when the pot

hes dried slightly. As the moisture sinks to the bottom of the clay cylinder the

base is added to the dampest region and does not crack off.

Drying: After shaping the pots they are put indoors for a day and covered

with a cloth to protect them from draughts. After this they are put outside

daily for increasing periods, for about four days in all. (Ntusi)

Decorating: Graphic decoration is done after shaping when the clay is

still wet. Colour is applied when the vessel is dry, before firing. Washing ‘blue’

or oil paint is used by potters in the Qumbu district, or a vessel may be

blackened after firing by smoking it in a sheep or goat manure fire. (Ntusi) In

the Matatiele district the same effect is obtained by smoking a pot smeared

with animal fat in a dry grass fire (Matatiele).

Firing: A hearth about 6 inches deep is lined with a layer of dry cowdung

upon which the pots to be fired are placed. If only one pot is to be fired it is

placed upright with its mouth covered with a sherd, otherwise vessels are placed

on their sides mouth to mouth in a double row. Up to twelve pots are fired at

a time. The pottery is covered with two layers of dry dung separated by a

layer of dry grass. Firing is done during the day and takes about four hours.

The pots are removed only when they are cool. Dung is preferred to wood as a

fuel because it gives an even temperature and does not cool as quickly and

cause the pots to crack. (Ntusi)

Informants at Matatiele stated that pottery was placed on its side for

firing and that specially prepared dung cakes were packed around and inside

each vessel. Wood is sometimes used as kindling. Firing takes from one to ten

hours depending on the sizes of the vessels.

Cracking of pottery during firing is caused by:

(a) The potter’s inefficiency or carelessness.

(b) Moisture reaching the pots during firing.

(d) Poor quality clay.

(e) Exposure of the pots to wind during shaping or firing.

(f) The presence of ‘evil’ persons (p. 44).

The above reasons were given by the potter at Qumbu (Ntusi).

Sealing| Testing: New pots are sealed by filling them with thin porridge for

a day or two (Ntusi). The informants at Matatiele stated that it was not

necessary to seal pottery.

Mending: No information.

Pottery forms, names and uses

Pots

I. WITHOUT NECKS

(a) Very large wide-mouthed pots with flattened bases. Height about

45 cm. Sometimes decorated with stamped impressions. (Matatiele)

HLUBI

44 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Name: imbiza (Matatiele).

Use: for storing and brewing beer (ditto).

(b) Narrow-mouthed sub-spherical pot with flattened base. Height about

25-30 cm. Decorated with graphic designs. (Matatiele)

Name: inclazeba (Matatiele).

Use: no record.

Decorated with graphic design. (Matatiele)

Name: ingcaza (Matatiele).

Use: for drinking beer (ditto).

BEAKERS

Barrel-shaped pedestal based beaker. Decorated with colour, and graphic

design. Said to be South Sotho. (Matatiele)

Name and use: no record.

Decoration

The most common type of decoration seen was a simple incised band

divided into triangles, around the mouth of the pot. Simple stamped impressions

are sometimes used to decorate the very large brewing pots. The pottery seen

was either the red colour of the fired clay, or blackened deliberately by smearing

with fat and smoking in a grass or dung fire, after firing. Ochre was used on a

beaker attributed to the South Sotho.

The use of ‘washing blue’ and enamel paint is common in the Qumbu

district (Ntusi).

System of Distribution

According to informants pottery is made by specialists who sell their

wares. In the Qumbu district there is a well-developed trade between Hlubi

potters and neighbouring Mpondomise tribes who no longer manufacture

pottery (Pahl, zn lt. 5/6/1963).

Taboos and practices in connection with pottery manufacture and use

1. According to tribal custom, adolescents up to about 20 years of age

who indulge in premarital sexual practices such as umetsho, or those who practise

witchcraft may cause the pots to crack either by their mere presence at modelling

or firing operations, or by touching the pots at these times. (Ntusi)

2. Pottery made from clay stolen from another potter’s clay hole will

not be a success. (Ntusi)

SECTION II—LITERATURE

No information in this section.

CONCLUSION

Very little Hlubi pottery was seen and although Hlubi women potters

were known by informants none were personally interviewed. In the Matatiele

HLUBI

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 45

district the potters are said to use a ring technique. Unlike the Mpondo and

Bomvana who start with the base, they start low down and complete the base

after the rest of the vessel has dried slightly. At Qumbu a South Sotho/Hlubi

woman potter builds with rings onto a base formed by hollowing a lump of

clay. This is the characteristic method of Natal Nguni potters today.

Pottery seen in the Matatiele district included large wide-mouthed pots

and small neckless pots of various sizes. Decoration took the form of stamped

impressions or incised designs. Applied colour was seen only on a beaker

attributed to the South Sotho, but some pots were deliberately blackened by

firing methods. On the whole, the pottery seen was more reminiscent of South

Sotho than of Nguni ware.

Vessels appear to be named according to type and use. The terminology

used by informants included vessel names used by Cape Nguni tribes as well

as others.

Synthetic decorative materials are replacing traditional natural ones in

the Qumbu district.

According to informants there is a flourishing trade between Hlubi potters

of Qumbu and neighbouring Mpondomise people. In contrast, the Hlubi of

the Herschel district do not make pottery, but buy what they need from South

Sotho potters.

SECTION I—FIELD

Technology

No information in this section.

Pottery forms, names and uses

Pots

2. WITH NECKS

(i) Upright

Pot with neck formed with a poorly-defined point of inflection, thickened

rim and flattened base. Height about 25 cm. Decorated with applied lumps.

Black finish. (No. 8, SAM 6986, Mount Frere, Transkei)

Name and use: no record.

Decoration

The vessel seen was decorated with applied or moulded lumps and had a

shiny black finish.

No further information in this section.

SECTION II— LITERATURE

Hammond-Tooke (1962) states that pottery is still made among the Bhaca

although the number of specialists is very small.

BHACA

46 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Technology

Bhaca potters use the technique described by Hunter (1936), that is,

vertical coiling (p. 37) (Hammond-Tooke, 1962).

Pottery forms, names and uses

Pots

I. WITHOUT NECKS

(a) Very large elongated barrel-shaped pots with flattened bases. One

example with striated surface (Lugangeni, Mount Frere).

Name: umphanda (Shaw and Van Warmelo MS.).

Use: for storing beer or water (ditto).

(b) Small spherical to barrel-shaped pots with flattened bases. Height

about 25 cm. Usually simply decorated with graphic or stamped design. (Lugan-

geni, Mount Frere)

Name: ingcaza (Shaw and Van Warmelo MS.).

Use: for drinking beer (ditto).

Decoration

The only type of decoration used on the above examples is the use of short

dashes made with a sharp tool, arranged in groups or simple band designs. A

black burnished finish like that used by the Natal Nguni was seen on some of

the finer ware.

System of Distribution

and Mobaba areas in the Mount Frere district, where most anete clay

deposits are found, produce the most pottery (Hammond-Tooke, 1962).

No further information in this section.

CONCLUSION

According to information in the literature there are still women pottery

specialists among the Bhaca. They are said to use the coiling technique.

Although they sell to their neighbours many Bhaca buy pottery from South

Sotho potters who have settled among them.

A small range of pottery types has been described, consisting of large

elongated barrel-shaped pots, very similar to those made by the Xesibe (Plate V

No. 9), small variously shaped pots without necks and pots with tall necks. This

range is similar to that presently used by the Mpondo. Decoration takes the

form of applied or moulded lumps, also a Mpondo characteristic, the use of

short perpendicular incised dashes arranged in designs or patterning incised

triangles, and blackening by firing. This latter practice is also found among the

Hlubi of Matatiele and the Xesibe, but there is no record of it among Cape

Neguni tribes.

The pottery shows no apparent influence in either shape or decoration

of contact with Europeans.

BHAGA

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 47

(d) Xesibe

SECTION 1—FIELD

No information in this section.

SECTION II—LITERATURE

Technology

Pottery is still made today by Xesibe potters but there is no description of

their technique (Shaw and Van Warmelo MS.).

Pottery forms, names and uses

Bow Ls

I. WITHOUT NECKS

(1) Open-mouthed

Deep wide-mouthed bowl with rounded rim and rounded base. Height

about 18 cm. Burnished finish. (Plate VI No. 11, Mount Ayliff, Transkei)

Name: ukhamba (Shaw and Van Warmelo MS.).

Use: for beer (ditto).

Pots

I. WITHOUT NECKS

(a) Large elongated barrel-shaped pots with slightly flattened bases. Height

about 50 cm. Rough finish. (Plate V No. 9, Mount Ayliff, Transkei)

Name: umphanda (Shaw and Van Warmelo MS.).

Use: for storing beer or water (ditto).

(b) Inverted bag-shaped to barrel-shaped pots with flat bases and rounded

or cut rims. Height about 20-25 cm. Decorated graphic design. Sometimes with

burnished black finish. (Plate VI No. 11, Mount Ayliff, Transkei)

Name: inyasa/ingcaza (Shaw and Van Warmelo MS.).

Use: for drinking beer (ditto).

2. WITH NECKS

(i) Upright

(a) Large spherical pot with narrow upright neck formed with a well-

defined point of inflection, cut rim and rounded base. Height about 40 cm.

Decorated with stamped design. (Plate V No. 10, EL 980)

Name: no record.

Use: for storing water (Shaw and Van Warmelo MS.).

(b) Pots with necks formed with poorly-defined point of inflection and

flattened bases. Simple graphic decoration. (EL 38)

Name: no record.

Use: for storing water (Shaw and Van Warmelo MS.).

Decoration

The most common form of decoration is the use of incised horizontal

bands, either left plain or patterned with stamped impressions and grooved

XESIBE

48 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

lines. This type of decoration is used mainly on drinking vessels (Plate VI

No. 11). A large grain pot was decorated with geometrical designs formed by

blocks of stamped impressions (Plate V No. 10). Some pots have a black

burnished finish.

No further information in this section.

CoNCcLUSION

Some Xesibe women were still making pottery in 1948, but their methods

were not recorded.

A fairly wide range of pottery attributed to them includes large, open-

mouthed bowls, large elongated barrel-shaped pots with a rough finish, smaller

decorated vessels of similar shape, and large spherical pots with upright necks.

Decoration is varied, and incised and grooved horizontal bands, stamped

crescent-shaped impressions and a black burnished finish were most com-

monly noted. There is no obvious European influence in either the shape of

the vessels or the decorative designs and techniques.

(ec) Xolo

SECTION I—FIELD

Technology

The following information was given in a letter from the Superintendent

of Locations, Port Shepstone (SAM records; 19.15.1939).

Potters: ‘The potters are women.

Materials: No information.

Tools

1. As smoothers: a piece of calabash.

2. For burnishing: a smooth stone.

Technique: The pots are built up in rings placed one on top of the other.

Drying: A period of drying is necessary before firing. .

Decorating: The imfenyane plant (? Umbelliferae) is used for blackening

pottery. It is heated over a fire and then rubbed on to the pot after it has been

fired.

Firing: Firing is done slowly. The pots are reddish after firing.

No further information in this section.

Pottery forms, names and uses

Miniatures of the following vessel types were made for the South African

Museum. The sizes of the actual vessels were not given.

BowLs

I. WITHOUT NECKS

(i) Open-mouthed

Small bowls with straight projecting bases. (SAM 6021, Port Shepstone)

XOLO

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 49

Name: udengesi lokundcinda (museum records).

Use: for mixing medicines (ditto).

Pots

I. WITHOUT NECKS |

(a) Barrel-shaped pots with short concave pedestal bases. Black finish.

Undecorated. (SAM 6020, Port Shepstone)

Name: umfusa (museum records).

Use: for brewing and storing beer (ditto).

(b) Barrel-shaped pot with flat base. Graphic design. Black finish. (SAM

6019, Port Shepstone)

Name: ihbotwe lokupeka (museum records).

Use: for cooking food (ditto).

Decoration

All models were blackened but unburnished. Graphic designs were out-

lined with incised lines and patterned with dashes.

No further information in this section.

SECTION II— LITERATURE

No information in this section.

CONCLUSION

The Xolo of Port Shepstone made pottery as recently as 1939, but it is

not known whether they make or use it today. They used the ring technique.

The models in possession of the South African Museum are poorly shaped

and appear to be out of proportion; it is not therefore possible to compare them

with the pottery of other Nguni tribes.

IMMIGRANT CAPE NGuNI— DISCUSSION

Among the Immigrant Cape Nguni there are still a number of women who

specialize in the manufacture of domestic utensils, and sell to neighbours who

live among them. Immigrant Cape Nguni are also supplied with pottery by

South Sotho potters.

The Fingo of Peddie neither make nor use pottery, and although no pottery

from those of the Tsomo district was seen, Shaw and Van Warmelo were told

in 1955 that there were potters there.

In the Herschel, Qumbu and Matatiele districts, Hlubi live in close

contact with South Sotho, and in the latter region their pottery is closer in

form and decoration to South Sotho ware than to that of their own group.

Hlubi at Herschel do not make pottery but buy what they need from South

Sotho potters. Little is known about Hlubi techniques except that various

methods of building with rings are used in the Qumbu and Matatiele districts.

The Bhaca and Xolo, too, use the ring technique, but there is no record

XOLO

50 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

of Xesibe methods. Bhaca and Xesibe pottery is similar in form to that of the

Cape Neguni, although not all types are represented. In decoration, however,

there are two main differences. Firstly, small pots are frequently blackened,

and secondly, graphic techniques are more commonly used. Xolo pottery,

although also blackened, appears to be entirely different in shape from other

Nguni wares, but only roughly-made miniatures were seen.

Contact with Europeans does not seem to have influenced the pottery of

this group, except in the introduction of synthetic decorative materials.

Immigrant Cape Nguni pottery, particularly that of the Bhaca and Xesibe,

shows features characteristic of that of both Natal and Cape Nguni. Further,

the pottery terminology includes terms from both these groups. This is to be

expected, as before settling in the Cape they were in close contact with the

Natal Nguni tribes.

13. NATAL NGUNI

On field trips to Zululand and Natal in 1961 and 1962 four potters were

interviewed and a great deal of pottery seen.

(2) Mabaso

SECTION I—FIELD

Technology

The following information was obtained from two potters who were

interviewed at Tugela Ferry, Msinga, one of whom gave a demonstration of

shaping and firing.

Potters: The potters are women who make pottery both for their own use

and for sale in the local village market in order to augment the family income.

They learn the art either from their mothers or by watching others.

Materials: Potters sometimes have to try a number of clays before finding

one suitable. They go to collect the clay themselves, using a homemade pick

to dig the hole and a hoe to remove the raw material. The clay is ground to a

fine powder on a grinding stone and stored indoors in an old enamel basin

until it is required. It is then mixed with sufficient water to form a dough and

kneaded until it is the required consistency. For large beer-brewing and

storage pots it is not considered necessary to grind the clay, which is merely

mixed with water.

Tools

1. As a support on which to build: a large flat stone placed on a small one,

as a turntable.

2. As smoothers: (i) for the outer surface—a mealie cob; (ii) for the inner

surface—a piece of calabash.

3. For cutting the rim: a strip of tin.

4. For decorating: (i) for graphic designs—a hairpin; (ii) for burnishing —

a smooth pebble.

Technique: The potter who gave the demonstration said that she made

pottery indoors and throughout the year. A number of potters, however, work

MABASO

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 51

in the summer only because they believe that pottery cracks more easily in the

cold weather. Large and small pots are built in the same way. The potter

starts with the base and lower walls, which are made by hollowing a lump of

wet clay. The pot is increased to the required size by the addition of rolls

of clay of various lengths, a number of which form a complete ring on the upper

wall. These are pinched into position and then smoothed both inside and out,

first with the hands and then with the tools, which are kept wet in a pot of

water at the potter’s side. The number of rings which is added depends upon the

size the pot is to be. The rim is cut with a slight inward bevel after drying for

one and a half hours after shaping.

Drying: After shaping, the pots are covered with blankets in a sheltered

place indoors for a day or two; they are then put outside in the sun each day

until they are dry enough to be fired.

Decorating: Graphic decoration is carried out after a short period of

drying and burnishing is done later, before firing. The vessels are deliberately

blackened during firing. Boot polish is sometimes applied after firing in order

to enhance the shiny black finish.

Firing: This usually takes place after the midday meal. The fire is built

within the walls of an old stone kraal which shelters it from the wind. The pots,

with pieces of smouldering dung inside them, were heated round a small twig

and dung fire, before being placed mouth downwards in the hearth, which was

lined with specially prepared dung cakes. Twenty-two pots were fired at the

demonstration; they were covered with natural dry dung pats which were held

in position with stones so that the pots were not exposed. When the vessels

became red-hot the fire was smothered with powdered dung. The potter said

that usually when the fire had burned out but was still smoking she put hot

dung cakes into each vessel and left them to cool completely. At the demonstra-

tion, however, the pots were removed from the smouldering fire with a long

stick while they were hot, with no apparent ill effect.

Very large beer pots (zmbiza) are fired in a wood fire. The strongest pottery

is said to be that which is fired as quickly as possible in a very hot fire.

Sealing/ Testing: Very large rough-surfaced pots are filled with hot beer

and then when they are cold smeared with dung, which makes them impervious

to liquids. Small vessels of fine ware are filled with hot water after firing; this

would seem to be a test of the strength and quality of the pottery rather than

a method of sealing.

Mending: Neither of the potters interviewed mended cracked or broken

vessels.

Pottery forms, names and uses

Pots

I. WITHOUT NECKS

(a) Large spherical pots with cut rims and flattened projecting bases.

Height about 52 cm. Rough surface. Undecorated. (Plate VII No. 12, SAM

8432, Msinga, Natal)

MABASO

52 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Name: imbiza (Tugela Ferry).

Use: for brewing beer (ditto).

(b) Spherical, sub-spherical and bag-shaped pots with rounded and cut

rims and flattened bases. Height 12-30 cm. Black finish. Graphic decoration.

(No. 11, SAM 8425, No. 12, SAM 8427, No. 15, SAM 8426, No. 21,

SAM 8434, No. 23, SAM 8424. All from Msinga, Natal)

Name: ukhamba (Tugela Ferry).

Use: for serving beer (ditto).

2. WITH NECKS

(ii) Everted

Inverted bag-shaped pot with curved everted neck formed with a poorly-

defined point of inflection, rounded rim and flattened base. Height about

33 cm. Black finish. Graphic decoration. (No. 19, SAM 8433, Msinga, Natal)

Name: ingcazi (‘Tugela Ferry).

Use: for storing beer or water; traditional pot (ditto).

Decoration

The vessels made and used by the Mabaso people of Tugela Ferry fall into

two classes: those with a well-burnished surface which is deliberately blackened

during firing, and then polished with black boot polish, and those with a rough

surface the natural colour of the fired clay, and no further decoration.

Most of the vessels with a black finish were further decorated with a

graphic design; either grooved or incised. The designs used were either a

combination of zigzag and cross-hatched lines and arcs, or else a modern

‘flower’ design. The potter interviewed said that the designs were done accord-

ing to fashion and were not traditional.

System of Distribution

Pottery was very much in evidence in the Tugela Ferry area. Although

not all women were potters, those who were made both for their own use and

for sale to others. A number of potters appeared to be well known, and large

numbers of vessels were seen for sale at the local village on market day. The

potters took their wares to market packed in grass and sacking, either on their

heads or by bus or taxi. Pottery was sold for cash.

Taboos and practices in connexion with pottery manufacture and use

1. Only members of the potter’s family were allowed to touch unfired

vessels. Further, the guide informed the writer that the presence of strangers at

a firing was believed by the potter to cause the pottery to crack.

2. According to the potter very large pots are smeared with dung to prevent

lightning striking the house.

SECTION II— LITERATURE

No information in this section.

MABASO

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 53

CONCLUSION

Pottery is commonly used by the Mabaso of Msinga today.

The Mabaso potters are women specialists, who make for their own use

and for sale, both to fulfil orders and at markets. One of the two potters inter-

viewed had acquired her knowledge by watching others; her mother had been

unable to make pottery. The technique used by Mabaso potters was to hollow

the lower section of the vessel from the lump and increase it to the required

size by the addition of rolls of clay placed one on top of the other in rough

rings.

The range of pottery types seen was small, consisting mainly of pots with-

out necks, either in a fine black or thick-walled, rough buff ware. Only grooved

and incised techniques were seen and the decorative designs were modern,

showing the influence of schools.

(5) Zulu of Eshowe

SECTION I—FIELD

Technology

The following information was obtained at an interview with a potter

near Eshowe.

Potters: The potters are women.

Materials: Clay is collected near a river. To prepare it for use the potter

mixes it with water and pounds it with a stone.

Tools

1. As a support on which to build: no information.

2. As smoothers: (1) for inside surface—a piece of calabash (ukhezo); (ii) for

outer surface—a strip of tin (zszkhengect).

3. For decoration: (i) for graphic design—a plastic comb, a strip of tin;

(ii) for burnishing—a smooth stone (imbokodwe).

Technique: The method of building vessels is similar to that demonstrated

by the Mabaso potter. The base of the vessel is formed from a lump of clay

and the walls built up with rolls of clay, the first of which is added around the

base. As the lengths of clay are added the join inside the vessel is smoothed

with the piece of calabash. When the pot is the required size the outside is

smoothed in the same way.

Drying: The pot is dried for about a week indoors before it is fired.

Decorating: The pot is decorated with graphic designs immediately after

shaping. After twenty-four hours it is burnished and then dried for about a

week. Fired vessels are given a shiny black finish by smoking them and then

rubbing fat over the outer surface.

Firing: The potter uses wood as a fuel for firing. The pots are fired for

approximately four to five hours during which time they become red.

Sealing/ Testing: No information.

No further information in this section.

ZULU

54 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Pottery forms, names and uses

Pots

I. WITHOUT NECKS

Spherical and sub-spherical pots with cut rims and flattened bases.

Height 13-27 cm. Black finish. Graphic design. (No. 17, SAM 8396, Eshowe,

Zululand)

Name: ukhamba (potter).

Use: for beer or water (ditto).

Decoration

Decoration takes the form of blackening the fired vessels and smearing the

surface with a little fat. Further decoration with a band of vertical dragged

lines made with a plastic comb and outlined with grooved lines was also seen.

No further information in this section.

SECTION II—LITERATURE

No information in this section.

CONCLUSION

The Zulu of Eshowe make and use pottery today. The potters are women

who specialize in the manufacture of pottery for sale as well as for their own use.

Vessels are built up from a lump of clay which forms the base by means of rolls

of clay placed one on top of each other in rough rings.

A very small range of pottery was seen, consisting only of spherical or

sub-spherical pots with a black finish and further decorated with dragged and

simple grooved designs.

European influence was seen in the use of a plastic haircomb as a tool for

making designs.

SECTION I—FIELD

Technology

The following information was obtained at an interview with a Zulu

potter at Emfanefile, near Melmoth.

Potters: Potters are women who specialize in the manufacture of utensils

both for their cwn domestic use and for sale. They take orders from neighbours,

who specify the size of the vessel and the type of decoration they require. ‘The

potter interviewed learnt to make pottery at the local school.

Materials: Suitable clay is collected by the potters from sites near rivers.

It is dried and then ground finely, any small stones being ground in with the

clay. Water is then added to the dry, ground material and the mixture pounded

for a short while with a rounded elongated stone (imbokodwe) on a grinding

stone (itshe). When the clay is the correct consistency it is wrapped in a piece

of cloth until needed.

ZULU

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 55

Tools

1. As a support on which to build: a grass ring (inkatha).

2. As smoothers: (i) for inner surface—a piece of calabash; (11) for outer

surface—a flat piece of wood.

3. For decorating : (1) for graphic designs —the head of a nail, held obliquely,

a piece of tin; (ii) for stamped designs —the head of a nail; (iii) for burnishing —

a smooth round pebble.

Technique: Pottery is made indoors. Small pots are moulded entirely from

the lump. For large vessels, the base is hollowed from the lump and to this are

added rolls of clay in incomplete rings. As each ring is completed it is smoothed

on to the wall below on both the inner and outer surface.

Drying: Pots are dried indoors for three days and on the fourth put outside

in the sun. By this time they are usually dry enough for firing.

Decorating: After shaping a vessel the potter decorates it with graphic or

applied designs. Burnishing is done after the indoor drying period. A small

amount of fat is smeared over the outer surface of the pot, which is then rubbed

with a smooth pebble. A black finish is obtained by smoking the vessels in a

grass fire after they have been fired. Boot polish is generally used for blackening

fine ware today.

Firing: One to three vessels are fired at a time. The pottery is placed on

and covered with firewood. Grass is put inside each vessel and also used as

kindling. The pots turn red during firing but are blackened afterwards.

Sealing| Testing: Beer-brewing vessels are smeared with dung after firing.

No method of sealing or testing was described for vessels with a fine finish.

No further information in this section.

Pottery forms, names and uses

Pots |

I. WITHOUT NECKS

Spherical pots. These are subdivided into the four following groups on the

basis of size, finish and use.

(i) Rough-surfaced pots, generally smeared with dung after firing. No

decoration. Height about 50 cm. (field).

Name: imbiza (potter).

Use: for storing beer (ditto).

(ii) Rough-surfaced pots. No decoration. Height about 35 cm. (field).

Name: istkhamba (potter).

Use: for making beer (ditto).

(i11) Pots with burnished black finish. Usually decorated. Height 18-25 cm.

(field).

Name: ukhamba (potter).

Use: for serving and storing beer (ditto).

(iv) Pots with burnished black finish. Decorated. Height about 12-15 cm.

(field).

ZULU

56 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Name : isicathulo (potter).

Use: for drinking beer and sometimes for sour porridge (ditto).

2. WITH NECKS

Spherical pot with straight, everted neck formed with a well-defined point

of inflection, flattened base and cut rim. Decorated with graphic designs and

black, burnished finish. Height 29-5 cm. (SAM g221, Melmoth, Zululand).

Name: ukhamba (museum records).

Use: for beer or water (ditto).

Decoration

Three types of decoration were described by the potter and a fourth seen

on a museum specimen:

1. Triangular designs: these are either grooved or incised and were said

to be South Sotho in origin.

2. Arc designs (inyanga): the arcs are outlined with a grooved line made

with the edge of a piece of tin, and patterned with stamped designs made with

the head of a nail.

3. Lump designs (amasompa): small round lumps of clay are applied to the

surface of the pot by flattening the ball against the wall with a strip of iron.

4. Raised rectangular motifs consisting of a grid-like pattern of small

raised rectangles and deep grooves; made with flat strip of iron.

System of Distribution

According to the potter many women in the Emfanefile area make

pottery, both for their own households and to fulfil orders from others.

No further information in this section.

SECTION II—LITERATURE

No information in this section.

CONCLUSION

A great deal of pottery is used by the Zulu of Emfanefile today. The

woman interviewed had learnt to make pottery at the local school. The tech-

nique she used was the same as that demonstrated by the Mabaso potter;

moulding the lower section of the pot from the lump and building it up to the

required size with rough rings.

Most of the vessels observed were spherical, the large sizes being rough-

surfaced and the smaller sizes having a black, burnished finish. Necked spherical

pots are also sometimes made.

The potters are specialists and trade is local.

European influence was seen in the use of boot polish and some of the

decorative designs.

ZULU

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 57

(dq) Natal Nguni (undifferentiated)

SECTION I—FIELD

Technology

No information.

Pottery forms, names and uses

Bow Ls

I. WITHOUT NECKS

(1) Open-mouthed

(a) Wide-mouthed shallow bowl with rounded rim and flattened base.

Height about 5 cm. Black finish. (SAM 1967, Utrecht, Natal)

Name: umcengezZi.

Use: no record.

(6) Deep bowl with cut rim and flattened base. Height about 12 cm.

Decorated with two pairs of oval bosses. Black finish. (SAM 6017, Port Shep-

stone, cf. No. 18)

Name: ukhamba (museum records).

Use: for serving food (museum records), for porridge and mashes (Bryant,

1949).

Pots

I. WITHOUT NECKS

(a) Very large, spherical and near-spherical pots with cut or rounded rims

and flattened bases. Height 40-60 cm. Rough surface, may be smeared with

dung. (field)

Name: imbiza (field).

Use: for making and storing beer (ditto).

(b) Very large, almost straight-sided pot with flattened base. Height about

95 cm. Black finish. Decorated stamped impressions. (SAM records; photo-

graph Mariannhill)

Name: imbiza (caption to photograph).

Use: for storing beer (ditto).

flattened base. Height about 34 cm. Black finish. Decorated with stamped

impressions. (No. 29, SAM 8642, Ubombo, Natal)

Name: tmbiza (potter—museum records).

Use: for storing beer or water (ditto).

(d) Spherical, near-spherical and barrel-shaped pots with cut or rounded

rims and flattened bases. Height 15-29 cm. Black finish. Sometimes further

decorated. (No. 9, SAM 8438, Pietermaritzburg; No. 13, SAM 8403, Eshowe;

No. 14, SAM 8803, Msinga; No. 16, SAM 8979; No. 24, AFRIK 58/1648;

No. 28, SAM 8983, Nqutu)

NATAL NGUNI

58 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Name: ukhamba (museum records).

Use: for serving and drinking beer (ditto).

(e) Small spherical, bag-shaped, and inverted bag-shaped pots with cut

or rounded rims and flattened bases. Height 11-14 cm. Black finish. Decorated

with graphic decoration and applied lumps. (No. 10, SAM 8414, Mahlabatini;

No. 22, SAM 8415, Mahlabatini; No. 25, TVL 8313, Msinga)

Name: umancishane (stingy-one) (museum records), wmancintshane/uman-

cishane(a).

Use: for drinking small quantities of beer (museum records and Doke &

Vilakazi).

2. WITH NECKS

(i) Upright

Pot with upright neck formed with well-defined point of inflection. Height

about 30 cm. Black finish. Decorated with applied lumps. (SAM 1167, Utrecht)

Name: ingcazi/upiso (museum records).

Use: for storing beer (ditto).

(ii) Everted

Large spherical pots with straight everted necks formed with well-defined

point of inflection and rounded bases. Black finish. Decorated. (BLM H3109,

Ntondweni; BLM H4225, Tugela Mouth)

Name and use: no record.

BEAKERS

Barrel-shaped beaker with pedestal base. Black finish. Decorated. (BLM

H11504)

Name and use: no record.

MIscELLANEOUS

Tall barrel-shaped vessels with cut rims and flattened bases. Height

22-24 cm. Red or black ware. Sometimes decorated. (No. 26, TVL 13; No. 27,

TVL 16. No locality)

Name: no record.

Use: for milking and other household purposes (museum records).

Decoration

Decoration by means of applied lumps of clay in various designs was seen

on a number of vessels. An alternative method of obtaining designs of raised

lumps is to depress the clay with the fingernail or straight-edged tool around the

area to be raised. This method is commonly used in the Melmoth district today.

Another common decorative technique is the use of stamped impressions

which are either placed to form geometrical designs or bands which are out-

lined with incised or grooved lines, or used by themselves in an all-over pattern

or variety of designs. The impressions may be round, triangular or half-moon

NATAL NGUNI

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 59

shaped as when made with the fingernail. Stamped impressions probably made

with the end of a grass stalk were seen on pots in Dr. Killie GCampbell’s

collection.

A multiple stamped design was seen on one example which is decorated

with stamped arcs of a circle, one edge of the arc being plain and the other

zigzag (No. 24).

Although simple grooved and incised designs are not as common as

applied and stamped designs they are also found as is multiple grooving.

Stitch-like impressions were seen on a pot from Greytown, now in Dr.

Killie Campbell’s collection, where they were used to pattern diamond shapes

between two bands.

Most of the fine Natal Nguni ware was blackened and burnished.

System of Distribution

Today pottery is paid for in cash and there appears to be a recognized

scale of payment according to the size of the vessel.

It was found that pottery is taught at schools and missions in Zululand

and manufacture of earthenware articles is encouraged to a great extent by

handicraft sections at annual agricultural shows. Clay vessels are made for the

local tourist trade and for sale at the market in Durban, where they are bought

both by Bantu living in the urban area and by tourists.

An interesting sideline of the pottery industry, resulting from contact with

the European, is the modelling of busts and figurines by men for trade pur-

poses. These are usually unfired.

No further information in this section.

SECTION IIT— LITERATURE

Technology

Potters: According to all literary sources the potters among the Natal

Nguni are women (Shooter, 1857; Bryant, 1959; Krige, 1950). Krige (1950)

states further that most pottery is made by experts.

Materials: Bryant (1959) states that clays suitable for the manufacture of

pottery were available in practically every district of Zululand and that coarse

red clay was used for rough ware, while finer brown and black clays were used

in the manufacture of better quality pottery. The potter, having brought the

clay home from the pit, allowed it to dry and then ground it to a fine powder

using a grinding stone. Poor quality clay was mixed with powdered sherds,

water was then added until the clay was the consistency of putty, at which

stage it was ready for use. (Bryant, 1949)

Tools

1. As a support on which to build: a grass ring (inkatha) (Bryant, 1949).

2. As smoothers: (i) for inner surface—a round flat stone (Krige, 1950), a

piece of calabash (Bryant, 1949); (ii) for outer surface—a piece of calabash.

(Bryant, 1949)

NATAL NGUNI

60 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

3. For decorating: (i) for applied decoration—a small stick (Bryant, 1949) ;

(11) for burnishing—a smooth pebble (Bryant, 1949).

Technique: The flat base of a pot was formed from a disc of clay, which was

placed on the grass ring and the walls built up by the addition of thin sausage-

like rolls of clay in the form of rings, one on top of the other until the vessel was

the required size. It was then allowed to dry slightly indoors for twenty-four

hours. The clay was still soft when the walls were scraped inside and out with

a piece of calabash, and smoothed with wetted fingers until the surface was

even. (Bryant, 1949)

Drying: After shaping, the vessel was allowed to dry completely, first

indoors and then outside in the shade (Bryant, 1949). Drying took a few

weeks (Krige, 1950).

Decorating : According to Bryant (1949) the only method of decoration was

the application of small lumps or nodules of clay in a variety of designs. This

was carried out during the shaping of the vessel before it was set aside to dry for

the first time. The pellets were pressed against the wet clay surfaces and rounded

off with a small stick. Schofield (1948) describes the traditional method of

attachment of the pellets by means of little clay stalks which were passed

through the wall and turned over on the inside. Burnishing with a small pebble

was done when the vessel had dried, just before firing.

Four methods of blackening pottery are described:

1. Mixing the clay with soot (Miiller, 1918).

2. Rubbing uwmsobo leaves against the surface of the vessel (Krige, 1950).

3. Smoking the vessel in a grass fire at any convenient time after firing, and

then rubbing a little animal fat over the surface and polishing the pot with a

small pebble or the hard, smooth nut-like disc found at the root of the

umlunge plant (Antholyza paniculata Klatt.); and finally rubbing with the

leaves of the ugqumugqumu (Cape Gooseberry; Physalis peruviana L.) (Bryant,

1949).

4. Rubbing the surface of the vessel with a compound made by mixing the

pounded leaves of the uVemvane plant (Sida rhombifolia) with sifted soot,

which produces a fine black polish (Schofield, 1948).

Bryant states that nothing was known of the exclusion of air from the

fire.

Firing: According to Krige (1950) the pots are ‘held round a fire for two

or three hours according to the size’. According to Bryant (1949) the pot,

mouth upwards, was set on a bed of small sticks laid on the ground, and entirely

surrounded and covered with firewood. The fire was lit at the bottom and the

pot remained in position for six to eight hours, after which time it was a mottled

red, yellow and black.

Sealing/ Testing: No information. :

Mending: Cracked pots were mended by drilling holes on either side of

the fracture and tying the pieces together with vegetable fibre cord. The repair

NATAL NGUNI

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 61

was then made waterproof with a dressing of moist clay which was renewed

as often as necessary. (Schofield, 1948)

Pottery forms, names and uses

BowLs

I. WITHOUT NECKS

(i) Open-mouthed

(a) Broad, shallow, flat-bottomed basins with a diameter of roughly

37 cm. (Bryant, 1949).

Name: umcengezi (Bryant, 1949; Doke & Vilakazi, 1953).

Use: for washing hands and face (Bryant, 1949).

(b) Small bowls, like pudding basins (Bryant, 1949; Doke & Vilakazi,

1958; Krige, 1950).

Name: umcakulo (ditto).

Use: for eating from (ditto).

Name: tsikhangezo (ditto).

Use: for eating sour milk (Krige, 1950), for soft foods (Doke & Vilakazi,

1953).

(d) Basin-shaped bowls, slightly broader than (4) above (Bryant, 1949).

Name: umgengele (ditto).

Use: for porridges and mashes (ditto).

Pots

I. WITHOUT NECKS

(a) Very large pots made in a variety of shapes. Height about 60 cm.

Rough surface. (Bryant, 1949)

Name: imbiza—generic term (Bryant, 1949; Doke & Vilakazi, 1953),

uhoho, umndindimana, ugaga according to shape (Bryant, 1949).

Use: for fermenting beer principally (Bryant, 1949).

Name: tmbiza yempahla (Bryant, 1949).

Use: storing ornamental fur ropes (ditto).

(d) Smaller vessels of same types as (a) above (Holden, 1866; Bryant,

1949).

Name: ikhanzi (Bryant, 1949).

Use: for cooking, used with lid plastered into position (Bryant, 1949;

Doke & Vilakazi, 1958).

finish. Decorated. (Schofield, 1948; Plate XI No. 6, Durban Museum; Cetsh-

wayo’s kraal)

Name: imbiza (Schofield, 1948).

Use: for brewing beer (ditto).

NATAL NGUNI

62 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

(dq) Spherical pot. Height about 30 cm. Black, polished finish. (Bryant,

1949)

Name: iphangela (Bryant, 1949; Doke & Vilakazi, 1953).

Use: for straining beer into (Bryant, 1949), for drinking; large size (Doke

& Vilakazi, 1958).

(ec) Near-spherical pot. Height about 30 cm. Black polished finish. (Bryant,

1949)

Name: isikhamba (Bryant, 1949; Doke & Vilakazi, 1958).

Use: for serving beer into drinking vessels (ditto), for serving sour milk

(Doke & Vilakazi).

(f) Barrel-shaped and spherical pots with flattened bases. Height about

22 cm. Black finish. Decorated. (Schofield, 1948; Plate XI Nos. 11 and 14,

Natal Museum; Zululand)

Name: ikhanzi (Schofield, 1948), see (6), p. 61).

Use: for cooking food (ditto)

2. WITH NECKS

(i) Upright

(a) Large spherical pot with narrow upright neck (Bryant, 1949).

Name: uphiso/ulupiso (Bryant, 1949; Doke & Vilakazi, 1958).

Use: for carrying beer (Bryant, 1949).

(6) Small spherical pot with short neck. Basketwork lid. (Bryant, 1945)

Name: ingcungu (ditto).

Use: for crushed, boiled maize grains mixed with sour clotted milk (ditto).

(11) Everted

Spherical pot with everted neck formed with poorly-defined point of

inflection. Height about 25 cm. Black finish. Decorated. (Schofield, 1948;

Plate XI No. 12, Natal Museum; Zululand; Bryant, 1949)

Name: uphiso (Schofield, 1948; Bryant, 1949).

Use: for carrying beer or water (ditto).

BEAKERS

(a) Small spherical beaker with long pedestal base. Black finish. Decor-

ated. (Schofield, 1948, Plate XI No. 13; Mariannhill)

Name: no record.

Use: for drinking (Schofield, 1948).

(b) Straight-sided drinking vessel. Black finish. (Bryant, 1949)

Name: umggomo (Bryant, 1949).

Use: for drinking beer (ditto).

MIscELLANEOUS

(a) Large spherical pot with four necks. Black finish. Decorated. (Scho-

field, 1948, Plate XI No. 10, Durban Museum; Cetshwayo’s kraal)

NATAL NGUNI

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 63

Name: uphiso (Schofield, 1948).

Use: no record.

(b) No description.

Name: udiwo (Doke & Vilakazi, 1958).

Use: for drinking or holding sweet and sour milk (ditto).

Decoration

According to Bryant (1949) this pottery was traditionally blackened and

decorated with pellets of clay which were applied in a variety of designs. The

method of attachment of these pellets has changed (Schofield, 1948).

Raised ridges are a form of decoration described and illustrated by Scho-

field from pottery in the Natal Museum, Pietermaritzburg. He points out that

these motifs are all directly derived from those used on wooden utensils carved

exclusively by men.

Although graphic techniques are not as widespread as applied and

moulded, Schofield (1948) mentions designs formed with stitch-like impressions

and, very occasionally, the engraving of vessels after firing.

The variety of methods used in blackening pottery recorded in the litera-

ture are, with the exception of a modified version of Method 3, not in use today.

System of Distribution

Pottery was made by women experts and it was customary in the past to

exchange a vessel for the amount of grain that it would contain (Krige, 1950).

_ No further information.

CONCLUSION

The only technological information concerning undifferentiated Natal

Nguni tribes comes from literary sources. All potters were women. The tech-

nique, as described by Bryant, was to build on to a disc of clay which formed

the flat base, with rings of sausage-like rolls of clay placed one on top of the

other to form vessel walls.

The range of pottery types described by Bryant and in museum collections

includes open-mouthed bowls, pedestal-based beakers and a multi-mouthed

pot. Raised decorative designs and a black finish are claimed by Bryant to be

traditional but graphic designs, mainly simple grooved and incised varieties,

are found on some of the vessels in museum collections.

In Zululand today pottery is greatly encouraged by administrative

authorities and it is taught at schools and missions. There is a demand for

pottery from Bantu in the neighbourhood and near-by urban areas, as well

as from the tourist trade.

NataL Ncouni— Discussion

A great deal of pottery is made and used by the Natal Nguni today,

although the range of types has decreased considerably since Bryant made his

NATAL NGUNI

64 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

survey. The potters are women specialists who take orders or make pottery for

sale at village markets. None of those interviewed had acquired the art from

her mother but all had learnt at schools or by watching others at work. Tradi-

tional crafts have been encouraged by agricultural shows at which handiwork

is exhibited and judged.

According to Bryant the traditional technique was the building with rings

on to a flattened base. Potters interviewed at Melmoth, Tugela Ferry and

Eshowe, however, demonstrated or described the moulding from the lump for

small pots, large ones being started in the same way and being built on to

with rough rings.

Collectively, Natal Nguni pottery is distinctive and characterized by the

burnished, black finish of the fine ware. It is, however, not possible to distinguish

different present-day pottery traditions among the tribal groups, all of whom

make a range of pots without necks. Bowls and necked pots are seldom made

today, but a few were seen. Most Natal Nguni vessels have flattened bases and

cut or rounded rims.

Apart from blackening and burnishing, pottery is decorated with a

number of techniques in a wide variety of designs. Applied decoration, which

was described by Bryant as being the only form, is still found, but is not as

common as graphic and moulded types.

Western influence is seen in some decorative designs and in the use of

black boot polish. Schools appear to have taught traditional shaping techniques,

but it is possible that they introduced the method of firing in a reducing

atmosphere, which Bryant found was not known.

For the range of earthenware utensils used today, literary sources give a

more varied terminology than that recorded in the field, where, in most

regions, ukhamba and imbiza seemed to be used as generic terms for small and

large clay utensils respectively.

14. SWAZI

This section is divided into two parts, the first (a), dealing with the Swazi

of Swaziland and Barberton district and the second (6) with the Swazi of

Sekhukhuneland.

A. Swazi in Swaziland

SECTION I—FIELD

The Swazi were visited in 1962.

Technology

The following information was obtained from potters at Esipocosini,

Mbabane; Engabaneni, Mankaiana; Horo Valley, Piggs Peak; near Zwane

Store on the Stegi-Abercorn road, Stegi; and between Hlatikulu and Malome,

Hlatikulu.

Potters: All the potters were women who had learnt the art either from

SWAZI

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 65

their mothers or by watching others at work. They make utensils either for their

own use, or for sale to neighbours who place orders or for sending to local

markets.

Materials: Clay from deposits near rivers was the most suitable. All infor-

mants stressed the importance of the clay, which they selected themselves.

Many of them travel several miles to fetch a suitable clay rather than use

inferior clays close at hand.

In some cases the clay was dug wet and in others dry, but in all recorded

instances water was added to the clay, which had previously been ground, and

the mixture was pounded on a flat stone with an oval river pebble until it was

of the required consistency. The use of a filler was described only by the potter

near Zwane Store, who mixed ground potsherds into the wet clay. Some

potters used their clay immediately after preparation, whereas others said

that they preferred to let it stand overnight before using it.

Tools

1. As a support on which to build: a flat stone, a potsherd, a grass ring

(inkatha), a metal lid, an enamel dish.

2. As smoothers: (i) for outside surface—a piece of flat wood, a strip of tin,

a stone; (11) for inner surface —a spoonhead, a piece of calabash, a stone.

3. For decorating: (i) for graphic design —a fine stick, a thorn, a nail; (11)

for burnishing—a smooth pebble.

Technique: Pottery is made either indoors or out of doors, in a place shel-

tered from cold winds, which cause too rapid drying. In the Piggs Peak

district most pottery is manufactured during the autumn months, as by then

work in the fields is practically over and wind and rain are not usual. The

potter in the Mankaiana district made most of her pottery in summer; again

because of the absence of cold winds during this period.

The spiral or coil technique was used by all these potters (Plate IX Nos.

17-19). With the exception of one potter they all formed the base from a spiral

pad of clay. In the exceptional case the base was hollowed from a small lump

of clay. The rim of the vessel is cut during shaping while the clay is very wet.

The base is finished off a few days later.

Drying: Once the pot is shaped it is put indoors and covered with a dry

cloth so that drying is as slow and even as possible. After about a week the pots

are put out into the sun each day for a period of from one to fourteen days.

Each of the potters interviewed quoted a different time. (For possible reasons

see Part II, Drying, p. 13).

Decorating : Burnishing is done a couple of days after the initial shaping of

the vessel.

Incised and stamped decoration is applied after shaping while the surface

of the vessel is still wet, and lozenges are applied about forty-five minutes later.

The Swazi, like the Zulu, deliberately blacken their pots; this is done either by

standing them on three stones in the smoke of individual grass fires, or by

playing lighted bundles of grass stalks around each pot in such a way that the

SWAZI

66 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

smoke comes into contact with it. Some potters rub a little animal fat on to

the surface at this stage.

Another method of decoration, which was described by potters in the

Pige’s Peak district, is to make a red and black design by applying wet wood-

ash in designs to the surface of the vessel and then smoking it in a wood fire.

The areas which are exposed to the fire become a shiny black, leaving the

covered areas, after removal of the ash, the natural red colour of the fired clay.

Firing: A hot, still day is the most suitable for firing. From five to thirty

pots are fired at one time, depending on the number ready. If fuel is scarce,

as many vessels as possible are fired together. The firing is done in a shallow

depression in the ground. This is lined with fuel and the pots are placed in

position; the small and medium-sized ones upright and the large ones on their

sides. Some of the potters supported the pots on stones or clods of earth, to

allow the fire to get underneath them. The heap is then entirely covered with

fuel, a little grass is used for kindling, and the fire is lit. Most of the informants

used wood as a fuel because it burns slowly and gives a hot fire. A mixed fuel

of dried aloe, cattle dung and wood was preferred by a potter at Mbabane, who

claimed that this combination produced the strongest pots. The use of dry

aloe for fires is customary in that area.

Firing times varied from one to three hours, some potters preferring to

fire quickly and others slowly. A potter is able to tell by the colour of the pot

when firing is complete. Vessels fired in the afternoon are generally left to cool

in the ashes overnight and are removed the following morning.

Sealing/ Testing: Potters claimed that if a vessel was properly fired it would

be impervious to liquids. However, minor leaks are sometimes cured by cooking

a thin porridge in the pot, or by standing it on a glowing fire and pouring hot

beer into it.

Mending: Fine cracks in unfired pots are sometimes repaired by softening

the area with water and rubbing with a small rounded river stone. Sometimes

cracks in old vessels are repaired with wire.

Pottery forms, names and uses

BowLs

I. WITHOUT NECKS

(i) Open-mouthed

(a) Fairly large wide-mouthed bowl with rounded rim and flattened base.

Height about 11 cm. Red burnished finish. (No. 30, SAM 8677, Pigg’s Peak,

Swaziland)

Name: umgengele (Piggs Peak).

Use: for food (ditto).

(b) Small wide-mouthed bowls with cut rims and flattened bases. Height

about 7 cm. Undecorated. (No. 32, SAM 6040, Sekhukhuneland; included

here as it appears to be in the Swazi tradition)

SWAZI

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 67

Name: (i) moruswana wa go jela (Sotho; museum records), (ii) moruswane

wa go Silela (Venter, in lit. 22/4/64).

Use: (i) for porridge, (ii) for meat or vegetables (Venter, zn lit. 22/4/64).

Pots

I. WITHOUT NECKS

(a) Large spherical and bag-shaped vessels, with rounded or cut rims

and flattened bases. Height 30-75 cm. Undecorated. Rough outer surface

sometimes smeared with dung after firing. (Plate VII No. 14)

Name: imbita/imbiza (field).

Use: for brewing beer or cooking (ditto).

(b) Spherical, sub-spherical and bag-shaped pots with rounded or cut

rims and flattened bases. One example with two large handles (Plate VIII

No. 16). Height 10-35 cm. Black finish. Decorated with graphic or applied

designs or undecorated. (No. 31, SAM 8646; No. 33, SAM 8647, both Hlati-

kulu; No. 35, SAM 8666; No. 36, SAM 8665, both Mbabane; Plate VIII

No. 15, Stegi)

Name: lukhamba|ludiwo/ludziwo (field).

Use: large sizes: for carrying and storing beer; small sizes: for drinking

beer (ditto); as a drum; a goatskin is held over the mouth of the vessel by the

drummer’s assistant. (See also p. 69.)

2. WITH NECKS

(i) Upright

Vessels with short neck formed with poorly-defined point of inflection,

rounded or cut rim and flattened base. Height 10-35 cm. Larger sizes undeco-

rated, smaller sizes with black finish. (Plate VII No. 13)

Name and use: These pots have the same names and uses as pots without

necks of the corresponding sizes (field).

(ii1) Inward-sloping

Spherical pot with short neck formed with poorly-defined point of inflec-

tion, rounded rim and flattened base. Height about 18 cm. (No. 34, SAM

8652, Hlatikulu, Swaziland).

Name: ludziwo (museum records).

Use: for drinking beer (ditto).

BEAKERS

Pedestal-based beakers. Enamel paint on natural buff or blackened sur-

face. These vessels were generally very badly made in comparison with the

other pottery.

Name: lukhamba (field).

Use: for drinking tea, coffee or beer (ditto).

SWAZI

68 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

MIuIscELLANEOUS

Calabash-shaped vessels with large handles (Plate VIII No. 16, Stegi).

These were said to be modern in style, and very popular. However, the

Mbabane potter referred to ‘double pots’ which were used in the past to carry

beer to the fields so that it did not spill, and it is possible that the vessels are in

fact traditional, and only the handles are the result of European influence.

Name : isicinge (calabash) (field).

Use: for transporting and serving beer (ditto).

Decoration

Both rough- and fine-textured pottery is made by the Swazi. Roughly

finished ware is undecorated and the other generally blackened and burnished.

The standard of burnishing is high.

Although most of the Swazi pottery seen was plain black burnished ware,

potters described the use of a fine stick, thorn or nail for incising designs, and

of a stone for stamping. Stamped designs impressed with the end of a grass stalk

are popular (Nos. 31 and 33). Furthermore, decoration by means of clay

lozenges of various sizes and shapes, applied in a variety of designs, was described

by the potter at Mbabane as being traditional. Decoration by means of red

and black designs was described but not seen.

Enamel paint is used as a decorative material, mainly in the Hlatikulu

district.

The use of coloured beads, which are pressed into fine-textured blackened

pots in a variety of designs, was cbserved by Mr. Velcich of the Department of

Bantu Administration and Development, Pretoria, among Swazi potters, about

12 miles south of Nelspruit in the eastern Transvaal. This is probably a modern

form of decoration.

System of distribution

It is not known how specialized an art pottery was among the Swazi in

the past, but there is a great deal of pottery manufacture and trade in Swaziland

today. People are frequently seen carrying pots, or using them as drinking

vessels, and potters are easy to find. Most of the potters manufacture pots for

sale as well as for their own use.

In Swaziland the manufacture of local handicrafts is being greatly deve-

loped and encouraged by special markets at many towns, where goods are sold

at standard prices. Some potters near these centres fulfil standing orders from

these markets, and are able to earn a small but regular income. The manufacture

of traditional pottery types is encouraged, but even so a certain amount of

Western influence can be seen in some of the shapes, and in the use of enamel

paint.

Taboos and other practices in connexion with pottery manufacture and use

Usually only the potter may handle her pots before they are fired. Another

potter, or someone with a recognized knowledge of pottery, may be allowed

SWAZI

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 69

to touch them, but it is considered that anyone else would harm them and

cause them to crack.

SECTION II—LITERATURE

Technology

No information in this section.

Pottery forms, names and uses

Bow Ls

I. WITHOUT NECKS

Bowls and dishes (Schofield, 1948; Myburgh, 1949, 1956).

Name: umcakulo (Myburgh, 1949).

Use: for food (ditto).

Pots

I. WITHOUT NECKS

Spherical pots with a capacity of up toa gallon. Undecorated. (Schofield,

1948)

Name: ludziwo/ludziyo—generic term (Marwick, 1940; Myburgh, 1956).

Use: for beer (Myburgh, 1949, 1956).

2. WITH NECKS

(1) Upright

Spherical pots with short vertical necks. Undecorated. (Schofield, 1948)

Name and use: no record.

MiscELLANEOUS

(a) Shaw (1938) describes a pottery pipe-bowl for use on a water pipe

_ from the eastern Transvaal (SAM M.L.C. 17) as follows: A small black clay

bowl, round in cross-section, with a raised ring around the neck . . . is placed

on top of a long stout reed, which when the pipe is in use is placed right down

into the horn through the mouth.

(b) A drum is made by stretching a piece of skin over the mouth of a pot

and striking it with a reed. Drums are foreign to the Swazi culture and were

first used in connexion with the exorcism of a spirit disease called mandzawe.

(Marwick, 1940)

Decoration

Both Marwick (1940) and Schofield (1948) stated that Swazi pottery was

undecorated with the exception of occasional burnishing.

System of distribution

Marwick (1940) states that trade among the Swazi themselves appeared to

be increasing, and that specially skilled persons were producing more than their

own requirements, and bartering the surplus to others.

No further information.

SWAZI

70 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

CONCLUSION

According to Schofield (1948) the manufacture of pottery in Swaziland

was on the decline; only a small quantity of pottery was made, and it was of

very inferior quality, very few types being made and decoration being rare.

In 1962 the pottery industry in Swaziland seemed to be flourishing, earthen-

ware vessels were used by all the families visited and a number of women,

who specialized in the manufacture of pottery for sale to neighbours and to

handicraft markets, were interviewed. The interest which the Swaziland

Government shows in promoting the Swazi crafts is probably largely respon-

sible for this change in the situation.

The Swazi use the spiral technique, either building the walls of the vessel

on to a pad of clay formed spirally and flattened, or on to a base formed by

hollowing a lump of clay. There is no record of their techniques in the literature.

Only a small range of pottery types is made, consisting mainly of spherical,

sub-spherical and bag-shaped pots. A few pots have very slight necks. Most

vessels have rounded or cut rims and flattened bases. _

Both rough-surfaced undecorated and burnished black ware is made, as

among the Natal Nguni. Vessels of the former type are used in the preparation

of beer, and those of the latter in its serving and as drinking vessels. Decoration

is simple, being mainly stamped and applied.

European influence can be seen in the use of enamel paint as a decorative

material and in the manufacture of vessels with handles.

The names given by the Swazi to pottery vessels were very similar to those

used by the Zulu, and a number of Swazi did, in fact, use the Zulu terminology.

B. Swazi in Sekhukhuneland

SECTION I—FIELD

Technology

The following account is based on information gained during a visit to a

Swazi pottery on the Leolo Mountains, in 1962, and from answers to question-

naires sent to Mr. H. Venter at the Bantu Commissioner’s, Sekhukhune

(Venter, in lit. 17/9/64). The Swazi emigrated to this area in 1874 (Schofield,

1948).

Potters : The homestead visited was a very active centre in the manufacture

of pottery. The dozen or more women living there all make pottery during the

winter months for sale to the Pedi. In summer, lands have to be ploughed and

cultivated and the potters are too busy to practise their craft. Also in summer,

which is the rainy season, it is difficult to obtain dry firewood, and the potters

have no suitable facilities for manufacture on such a large scale indoors.

Materials: The potters dig wet clay from a deposit near a river and mix a

white sand with it to prevent their wares cracking. The clay is used immediately

after preparation, or wrapped in sacking and stored until it is required.

SWAZI

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 7i

Tools

1. As a support on which to build: a potsherd placed on a narrow grass ring.

| 2. As smoothers: for inner surface—a piece of calabash; for outer surface —

a piece of tin, a mealie cob.

3. For decorating: (i) for graphic designs—a nail; (i1) for burnishing—

a smooth pebble; (iii) for applying colours—a piece of cloth.

Technique: The potters’ workshop was a derelict building without a roof,

which served as a shelter from sun and wind. The spiral technique is used for

building vessels of all sizes. The base of a vessel is formed from a pad of clay

made spirally and flattened, and the walls are built up by vertical coiling. The

four potters who demonstrated worked fast, and although they appeared to

pay little attention to the position of the coils of clay, and even lifted the vessel

off the stand during building, they produced well-shaped vessels of even

thickness.

Drying: After shaping, vessels are kept indoors, covered with sleeping-

mats or sacking, until they are quite dry. Very large vessels remain in the shelter

for two or three days before they are dry enough to carry across to a hut, where

they are turned upside down and the potsherd on which they are built removed.

These large pots are frequently bound with a plaited grass rope just above the

level of the potsherd for three days after shaping, to prevent sagging. Small

pots take about a week to dry and large ones about two weeks. On the day of

firing the pots are placed in the sun so that they are warm when they go into

the fire and will not crack.

Decoration: All fine-textured pottery made in the Pedi style is decorated

both graphically and by the application of colour. Graphic decoration is

carried out after shaping, before the pots are taken indoors, and the colour is

applied when the vessel is dry, just before firing.

Ochre, bought from inhabitants of the Pietersburg district where it is

obtained, is ground on a grinding stone and mixed with water to a paste in a

small pot. To this mixture is added some of the grated fatty kernel of the suur-

pruim umthunduluka (Ximenia caffra Sond.), which is said to make the colour

adhere to the surface of the vessel. The mixture is applied with the fingers or

a cloth and immediately well burnished.

Graphite, said to be obtained from mineworkers, is similarly ground and

mixed with water. It is applied with a piece of cloth and burnished.

Firing: A still day is chosen for firing, if possible, and firing starts at about

noon. Very large pots are placed on their sides and the others the right way up

in the hearth, which is lined with stones and kindling (Plate XX No. 56). The

number of vessels fired at a time is not important, but potters prefer to fire as

many as possible, so as to make full use of the fuel, which has to be collected a

long way away. The fuel used is a mixture of wood, the stems of bobbejaanstert

(thutst: Vellozia retinervis) and dung. Grass is used as kindling. The fire burns

until about sunset, but the pots are left to cool completely until the following

morning.

SWAZI

72 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Sealing/ Testing: Large undecorated vessels are smeared with dung to make

them waterproof.

Mending: The potters said that they had tried to mend broken vessels but

had not found a successful method of doing so, and had abandoned the idea.

Pottery forms, names and uses

BowLs

I. WITHOUT NECKS

(i) Open-mouthed

Wide-mouthed bowls with rounded or flattened bases. Made in varying

sizes. Undecorated and decorated types. (Venter, im lit. 17/9/1964; No. 32,

SAM 6040)

Name: moruswana—generic term; large size: moruswana wa go hlapela;

medium size: moruswana wa go Sebela; small size: moruswana wa go jela (Venter).

Use: large size: for washing in; medium size: for meat and vegetables;

small size: for eating porridge (Venter).

2. WITH NECKS

(ii) Everted

Wide-mouthed bowls with short curved everted necks, formed with poorly-

defined point of inflection, rounded or cut rims and rounded bases. Height

about 15 cm. Decorated. (Venter, zn lit. 17/9/1964) (No. 161, SAM 6138)

Name: moruswana—generic term; moruswana wa go hlapela (decorated with

graphite) ; moruswana wa lefisé (polychrome ware) (Venter).

Use: for washing in (decorated with graphite) ; for beer (polychrome ware)

(Venter).

Pots

I. WITHOUT NECKS

Spherical pots with rounded bases. Made in various sizes. Decorated.

(Venter in lit. 17/9/1964)

Name: large sizes: selepa; small sizes: moétana wa lefisé/selepana sa lefisé

(Venter).

Use: large sizes: for beer; small sizes: for serving beer to one (ditto).

2. WITH NECKS

(i) Upright

Large inverted bag-shaped pot, with upright neck formed with poorly-

defined point of inflection, rounded rim and rounded base. Decorated. (No. 159,

SAM 8758, Pokwani, Transvaal; Plate XX No. 54)

Name: moéta (museum records).

Use: for storing and transporting water (ditto).

(ii) Everted

(a) Spherical pots with everted necks formed with poorly-defined point of

inflection. Capacity 16-44 gallons. Decorated or undecorated. (Venter)

SWAZI

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 73

Name: large sizes: nkgo/pit‘a—generic term; nkgo ya hjalwa (Plate XX No.

55); small sizes: nkgwana/pitsana—generic term (Venter).

Use: large sizes: for storing beer (decorated); for brewing beer (undeco-

rated) (Venter); small sizes: no record.

(b) Spherical pots with everted necks formed with poorly-defined point of

inflection. Capacity 4 to 12 gailons. Decorated or undecorated. (Venter, in lit.

19/7/1964)

Name: large sizes: moéta/selepa/letowa—generic terms (Venter), cf. letsuoa

(museum records; No. 160); medium sizes: moétana/selepana (Venter), moétana

wa meetse (museum records: No. 162); small sizes: moétana wa lefisd (Venter),

moétana wa go énéla (ditto) (undecorated). ;

Use: large sizes: no record; medium sizes: for storing water (museum

records); small size: for drinking beer (Venter). )

Decoration

Most of the pottery made by the Swazi of Sekhukhuneland is made in the

Pedi tradition. It is generally patterned with an arcade motif of grooved lines,

the vessel being coloured black above and red below the pattern. There is often

a band of deep, stamped oval impressions around the mouth (Nos. 160, 161

and 162) or a band of cross-hatching (Plate XX No. 56). Ochre is usually

applied just inside the mouth of the vessels and sometimes on the rim. On an

example from Pokwani (Plate XX No. 54) the surface is coloured with orange

ochre only to the widest diameter, the surface below this being left the natural

buff of the fired clay.

System of distribution

Vessels made by Swazi for sale among the Pedi of Sekhukhuneland are

_ carried down the mountains by the potters and loaded on to carts for trans-

porting to Pedi villages. A road has now been built up the Leolo Mountains,

which will most certainly facilitate the transport of these goods.

No further information in this section.

SECTION II— LITERATURE

Technology

No information in this section.

Pottery forms, names and uses

No information in this section.

Decoration

According to Schofield (1948) the pottery made by the Swazi has sup-

planted a heavier yellow pottery formerly made in this area. He describes the

decoration of the Swazi pottery as consisting of a line of deep incisions below

the lip, sometimes running down the neck as well, and an arcade design.

According to him this arcade motif and the use of graphite and ochre have

been adopted from the Pedi.

SWAZI

74 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

System of distribution

The Swazi of Sekhukhuneland have assumed a similar role to that of the

Lemba of Vendaland (Schofield, 1948) (see p. 210).

No further information in this section.

CONCLUSION

The Swazi immigrants who went to Sekhukhuneland nearly a century ago

have established themselves as pottery specialists and suppliers of earthenware

utensils to the Sotho there. Although they make their wares in the traditional

Swazi way, by coiling, these potters produce vessels which in shape and

decoration resemble those of the Sotho tradition.

Most of the pottery forms, both pots and bowls, have necks, rounded or

cut rims and rounded bases, although there are slight variations in the shapes of

the bodies. With the exception of the very large pots used in beer-brewing and

storing, all the pottery of this type is decorated with a grooved arcade design

below the neck, and coloured with graphite and ochre. Apart from these

vessels, small bowls with flattened bases and spherical pots without necks are

also made. These are decorated in the same way or blackened by firing, a

method of decoration which is not generally used among Sotho tribes. It is

possible that this decorative technique and the manufacture of flat-based bowls

are Swazi characteristics which the potters have introduced into the Sotho

tradition.

The terms used for pottery, even by the potters themselves are those of the

Sotho dialects spoken in this district, with the exception of the large beer-

brewing and storage vessel known to the Swazi as zmbita and to the Sotho

as nkgo.

Not a great deal of pottery was seen at Sotho homesteads in Sekhukhune-

land but the Swazi potters had a large quantity almost ready for sale at their

homestead, and the potters, who work at this every day during the dry season,

said they had a large market.

DIscussION

Among all the Swazi, potters are women specialists who make not only

for their own use but also for sale to others. In Sekhukhuneland this aspect is

particularly emphasized as the Swazi there make pottery for their Sotho

neighbours who no longer make their own.

The technique of building with rolls of clay in a vertical spiral on to a

flattened base, usually also formed spirally, is used by all Swazi potters.

The range of pottery in Swaziland resembles that of the Natal Nguni in

black colour finish and range of types, which consists of open-mouthed bowls

and flat-based, usually neckless, vessels in all sizes. The pottery made by Swazi

potters in Sekhukhuneland is in the Sotho tradition and is a polychrome ware

generally with a graphic arcade design. Vessels, both pots and bowls are

usually necked and round-based.

SWAZI

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 75

The terminology used by Swazi in Swaziland and neighbouring regions is

very similar to that of the Natal Nguni, and in Sekhukhuneland Sotho ter-

minology is used for all vessels except the large brewing and storage pot known

to the Swazi as zmbita.

15. TRANSVAAL NDEBELE (Southern)

No information concerning the pottery of this tribal group.

16. TRANSVAAL NDEBELE (Northern)

SECTION I—FIELD

Technology

The Northern Transvaal Ndebele were not visited.

No information in this section.

Pottery forms, names and uses

Pots

I, WITHOUT NECKS

Inverted bag-shaped pot with thickened rim and rounded base. Height

25 cm. Decorated with stamped design and colour. (No. 37, TVL 61/160,

Grasvlei, Potgietersrust)

Name: motsegana (museum records).

Use: for drinking beer and water (ditto).

Decoration

The only vessel seen was patterned with a stamped design consisting of

two horizontal lines forming a wide band within which there was a hatched

crenulate pattern on a graphite-coloured background. The vessel was coloured

with ochre, and a white material had been rubbed over the stamped areas.

No further information in this section.

SECTION II—LITERATURE

Technology

No information in this section.

Pottery forms, names and uses

BowLs

I. WITHOUT NECKS

(1) Open-mouthed

Large open-mouthed bowl, with three short legs. Decorated with graphic

design and colour. (Schofield, 1948, Plate XIII No. 6, TM, Langa clan,

Mankopane Location, Potgietersrust)

Name and use: no record.

TRANSVAAL NDEBELE

76 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Pots

I. WITHOUT NECKS

Small spherical pot with straight projecting base. Black burnished and

stamped design. (Schofield, 1948, Plate XIII No. 9, TM, Maghombani clan,

Vaaltein Location, Potgietersrust)

Name and use: no record.

2. WITH NECKS

(i) Upright

Spherical pot with short, curved upright neck formed with poorly-defined

point of inflection, with three short legs and loop handles. Decorated with

graphic design and colour. (Schofield, 1948; Plate XIII No. 10, TM, Moletlane

clan, Zebediela Location)

Name and use: no record.

(iu) Inturned

Pot with tall, incurved neck formed with poorly defined point of inflection,

and rounded base. Black burnish and stamped horizontal lines. (Schofield,

1948; Plate XIII No. 11, TM, Maghombani clan, Vaaltein Location, Pot-

gietersrust)

Name and use: no record.

Decoration

The above four vessels show differences in the types of decorative design

used by the Langa, Maghombani and Moletlane clans of the Northern Trans-

vaal Ndebele. The Langa ware is burnished brown and pattered with a bold

incised chevron design filled with a white material. That of the Maghombani is

burnished black and further decorated with a simple stamped design. The

Moletlane pot is burnished red ware, with hatched and stamped designs

coloured black and buff. (Schofield, 1948: 201)

No further information in this section.

CONCLUSION

This group has not been visited and it is not known whether its members

make and use pottery today or not. Schofield (1948) states that the Ndebele

of Potgietersrust district have been absorbed by the Pedi but that pottery made

by them in the past shows that they once had a tradition of their own. The

examples of their pottery which he illustrates show characteristics which

suggest a relationship between it and that of the Natal Nguni (Maghombani

finish and decoration), while some (Langa and Moletlane) is reminiscent of

Natal Nguni wood-work. Schofield, however, emphasized that these were

probably made for special purposes, and are not representative.

The only pottery term known to be used by them is in a Sotho dialect

(motsegana).

N. TRANSVAAL NDEBELE

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA al

17. TSHANGANA

See page 87 and following.

18. RHODESIAN NDEBELE (Matabele)

SECTION I—FIELD

With the exception of a Shona homestead in the Belingwe district, where

the woman was Ndebele, none of this group was visited.

Technology

No information in this section.

Pottery forms, names and uses

Pots

I, WITHOUT NECKS

Bag-shaped pot with rounded rim and flattened base. Height about

25 cm. Undecorated. (No. 38, BWYO 2059, Matopo Hills, Rhodesia)

Name: no record.

Use: probably last used for storing (museum records).

2. WITH NECKS

(i) Upright

(a) Large wide-mouthed spherical pot with short upright neck formed with

poorly-defined point of inflection, flattened thickened rim and rounded base.

Height about 21 cm. Undecorated. (No. 42, SAM 1344, Empandeni, near

Plumtree, Rhodesia)

Name and use: no record.

(b) Narrow-mouthed pot with short neck formed with poorly-defined point

of inflection, and flattened base. Height about 22 cm. (No. 44, BWYO 1996,

Essexvale, Rhodesia)

Name and use: no record.

poorly-defined point of inflection, flattened thickened rims and rounded bases.

Height 15-17 cm. Decorated with colour and graphic design or undecorated.

(No. 39, BWYO 2059, Matopo Hills, Rhodesia; Nos. 40 and 41, SAM 1344,

Empandeni, near Plumtree, Rhodesia)

Name: ingayt (Ndebele) /mbiya (Karanga) (Belingwe).

Use: no record.

(111) Everted

Spherical pots with curved everted necks formed with poorly-defined point

of inflection, rounded rims and flattened bases. Height 15 cm. Decorated with

colour. (No. 43, BWYO 2025, Matopos, Rhodesia)

Name and use: no record.

RHODESIAN NDEBELE

78 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

MIscELLANEOUS

Jug-shaped vessel with straight projecting base and handle. Capacity of

one gallon. Decorated with graphic designs. (Belingwe)

Name: ohiwani (Belingwe).

Use: for drinking beer (ditto).

Decoration

Some of the examples of Rhodesian Ndebele pottery are not decorated,

the rest show a variety of decorative styles. These range from a single grooved

line at the base of the neck of the vessel to complex designs of incised zigzag

bands and triangles coloured with graphite and ochre and a white material.

One pot is coloured with ochre only, and another has a pattern consisting of

a series of incised arcs pendant from a horizontal line at the base of the neck,

which are filled with stippled depressions.

System of distribution

According to a note in the records of the National Museum, Bulawayo,

the pottery used by the Ndebele of the Essexvale district is made by Karanga

women who have been absorbed by the Nguni conquerors.

No further information in this section.

SECTION II—LITERATURE

Technology

Potters: The potters were women (Hughes & Van Velsen, 1955).

No further information in this section.

Pottery forms, names and uses

Hughes & Van Velsen (1955) record the use of pottery for the following

purposes :

(i) preparing beer,

(ii) cooking relish or porridge,

(iii) eating and drinking. ;

The generic term for pottery is imbiza (Hughes & Van Velsen, 1955).

CONCLUSION

The Matabele women are still making pottery, but their technique has

not been recorded (Hughes & Van Velsen, 1955). Schofield (1948) points out

that the Matabele invasion left no marked impression on the pottery traditions

of Rhodesia and suggests that this was due to the fact that very few Matabele

women reached what is now Matabeleland and that the men took wives from

the conquered peoples. The pottery obtained from the Matabele consists of a

number of vessels of varied shape and decoration, both features being more

reminiscent of Shona than of Nguni ware.

No pottery terms other than the generic term, 7mbiza, which is common

to Cape and Natal Nguni, and Swazi, are known.

Cooking-pots are being displaced by utensils of European manufacture.

RHODESIAN NDEBELE

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 79

NGUNI—DISCUSSION

The above study of the pottery of the peoples grouped together as

Neuni, with the exception of the Southern Transvaal Ndebele, reveals the

following.

All Nguni tribal groups appear to have made pottery in the past, though

some may have lost their pottery traditions in the period of confusion in which

they lost their tribal identity. Today most of them use pottery but not always

of their own making. Among all groups of the Nguni the potters are women

specialists who make for their own domestic use as well as for sale to neighbours.

The potters learn their art from schools as well as in the family and from

watching others. It is said that in the past the Xhosa made for their own use

rather than for sale. This generally speaking is the case among Cape and

Immigrant Nguni today, but there is a flourishing trade between these tribes

and Basuto potters from whom a great deal of pottery is bought. Among Swazi

and Natal Nguni, however, there is greater emphasis on private trade by

specialists, possibly due to the encouragement given by schools and government

authorities, and the fact that in the past they were less able than the Mpondo

to afford trade utensils. In Sekhukhuneland Swazi potters in the Leolo Moun-

tains region provide Sotho with domestic pottery.

Although there is no method of building pots typical of all Nguni, it

appears that, with the exception of some Hlubi, all of them start with the base

of the vessel. Swazi and Mpondo build the vessel up by coiling, and Natal

Nguni generally mould their pots from the lump with the addition of rolls of

clay in rough rings. The other most common method is to build with rolls of

clay on to a flattened base in a ring technique.

Firing usually takes place in a slight hollow in open ground but sometimes

in the shelter of an old kraal. Vessels cracked during firing are not mended.

In sealing or strengthening new pots, hot beer, thin porridge and a coating of

dung are used.

The most common pottery forms among the Nguni are vessels without

necks. The Natal Nguni make mainly spherical and sub-spherical shapes, the:

Mpondo, barrel-shaped, and the Swazi, bag-shaped and near spherical. Food

bowls, frequently used in the past, are now rarely seen. Among all groups

except the Swazi of Sekhukhuneland, who make Sotho-style pottery, vessel

rims are rounded or cut and bases flattened.

A decorative black finish is typical of the fine ware of Natal Nguni and

Swazi pottery and is also sometimes practised by Immigrant Cape Nguni and

Northern Transvaal Ndebele. Stamped decoration is typical of Mpondo ware

and applied is found on Swazi, Bomvana, Natal Nguni and Mpondo. Incised

and grooved designs are more common on Natal Nguni ware than in the past

and are also used by Immigrant Cape Nguni but not Bomvana or Mpondo.

On the whole Nguni pottery is good quality, but it was found that Cape

Nguni ware was today inferior in shape.

Throughout the division finely sewn baskets used to hold liquids would

NGUNI

80 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

seem to indicate some limitation of use or availability of pottery at some stage,

but it is not possible to investigate this line of inquiry further.

European influence is noted in the replacement of pottery by trade goods

for cooking and for food and, among the Natal Nguni and Swazi, in the effect

the encouragement of schools and government authorities has had in promoting

the pottery industry. The fabric of the pottery does not appear to be affected

except in Zululand where some modern decorative designs are used.

The terminology points to relationships which have already been estab-

lished: the general Bantu term zmbiza, which goes throughout this division;

ukhamba, which indicates the relationship of Natal Nguni to Swazi on the one

hand and to the Immigrant Cape Nguni on the other; uwmphanda, which shows

the relationship between Cape and Immigrant Cape Neguni, and lastly the

rather surprising instance of zngayi, which is held in common by the Matabele

and the Cape Nguni.

As far as can be seen at the moment there is a cleavage between the Cape

Nguni, as exemplified by Mpondo and Bomvana pottery, and the Natal Nguni

and Swazi. As regards Northern Transvaal Ndebele and Matabele pottery

there is marked Sotho influence on the former and Shona on the latter. In the

case of the Matabele it may be that Nguni traditions are not followed because

of the absorption of Karanga women into the group.

2. TSONGA

21. SOUTHERN TSONGA (Ronga)

SECTION I—FIELD

Visits were paid to Ronga homesteads in 1962 and potters at Vila Luiza

in the district of Lourenco Marques were interviewed.

Technology

The following account of Ronga pottery techniques is based upon observa-

tion at a demonstration and on information obtained from the potters.

Potters: The two potters interviewed were a woman and her young

daughter, to whom she had taught the craft.

Materials: A black clay from a deposit roughly half-an-hour’s walk from

the homestead was used. The clay was carried home by the potter in a tin or

basket balanced on her head. The potters prepared the clay for use by mixing

it with water and sand.

Tools

1. As a support on which to build: not used.

2. As smoothers: (i) for inner and outer surfaces—a flat piece of wood, the

head of a spoon, a clam shell; (ii) for finishing the rim—a very wet cloth.

3. For decorating: for stamped designs—a clam shell.

Technique: Pottery is moulded from the lump (Plate X Nos. 20 and 21).

A soft conical lump of plastic clay was placed point down in the soft sand, and

SOUTHERN TSONGA

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 8I

hollowed with the fingers of the right hand while it was supported with the

left. The walls of the vessel were smoothed up and out, and excess clay was

scraped off both inner and outer surfaces. No further clay was added. The rim

was finished by wetting and smoothing it with a very wet cloth (Plate XI

No. 25). It took each potter approximately twenty minutes to form a vessel of

medium size. After the pot had been dried outside in a sheltered place for a day,

the base was smoothed and shaped and the entire vessel given a final smoothing.

Drying: The potters stated that it was necessary to leave the pots indoors

to dry for two or three days before they could be fired.

Decorating: At the demonstration the vessel was decorated immediately

after shaping, while the clay was still very wet. The potters used a clam shell,

the ridged edge of which was rolled along the wet clay to give a stamped wavy

line (Plate XI No. 24).

Firing: The hearth was built in a slight hollow in the ground and covered

a circular area about 5 feet in diameter. The pots and firewood were said to be

packed in alternate layers on a bed of kindling wood. The elder potter inter-

viewed stated that pots for her own use were fired more quickly, in a hotter

fire, than those for sale. The reason for this was that the product of the hotter

fire would be of better quality, although there were more likely to be breakages

in firing. A rapid firing takes from ten to fifteen minutes.

Sealing/ Testing: No further processing after firing was mentioned.

Mending: The potters stated definitely that they did not mend pottery.

Pottery names, forms and uses

Bow Ls

2. WITH NECKS

(11) Everted

(a) Shallow wide-mouthed carinated and sub-carinated bowls with short

straight everted necks formed with well-defined point of inflection, flattened

rims and rounded bases. Height about 10-14 cm. Undecorated. (No. 45,

SAM 8787, Vila Luiza; No. 48, SAM 8786, Vila Luiza)

Name: nhlambeto (potter).

Use: for cooking relish (ditto).

(b) Wide-mouthed sub-carinated bowl with short curved everted neck

formed with poorly-defined point of inflection, rounded rim and rounded base.

Height about 12 cm. Graphic decoration. (No. 47, SAM 8917, Vila Luiza)

Name and use: no record.

point of inflection, rounded rim and rounded base. Height about 17 cm.

Graphic decoration. (No. 49, SAM 8785, Vila Luiza)

Name: nhlambeto (potter—museum records).

Use: for cooking porridge (ditto).

(d) Deep wide-mouthed bow! with tall compound everted neck formed

SOUTHERN TSONGA

82 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

with carination at widest diameter, rounded rim and rounded base. Height

about 18 cm. Graphic decoration. (No. 50, SAM 8916, Vila Luiza)

Name and use: no record.

Pots

2. WITH NECKS

(i) Upright

Sub-carinated pots with upright neck formed with poorly-defined point of

inflection, rounded or thickened rims and rounded or flattened bases. In very

large and small sizes. Decorated with colour or undecorated. (No. 46, SAM

8788, Vila Luiza; No. 51, WITS 39/523, Rikatla)

Name: large size: hotso; small size: lekhuwana (Vila Luiza).

Use: large size: for storing water (Vila Luiza); small size: for drinking

beer; for exclusive use of head of household (ditto). The specimen from Rikatla

was said to have been found on a grave of an exorcist; and was said to have

been filled with beer as an offering to his spirit by his wife and family (WITS

records).

Decoration

From the examples of pottery studied it appears that decoration is seldom

used today. When it occurs it takes the form of a simple stamped band around

the widest diameter of the vessel. No examples of vessels decorated with the

simple incised designs recorded by Junod (1927) were seen, either in the field

or in museum collections.

Ronga ware is thin-walled, well formed and well fired. Cooking vessels

generally have a smooth but matt surface, and drinking vessels are lightly

burnished and sometimes coloured.

System of distribution

The fact that the Ronga still manufacture pottery both for their own use

and for sale at local market centres is surprising, as vast quantities of pottery

made in Portuguese-owned factories are available at very low prices. As has

been mentioned previously (p. 6) Bantu men are employed in these large

factories where a primtive kick-wheel is used for turning pots. These are made

in both Portuguese and Bantu traditional styles. Factories of this type exist in

Lourengo Marques, Vila de Jodo Belo and at Xinavane, near Magude. Further,

there are numerous independent, one-man factories in this region, owned by

Bantu men who have mastered the techniques of the kick-wheel and started

small businesses of their own. All along the main road north from Lourengo

Marques and Joao Belo women were seen carrying factory-made pots rather

than home-made wares. The factory-made vessels, although said to be tra-

ditional in style, are often painted all over in bright colours and seem to be

See also p. 167.

(11) Incurved

Bowls with rounded rims and rounded bases. Height 8-22 cm. Decorated

with colour and graphic design. (No. 147, SAM 6589, Lydenburg; No. 148,

CENTRAL SOTHO

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 165

SAM 6587, Lydenburg; No. 149, BM 1933-1-9-3, Sekhukhuneland; SAM

6582, Lydenburg)

Name: large size: letsowa; medium size: letsowana; small size: letsowanyana

(museum records).

Use: no record.

2. WITH NECKS

(11) Everted

(a) Wide-mouthed inverted bag-shaped bowls with short, curved, everted

necks formed with poorly-defined point of inflection, rounded rims and slightly

flattened bases. Height about 20 cm. Decorated with colour and graphic

design. (No. 150, SAM 6578, Lydenburg)

Name: moétana (museum records).

Use: for water (Van Warmelo in lit., 1964).

(b) Spherical bowl with short, curved, everted neck formed with poorly-

defined point of inflection, thickened rim and straight projecting base. Height

_ 12 cm. Stamped and coloured decoration. (No. 151, Transvaal)

Name and use: no record.

Pots

I. WITHOUT NECKS

(a) Large narrow-mouthed bag-shaped pot with rounded rim and

slightly flattened base. Height 34:7 cm. Decorated with colour and graphic

design. (No. 152, SAM 6576, Boomplaats, Lydenburg)

| Name: legopa (museum records).

Use: no record.

(>) Pots with carination at the widest diameter, thickened rims and

flattened bases. Height about 20 cm. Decorated with colour and graphic

design. (No. 155, AFRIK 59.2334A, Sekhukhuneland)

Name: no record.

Use: for carrying water (museum records).

20 cm. Decorated with colour and graphic design. (No. 154, AFRIK 58.1649,

Pietersburg)

Name and use: no record.

(d) Barrel-shaped pot with cut rim and flattened base. Height about

17 cm. Decorated with colour and graphic design. (No. 153, BM 1933-1-9-5,

Sekhukhuneland)

Name and use: no record.

2. WITH NECKS

(1) Everted

(a) Inverted bag-shaped vessels with curved, everted neck formed with

poorly-defined point of inflection, rounded rim and rounded base. Height

CENTRAL SOTHO

166 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

about 31 cm. Decorated with colour and graphic design. (No. 156, SAM 6577,

Lydenburg)

Name: moéta (museum records).

Use: for water (Van Warmelo in lit., 1964).

(b) Inverted bag-shaped pots with curved, everted necks formed with

poorly-defined point of inflection, rounded rims and rounded bases. Height

about 20 cm. Decorated with colour and graphic design. (No. 157, SAM 6579,

Boomplaats, Lydenburg)

Name: selepana (museum records).

Use: no record; according to Van Warmelo (1964) ‘selepa’ literally means

Lemba custom; and therefore in connexion with pottery denotes pots without

necks as in the Lemba style.

poorly-defined point of inflection, rounded rims and slightly flattened bases.

Height about 19 cm. Decorated with colour and graphic design. (No. 158,

SAM 6580, Lydenburg)

Name: sedibélwana (museum records).

Use: for serving savoury or storing fat (Van Warmelo, 1964).

Decoration

Most of the pottery studied came from Boomplaats, Lydenburg, and the

decoration was very distinctive. All this ware was coloured with highly

burnished graphite and ochre, the latter being applied over the greater part

of the outer surface, and the former being used to colour the designs which

were outlined with deep, wide, grooved lines. Most of the vessels had three

grooved lines forming either an arcade design or a horizontal band. Below this

pattern, which was at the base of the neck, there were either wider bands, with

triangles outlined within them, or single oval and triangular motifs at intervals

around the vessel. The deep, oval impressions found on the pottery made by

the Swazi of Sekhukhuneland were also sometimes used.

A second type of decoration, also polychrome, and very reminiscent of

Lemba or Venda pottery, was used on a range of neckless pots collected between

1931 and 1959 mostly in Sekhukhuneland (Nos. 159-162). The designs on

these vessels consist mainly of triangular and diamond shapes and hatched

bands.

A small spherical bowl with everted neck was decorated with horizontal

lines and triangles outlined with stamped impressions, and also coloured with

graphite and ochre. This was the only example of this type of decoration seen.

System of distribution

Much of the pottery used by the tribes of Sekhukhuneland is made by the

Swazi who live on the Leolo Mountains (p. 70), although the tribes of the

Nebo district, who are Sotho, make their own wares which are said to be

similar in shape and colouring to those made by the Swazi, but with a rougher

finish (Venter zn lit., 17/9/1964).

CENTRAL SOTHO

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 167

Taboos and other practices in connexion with pottery manufacture and use

The following information concerning the use of the pottery lid (morufsz) is

recorded by Barnard (Africana Museum records, Johannesburg).

‘In the old days it was customary to sacrifice the weakest of the twins,

which was placed in an earthenware pot and covered with this [the

marosi| and buried in a vlei or another damp place. The mother was

appeased by being told that this would ensure rain and prosperity.

The Marosi was also used in connexion with war. After a battle and

at the dance of the assegai, if a warrior had killed an enemy he would be

honoured at a gathering at the chief’s or headman’s kraal. A circle was

formed and the hero was made to take meat placed in the marosi using

his mouth only, his hands being tied behind his back. For amusement the

marost would be pulled away and the hero would have to hop after it.

This was done to give the hero courage or to regain his nerve so that he

would not be molested by the spirit of the victim.’

SECTION II—LITERATURE

Technology

Potters: ‘The potters were women specialists who learnt the art from their

mothers. The potter, mmopi wa dipitsa, was a highly respected member of the

community. (Quin, 1959)

No further information in this section.

Pottery forms, names and uses

Bowts

I. WITHOUT NECKS

(1) Open-mouthed |

(a) Hemispherical bowl with a capacity of about 1-2 pints. Rough

undecorated ware. (Quin, 1959, Plate 107)

Name: thiswana (Quin, 1959).

Use: for serving relish to men (ditto).

(b) Shallow, saucer-shaped dish (Quin, 1959).

Name: sekhurumélé (Quin, 1959).

Use: (i) lid for cooking pot; (11) for relish for women and children (ditto).

Ports

I. WITHOUT NECKS

(a) Wide-mouthed, near-spherical pots with rounded bases. Made in two

size ranges: 1-2 gallons and }~-3 gallon. No decoration. (Quin, 1959, Plate 107)

Name: large size: pitsa; small size: pitsana (Quin, 1959).

Use: large size: for cooking everything except milk and relishes; small

size: for cooking meat and relishes (ditto).

(b) Bag-shaped pot with narrow mouth. Undecorated. (Quin, 1959,

Plate 105)

CENTRAL SOTHO

168 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Name: nkgo (Quin, 1959).

Use: for brewing beer (ditto).

2. WITH NECKS

(i) Upright

(a) Wide-mouthed spherical pots with upright necks formed with poorly-

defined point of inflection, with rounded bases. Made with capacity of from

5-20 gallons. Sometimes with stoppered hole in the bottom. Undecorated.

(Quin, 1959, Plate 105)

Name: large size nkgo; small size: nkgwana; ‘stoppered type’: nkgwana ya

maswi; when damaged: mokgéré (Quin, 1959).

Use: large size: for brewing beer; small size: for beer; ‘stoppered type’:

for preparing curdled milk; whey is drained through the hole in the bottom;

when damaged: for storing dry beans (ditto).

(b) Inverted bag-shaped vessels with upright neck formed with poorly-

defined point of inflection and rounded bases. In two size ranges: 1-2 gallons

and 2-3 gallons. Decorated with graphic design and colour. (Quin, 1959,

Plate 106; Duggan-Cronin, 1931, Plate XLVII)

Name: large size: moéta; small size: moétana (Quin, 1959).

Use: large size: for carting and storage of beer; small size: for training

young girls to carry water (ditto).

(ii) Everted

Vessel types described under Upright (a) and (b) are also made with

curved, everted necks formed with a poorly-defined point of inflection. They

have the same names and uses.

poorly-defined point of inflection, and rounded or flattened bases. One example

illustrated by Schofield (1948) has three short legs. Decorated with graphic

design and colour. (Quin, 1959, Plate 105; Schofield, 1948, Plate XIII Nos. 1

and 2, Pretoria, and No. 7, Sekhukhuneland)

Name: lefiswana (Quin, 1959), piisa (Schofield, 1948).

Use: for serving beer (Quin, 1959).

(d) Spherical pot with short, curved, everted neck formed with well-

defined point of inflection. Height about 18 cm. Decorated with graphic design

and colour. (Schofield, 1948, Plate XIII No. 8, Lydenburg)

Name and use: no record.

BEAKERS

Tumbler-shaped drinking vessels. Decorated with graphic design and

colour (Schofield, 1948, Plate XIII No. 5, Lydenburg).

Name: no record.

Use: for drinking (Schofield, 1948).

CENTRAL SOTHO

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 169

MIscELLANEOUS

Other vessels mentioned by Quin (1959) which it is not possible to classify

are as follows:

(a) moruswi: generally used for boiling milk, but sometimes as a mixing bowl.

(b) tshtkwana: used exclusively as a fresh milk container.

Decoration

According to Schofield (1948: 199) typical Pedi pottery was decorated with

a ‘comb’ made from a piece of gourd rind, with a notched edge, with which the

arcade design was easily outlined. Two of the vessels which he illustrates

(Plate XIII Nos. 1 and 2) are decorated with stamped lines, the one in an

arcade design and the other with a design consisting of horizontal lines and of

triangles. The other two illustrated pots (Plate XIII Nos. 7 and 8) are decorated

with the same two basic designs, but they are outlined with incised or grooved

lines, not stamped.

Photographs by Duggan-Cronin (1931, Plates XX XVIII and XLI) show

vessels decorated with the band and triangle design illustrated by Schofield or

the arcade design illustrated by Quin (1959, Plate 106) and found to be made

by the Swazi potters of Sekhukhuneland (cf. Nos. 163-165).

All fine ware is decorated with burnished ochre and graphite (Schofield,

1948) but the cooking, beer-brewing and storage pots photographed by Quin

are undecorated.

System of distribution

The potters are specialists (Quin, 1959).

Taboos and other practices in connexion with pottery manufacture and use

Quin (1959) records the following information:

‘During the first year of her married life, the Pedi bride is referred to as

a ngwetsi and is virtually a slave to her mother-in-law being responsible for

the cooking of her entire household. During this period she is not per-

mitted to have her own hearth but uses that of her mother-in-law. After

she has served her apprenticeship, her mother-in-law presents her with the

traditional cooking pot (pitsa) as a token that she is now worthy of the

status of a housewife and entitled to her own hearth.’

‘Hospitality and food are virtually synonymous with the Pedi and it

is tradition that upon arrival, irrespective of the time of day, a visitor or

stranger will not be asked whether he or she is in need of food, but the

housewife will forthwith commence cleaning the cooking pot. If food is

required she will be allowed to proceed with the preparation, otherwise

she is stopped.’

“The Pedi woman does not hide food for her husband butit is tradition

that with a beerparty, a small clay pot (moétana) or gourd vessel (lesatha)

full of beer is cached as a surprise for her husband after both beer and

friends have departed. The Pedi refer to this beer as phihlé.’

CENTRAL SOTHO

170 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

CENTRAL SOTHO (UNDIFFERENTIATED) — Discussion

The Central Sotho still use pottery although it is not always of their own

manufacture. The Swazi of the Leolo Mountains of Sekhukhuneland provide

the Sotho families in that vicinity with domestic ware.

No Central Sotho potters were visited and there is no record of their

techniques in the literature. According to Quin, some women specialize in

pottery, and are respected members of society.

Quin’s descriptions and illustrations of the pottery types used by the Pedi

show three main types of vessel: open-mouthed bowls, which are undecorated,

large neckless pots, also undecorated, and pots with short, everted or upright

necks, the finer examples of which are decorated with both colour and graphic

design. Examples of the bowls and rough-surfaced vessels were not seen in

either the field or museum collections, but the fine, necked pots and bowls were

decorated in the same way as the pottery made by the Swazi on the Leolo

Mountains of Sekhukhuneland.

Polychrome pots with slight necks decorated with a band and triangle

design are attributed by both Schofield and Duggan-Cronin to this group.

Another range of polychrome pottery collected in Sekhukhuneland between

1933 and 1959 consists of neckless pots (spherical, carinated and barrel-shaped)

and an incurved bowl. In decoration this ware is more reminiscent of Lemba

or Venda pottery than that of the Sotho, although the shapes, with the exception

of the spherical pot, are not typical of either.

Quin (1959) describes the use of pottery for serving food and beer, for

cooking, brewing, storing milk and beer, and for carting and storing water.

Despite the variety of pottery, however, a great deal of tin- and enamel-ware is

used.

European influence may have resulted in the addition of three short legs

to some pots, and the manufacture of tumbler-shaped beakers, but these types

have been found at archaeological sites (Schofield, 1948) and are not very

recent innovations.

No clear picture of the Central Sotho pottery traditions emerges from the

above information. It seems, however, that the arcade design, said to be typical

of true Pedi pottery, has now become characteristic of the pottery of all these

tribes much of which is made by the Swazi of Sekhukhuneland. There is no

resemblance between the modern ware of the Central Sotho and that of the

Tswana or of the South Sotho.

35. EAST SOTHO

No information in this section.

36. NORTH EAST SOTHO

(a) Phalaborwa

SECTION I—FIELD

The Phalaborwa were not visited.

PHALABORWA

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA I7I

Mr. Du Toit, previously Ethnologist at the Transvaal Museum, Pretoria,

who was doing a survey of the Phalaborwa tribes, gave the only information

collected in connexion with this group. According to him the Phalaborwa no

longer make their own pottery but buy what they need from neighbouring

Tshangana, Ndebele and Sai tribes.

| Technology

No information.

Pottery forms, names and uses

BowLs

I. WITHOUT NECKS

(1) Open-mouthed

(a) Wide-mouthed bowls.

Name: no record.

Use: for washing (no longer in use).

(b) Deep bowls with rounded bases and serrated inner surface. Decorated

with simple hatched band.

Name: seeta sa letsoku.

Use: for grinding tobacco for snuff.

with graphic design.

Name: seriswana.

Use: for serving meat and vegetables.

Pots

I. WITHOUT NECKS

(a) Large sub-spherical pots about 55 cm. in height.

Name: nkg(h)é.

Use: for storing beer.

(b) Pots about 37 cm. in height. Enamel dish used as lid.

Name: thala.

Use: for making and storing marula beer.

Name: mokgelo.

Use: for sour porridge.

MIscELLANEOUS

Pot. No further description.

Name: selalelo.

Use: for carrying beer or water.

Decoration

Cooking-pots have only a simple incised design; a single horizontal line is

most common. Beer-pots are generally decorated with colour, ochre (letsoku)

PHALABORWA

172 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

and graphite (phdémé) as well as incised designs made with an awl, thorn, piece

of wire, or a grass stalk.

System of distribution

The Phalaborwa buy pottery from neighbouring tribes (p. 171).

Taboos and other practices in connexion with pottery manufacture and use

As part of rain and ancestor rites new pots, pitsa(ne) ya pula, are buried at

the foot of the marula tree.

SECTION II— LITERATURE

No information in this section.

CONCLUSION

According to Mr. Du Toit, the Phalaborwa used to make their own pottery,

but no longer do so, preferring to buy what they need from neighbouring tribes.

There is no record of the techniques previously used by Phalaborwa

potters and no examples of their pottery have been observed. From descriptions

of pottery it seems that open-mouthed bowls and spherical pots are

the most widely used, and that these have a wide range of uses.

The pottery terminology is very similar to that used by the Lobedu, and

since they buy their pottery from Tshangana, Ndebele and Sai, it seems that

they have retained their own terminology.

(b) Lobedu

The Lobedu at Modjadji’s kraal, Duiwelskloof, were visited in June 1962.

SECTION I—FIELD

Technology

The following information was obtained at the pottery demonstration

attended and from Professor E. J. Krige (in lit., 3/3/1966).

Potters: The potter who gave the demonstration learnt how to make

pottery by watching others and then experimenting herself. Her mother did not

know how to make pottery.

Materials: The potter experimented with a number of clays before finding

one suitable for pottery. The clay is collected from a deposit in the valley below

the settlement; it appeared to be very sandy and no filler was used. The raw

material is stamped and mixed with water; it may then be used immediately

or stored until it is required. It is pounded once again with a short wooden

pestle before use. The clay is sometimes ground between grinding stones.

Tools

1. As a support on which to build: a potsherd.

2. As smoothers: (i) for outer surface—a bean pod (thema) (Bauhima kirki

Oliv.) ; (11) for rim—a piece of very soft hide.

3. For decorating: (i) for incised designs —a sharp tool; (ii) for burnishing —

a smooth stone.

LOBEDU

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 173

Technique: The potter works outside in the shade unless it is raining. A

vessel is started with a roll of clay which is placed in a ring on the sherd and

smoothed upwards slightly. A second roll is placed around the edge of this

and building continues spirally with the addition of further rolls or pieces

flattened into position, until the pot is the required height. The walls are then

smoothed upwards so as to level the edge, and the pot shaped as required. The

rim is formed by the addition of another roll of clay which is made very wet

and evened by pinching off and adding small pieces where necessary. The

thumb and forefinger, and a piece of very wet leather, are used to smooth the

edge, and a thickened finish is obtained by making a slight depression below

the rim with a thema pod. At the demonstration the shaping of the rim took a

long time. The base of the vessel is completed the following day. A lump of

clay flattened so as to fit the hole in the base, is smoothed into position with the

pod, while the vessel is the right way up. After a short drying period the vessel

is removed from the sherd and the entire outer surface smoothed and finished off.

Professor Krige (in lit., 3/3/1966) describes a similar method except that the

base is formed by closing the walls when the pot is turned over.

Drying : The vessel is allowed to dry for four weeks before it is fired, so that

it shrinks completely. Drying vessels are placed indoors but are not covered.

They are put in the sun for a short while before firing.

Decorating: Incised decoration is carried out after shaping, and vessels are

given a preliminary burnishing the following day. Colour is applied when the

vessel is drier. Lead bought from the local store is used for blackening and is

rubbed directly onto the surface. The ochre, available in the district, is applied

as a paint after it has been finely ground and mixed with water. The coloured

areas are then burnished again.

Firing: About three pots are fired at a time; they are placed on stones to

support them, in a shallow hearth and covered with firewood, dung and grass

which is used as kindling. Breakages are said to be caused by the use of the

wrong clay.

A photograph shows the hearth, which is built in a slight hollow. The pots

are placed mouth upwards, some on top of the others, and covered with bark.

According to the caption the fire is lit at sunset and left smouldering overnight.

(Photograph WITS).

No further information in this section.

Pottery forms, names and uses

Some of the terms below were supplied by Mr. Mashale, a school-teacher

in the Duiwelskloof district.

BowLs

I. WITHOUT NECKS

(1) Open-mouthed

(a) Large wide-mouthed bowls with rounded rims and rounded bases.

Height about 22 cm. Undecorated. (No. 176, UCT 38.89, N. Tvl. Lowveld)

LOBEDU

174 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Name: lebéta (Krige).

Use: for straining beer into (ditto).

(b) Bowls with thickened rims and rounded bases. Height about 11 cm.

Decorated or undecorated. (No. 179, UCT 38.80, N. ‘Tvl. Lowveld)

Name: (1) morifi (Krige) ; (11) morufst (Mashale in lit., 12/8/1962).

Use: (i) for roasting edible ants and grasshoppers; for serving relish; as lid

for spherical pot about 20 cm. in height which is used for beer (Krige) ; (ii)

lid for cooking-pot (Mashale zn lit., 12/8/1962).

out. (No. 180, UCT 38.90, N. Tvl. Lowveld)

Name: lesabélé (Krige).

Use: for washing (ditto).

(d) Open-mouthed bowls with thickened rims and rounded bases. Height

about 8 cm. Decorated on outer surface. (No. 178, SAM 8804, Pietersburg)

Name: no record.

Use: for serving vegetables (museum records).

(e) Bowls with thickened rims and rounded bases, made in a variety of

sizes. Decorated inside and out. (No. 177, UCT 38.84, N. Tvl. Lowveld) (These

bowls differ from morifi only in being more finely made; Krige.)

Name: kheritswana|seriswana (Krige; Mashale in lit., 12/8/1962).

Use: for serving relish or for drinking marula cider (ditto).

(ii) Incurved bowls

Wide-mouthed bowls with thickened rims and rounded bases. Made in a

range of sizes. Decorated with colour and cross-hatched horizontal band. (No.

173, UCT 38.86, N. Tvl. Lowveld; TVL 61.143, TVL 61.142)

Name: large size: khelalélo/pitsa (Krige; Mashale zn lit., 12/8/1962) ; medium

size: khepitjana/pitsana (Krige; museum records/Mashale in lit., 12/8/1962;

TVL museum records) ; small size: pitsana_ya morogo (Mashale in lit., 12/8/1962).

Use: Large size: for cooking porridge (Krige; Mashale zn lzt., 12/8/1962) ;

medium size: for cooking porridge and other foods (Krige; museum records) ;

for cooking medicines (TVL 61.142; museum records) ; small size: for cooking

vegetables (Mashale in lit., 12/8/1962).

(b) Wide-mouthed incurved bowls with thickened rims and small pedestal

bases. Height 12 cm. Inner surface serrated. Decorated with band of graphite.

(No. 171, UCT 38.87, N. Tvl. Lowveld)

Name: khetsikiyo (Krige).

Use: for grinding tobacco; the leaves are placed in the pot and a stick

about a yard long and an inch and a half in diameter is used as a pestle (ditto).

and slightly flattened base. Height about 12 cm. Decorated. (No. 168, SAM

8800, Pietersburg)

Name and use: no record.

LOBEDU

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA I75

Ports

I. WITHOUT NECKS

(a) Spherical and near-spherical pots with thickened rims and rounded

bases. Made in arange of sizes up to 30 cm. Decorated. (No. 169, UCT 38.83,

N. Tvl. Lowveld; No. 170 SAM 8684, Duiwelskloof; No. 174, UCT 38.32,

N. Tvl. Lowveld; No. 175, TVL 61.141, Duiwelskloof)

Name : large size: thahala/nkgo (Krige; Mashale in lit., 12/8/1962); medium

size: (i) motsega (Mashale in lit., 12/8/1962); (ii) thukwana (Krige); small size:

(i) thukgwane (Mashale in lit., 12/8/1962) ; (i1) thukwanaya moyane (TVL records).

Use: large size: for carrying and storing water, these are used in every

household, although water may be fetched in a tin, it is never left standing in

one (Krige; museum records) ; for carrying beer or water (Mashale); medium

size: (i) for beer or water (Mashale in lit., 12/8/1962); (ii) for serving beer

(Krige); small size: (i) for beer (Mashale in lit., 12/8/1962); (ii) for preparing

porridge for babies (TVL records).

(b) Bag-shaped pots with thickened rims and rounded bases. Height about

12 cm. Decorated. (No. 172, UCT 38.88, N. Tvl. Lowveld)

Name : letjomélo (Krige; museum records).

Use: for serving beer to guests; a Shangaan custom (ditto).

2. WITH NECKS

(i1) Upright

(a) Spherical pots with very short upright neck formed with well-defined

point of inflection, rounded rim and rounded base. Height about 25 cm.

Decorated. (No. 165, *SAM 8826, Pietersburg)

Name and use: no record.

(b) Sub-carinated pots with short upright neck formed with well-defined

point of inflection, rounded rim and rounded base. Height 18 cm. Decorated.

(No. 166, *SAM 8796, Pietersburg)

Name and use: no record.

of inflection, rounded rims and rounded bases. Height 14 cm. Decorated. (No.

167, SAM 8799, Pietersburg)

Name and use: No record.

Decoration

Decoration consists mainly of straight bands outlined with incised, grooved

and stamped lines, which are patterned with cross-hatching, hatching and

compound hatching (that is, first in one direction and then in the other). The

hatching may be grooved or stamped. A set of examples from Medingen,

Pietersburg, are decorated in a different style with stamped designs built up

from arcs of a circle.

* The necks of these pots are very short and could be classified as outsized rims.

LOBEDU

176 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Graphite and ochre are used to colour fine ware and both are highly

burnished. Graphite is often used by itself to colour the rim, or a band below

the rim, of a cooking vessel and is used to give a smooth burnished finish to the

inside of food- and wash-bowls.

Lobedu pottery is of medium thickness and weight, it is well-shaped and

neatly decorated.

System of distribution

The potters are specialists who make pottery for their own use and for

sale to neighbours.

Taboos and other practices in connexion with pottery manufacture and use

‘Before serving food to a guest or a newly married husband, water

must be brought in in a lesabélo for him to wash his hands. During the

first week of marriage the bridal party bring water to every hut first thing

in the morning for the inmates of the whole village to wash their face and

hands. The enamel bowl is fast replacing this earthenware pot.’ (Krige,

SAM records).

SECTION II— LITERATURE

No information in this section.

CONCLUSION

Pottery is still made and used among the Lobedu. The potters are women

specialists; the craft is not confined to particular families but may be practised

by anyone who is interested.

The traditional technique appears to be to build the body of the vessel in

a spiral technique and to complete the base last.

The range of Lobedu pottery types is small, although heres is great

variety in both size and use. Spherical pots and open-mouthed and

incurved bowls are the most widespread types. The pottery types from Medin-

gen, Pietersburg, are entirely different in both shape and decoration from those

collected by Krige in the 1930’s.

Lobedu pottery is particularly well made and decoration generally takes

the form of grooved or stamped designs coloured with graphite and ochre.

There is a striking resemblance between the Lobedu and Venda and Lemba

range of pottery and all have the same three distinct types of decoration for

open-mouthed bowls, cooking vessels and beer- and water-pots, although their

decorative designs are different.

Different pottery terms were recorded by Krige and by Mashale of

Duiwelskloof, those given by the latter being the same or dialectal variations of

those used by the East Tswana and North Sotho. Krige’s terms, although

suggesting a relationship with other Sotho, are far more distinctive.

Contact with the European does not appear to have greatly affected either

the shapes or decoration of Lobedu pottery. Only one pot with a modern

design, on its base, was seen.

LOBEDU

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA V7

Krige (museum records) states that the drinking of beer from pottery

vessels instead of calabashes has been adopted by the Lobedu from the Tsonga,

as is indicated by the use of the Tsonga word, dzomela, for a drinking vessel

(Van Warmelo, 1937).

SECTION I—FIELD

The Sotho living in Muhlava’s location, Tzaneen, were visited in June

1962.

Technology

The following information was obtained at the demonstration of shaping

and the interview with the potter.

Potters: The potter had been taught the art of pottery by her mother. She

made domestic ware for her own use and for a large number of customers.

Materials: ‘The potter collected her own clay from a deposit about seven

miles away. The raw material was dry when she dug it and was prepared by

grinding it finely and mixing it with water. No filler was used. Prepared clay

was stored in an old pot ready for use.

Tools

1. As a support on which to build: a potsherd.

2. As smoothers: (i) for outer surface—a piece of wood, a bean pod; thema

(Bauhinia kirkit Oliv.) ; (11) for inner surface —a bean pod; thema.

3. For decorating: (1) for incised designs —a safety pin; (ii) for burnishing —

a smooth stone.

Technique: The potter works either indoors or out of doors in a shady place

sheltered from the wind. To start the pot she places a large lump of clay on a

potsherd and breaks it into three pieces which she moulds together to form the

basic shape. The potter keeps both the clay and her hands wet while she works.

The vessel is built up in height by the addition of smaller lumps of clay added

where necessary, and smoothed on both inner and outer surfaces. After forming

the rim of the vessel with her fingers, the potter puts the pot aside to dry until

the following day when she turns it upside down and completes the base.

Drying: The potter fired her pottery a month after shaping it. All the pots

were stored indoors covered with dry sacking, and only after the first week

did she look at them.

Decorating: According to the potter both graphic designs and colour were

applied before drying. Red ochre, white clay and powdered manganese,

obtained from torch batteries, are used as decorative materials. Enamel paint,

which is applied after firing, is also used.

Firing: About twenty pots are fired at a time. They are placed on their

sides, base to base in a shallow hole on a layer of firewood and grass and

covered with another layer of fuel. Some grass is placed inside each pot. The

fire is started at about five o’clock in the afternoon and allowed to burn itself

NORTH EAST SOTHO

178 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

out without the addition of fuel. The pots are left in position until morning.

They fire a light reddish brown.

No further information in this section.

Pottery forms, names and uses

Pots

I. WITHOUT NECKS

(a) Spherical pots with thickened rims and rounded bases. Made in a

variety of sizes. Decorated with simple graphic design. (Tzaneen)

Name: large size: mbita; small size: shimbitana (potter).

Use: large size: for making porridge or beer, when damaged used for

storing dry foodstuffs; small size: for cooking vegetables (ditto).

(b) Carinated and sub-carinated pots with thickened rims and rounded

bases. Decorated with colour and graphic design. (Tzaneen)

Name: mabeSo (potter).

Use: for beer or water (ditto).

2. WITH NECKS

(1) Upright

Spherical to inverted bag-shaped pots with upright necks formed with

poorly-defined point of inflection, and rounded bases. Made in a range of

sizes. Decorated with graphic designs. (Tzaneen)

Name and use: no record.

(b) Small pots with upright neck formed with poorly-defined point of

inflection. Decorated with graphic design and colour. (Tzaneen)

Name: dzomela (potter).

Use: for drinking from (ditto).

Decoration

Large vessels with an unburnished finish were decorated with either a

band of hatching or cross-hatching, or a single incised line about 3 inches below

the rim. Smaller pots with a better finish were decorated with more complicated

arc, band and triangle designs and coloured with either traditional materials

or enamel paint.

System of distribution

Specialist potters sell to buyers who place orders with them.

No further information.

SECTION II—LITERATURE

No information.

CONCLUSION

Among these Sotho people of Tzaneen pottery is still made by a few women

specialists. The potter interviewed had learnt the art from her mother, and used

a modification of the Tswana method of building the vessel from the widest

diameter and completing the base last.

NORTH EAST SOTHO

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 179

The range of pottery types is small, consisting of large, rough-surfaced

brewing and storage pots, small and medium-sized decorated pots, either

spherical type with short upright necks or, fairly commonly, carinated types.

The carinated, decorated pots are very like those made by Lobedu in

Pietersburg.

The Tsonga custom of drinking beer from pottery beakers has been

adopted. The pottery terminology given by the potter was mainly Tsonga.

The use of manganese from old torch batteries and of enamel paint for

decorating shows modern influence on the pottery.

NortH EAst SoTHo — Discussion

Not a great deal of information has been collected concerning the pottery

of the North East Sotho, and with the exception of the Lobedu no distinct

pattern of the individual pottery traditions or their relationship to each other

appears from the available data.

It is known, however, that the North East Sotho use pottery today; the

Lobedu make their own, as do some Sotho potters in the Tzaneen district, but

the Phalaborwa buy what they need from neighbouring tribes, not all of whom

are Sotho.

Potters are women specialists. Two different techniques are known to be

used; the spiral, by the Lobedu, and a method comparable to that used by the

Tswana of Bechuanaland, by a Sotho potter in the Tzaneen district.

A representative range of pottery collected by Krige from the Lobedu in

1938 consists of open-mouthed bowls and spherical and near-spherical pots

very like those of the Venda and Lemba in type. It also resembles that of the

Venda and Lemba in that the type and degree of decoration varies with the

type of vessel. It is, however, possible to distinguish Lobedu ware from that of

the latter groups by its decoration. For although the Lobedu use the same

decorative materials and graphic techniques, they also use stamping and their

designs are different.

In 1936 a small collection of a different type of polychrome Lobedu ware

was acquired by Dr. Van Warmelo in the Pietersburg district. The pots are

mainly sub-carinated and carinated types and are decorated with patterns

outlined with stamped impressions only. The decorated pottery seen at the

Sotho potter’s kraal in Muhlava’s location was more like this than the Venda-

type Lobedu ware, or the pottery of the Tsonga among whom the Sotho

there live.

A study of the pottery terms used by the North East Sotho shows that

the Lobedu had a wide, distinctive vocabulary, which seems to have changed

since recorded by Krige in 1938 to become today nearer that used by other

East Sotho tribes. The Phalaborwa terminology seems to be a mixture of the

old Lobedu and terms common to the Sotho division, whereas the Sotho of

Muhlava’s location use mainly Tsonga terms.

In conclusion it can be said that with the exception of the Lobedu pottery

NORTH EAST SOTHO

180 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

which is related to that of the Venda and the Lemba, it is not possible to obtain

much of a picture of the pottery traditions of the North East Sotho. All that

can be said from the available information is that the pottery used by the Sotho

tribes of T’zaneen seems to be related to that made by the Lobedu of Pieters-

burg, which differs from the main Lobedu tradition, and that the Phalaborwa

used the same type of ware as most Lobedu, although they no longer make

their own.

Modern influence is seen in the use of paint as a decorative material in

Tzaneen. Tsonga influence seen among Lobedu and the Sotho of Tzaneen in

their use of pottery vessels for drinking instead of the traditional calabashes.

37. NORTH SOTHO

(a) Kxaxa

No information.

(b) Koni

SECTION I—FIELD

The Koni were not visited.

Technology

The following information was recorded by Mr. Velcich, Department of

_ Bantu Education, Pretoria, on visits to the Koni of Dikgale’s, Matok’s and

Mathlala’s locations in the Pietersburg district in 1957.

Potters: The potters were women specialists who made pottery in large

quantities for sale. The knowledge of the methods was passed from mother to

daughter and was said to be a secret closely guarded within the family.

Materials: A deposit of suitable clay at Dikgale’s location was used by all

potters there. The potter at Mathlala’s location bought her raw material at

three rands a load from a chief in the Potgietersrust district.

The clay was taken home and kept indoors out of wind and rain until the

potter was ready for it. It was prepared by grinding finely on a grinding stone,

mixing with water and kneading to the correct consistency. The potters never

used the clay immediately after preparation but allowed it to stand for a day

as it was then much better to work with.

Tools

1. As a support on which to work: a wooden dish.

2. As smoothers: (i) for inner and outer surfaces—a thema pod (Bauhinia

kirkit Oliv.) ; (ii) for rim—a piece of goatskin.

3. For decorating: (i) for graphic design—a piece of calabash, a thema pod.

Technique: Potters worked indoors both during the day and at night by

the light of an home-made paraffin lamp. Pottery was made only during the

summer months because the potters found that when the weather was cold

the pots cracked. A pot was started near the base by coiling a roll of clay

approximately 6 to 8 inches long. (There is no further record of the method.)

KONI

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 181

The rim was smoothed with a piece of wet goatskin. When the upper section

of the vessel was shaped it was allowed to dry for a while before it was removed

from the support in order to complete the base. |

Drying: There was a period of drying before firing.

Decorating: Pottery was decorated after a short drying period. Graphic

decoration was carried out with either a piece of calabash or a thema pod, the

edge of which was dipped in dry sifted ash and ‘rolled’ along the clay surface.

It was necessary to dip the tool repeatedly into the ash. Colour was applied

at a slightly later stage. A red colour was obtained either from earth from

antheaps or other local deposits or from a source near the tin-mine at Pot-

gietersrust where it was bought for about twenty-five cents a pound. To obtain

the best results this earth was ‘roasted’, mixed with water and applied as a

paint. Graphite obtained from Bochum was used to blacken vessels. Black ash

was also said to be used.

Firing: All the potters at a homestead fired their wares at once. The vessels

to be fired were placed upside down in a heap on a cleared piece of ground and

covered with dry cowdung. At a firing of thirty-three pots eight bags of dung

were used at Dikgale’s location. Maize stalks were used as kindling and aloe

leaves and potsherds were packed around the heap in such a way as to hold the

fuel in position. The potters liked to fire at noon. The fire was stoked for an

hour and any exposed vessels re-covered with dung immediately. The pottery

was allowed to cool down before it was removed from the ashes and taken

indoors. During firing the potters offered prayers to prevent the pots from

cracking (Dikgale’s location).

The direction and strength of the wind were important factors during

firing. The best results were obtained when the wind was from the east, if it

was only a slight breeze the onlookers were requested not to stand in its way,

and if it was rather stronger than required the company stood so as to obstruct

_it as much as possible (Dikgale’s location).

At Mathlala’s location a hole about 14 inches deep was dug and the pots

piled into it and covered with firewood. Potters here attributed cracking of

vessels to the use of poor clay. Vesse!s were sounded to test the degree to

which they were fired.

Sealing| Testing

1. The potter smeared large pots with cowdung to close the pores after firing

(Mathlala’s location).

2. A cooking-pot was heated over a fire; when it was very hot it was filled with

cold water which was brought to the boil. If the pot did not crack it was

considered a good one (Dikgale’s location).

3. Beer-pots were heated and then smeared inside and outside with dung while

they were hot. When they cooled they were filled with cold water and

thoroughly washed (Dikgale’s location).

Tests 2 and 3 were carried out by buyers before they used new pots.

Mending: No record.

KONI

182 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Pottery forms, names and uses

Bow Ls

I. WITHOUT NECKS

(1) Open-mouthed

Deep bowl with rounded rim and flattened base. Height about 15 cm.

Inner surface serrated. (No. 163, SAM 8829, Pietersburg)

Name: no record.

Use: for grinding snuff (Velcich; museum records).

(b) Deep wide-mouthed bowl. Decorated with graphic design and colour.

(TVL 8146, TVL 8280, both Pietersburg; cf. Nos. 199 and 200)

Name: lehlapél6/lesapélé (TVL records/Velcich).

Use: for washing (TVL records).

design. (Velcich notes)

Name: morufsi wa mafsi (Velcich).

Use: for boiling milk (ditto).

(d) Shallow bowl. Decorated. (Velcich)

Name: sengetana/thuswana ya go sebetsa (Velcich).

Use: for relish (ditto).

(ii) Incurved bowls

(a) Wide-mouthed incurved bowl (Velcich notes).

Name: tShikwana (Velcich).

Use: for sour milk (ditto).

(b) Wide-mouthed incurved bowls. Made in range of sizes. Undecorated.

(Velcich).

Name: large size: pitsa; small size: pitsana (Velcich).

Use: large size: for cooking porridge; small size: for cooking meat and

vegetables (ditto).

Name: large size: sebepe; small size: sebepitsana (Velcich).

Use: large size: for feeding small children; small size: for cooking soft

porridge for young babies; also container from which baby is fed by hand

(ditto).

Pots

I. WITHOUT NECKS

(a) Large pots with a capacity of 12 gallons. Undecorated. (Velcich)

Name: nkgo (Velcich).

Use: for brewing and storing beer (ditto).

(b) Large pots. Decorated with colour and graphic design. (Velcich)

Name: motsega/khudu (Velcich).

Use: for transporting water (ditto).

KONI

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 183

Name: hlofelwana/motsega (Velcich).

Use: for serving beer to one or two visitors (ditto).

2. WITH NECKS

(iv) Undifferentiated

Pot with neck formed with poorly-defined point of inflection. (Velcich)

Name: sedibelo (Velcich).

Use: for carrying beer or water; or a container for sour porridge (ditto).

BEAKERS

Barrel-shaped pot. Height about 18 cm. (No. 164, Velcich)

Name: tshomela (Velcich).

Use: for drinking. It is, however, a Tshangana custom to drink from pot-

tery, Sotho use calabash cups (ditto).

MIscELLANEOUS

(a) No description.

Name: lefiswana (Velcich).

Use: for fermenting babies’ food overnight, before cooking in sebepe (ditto).

(6) Bin made of a mixture of clay, dung and grass (Velcich).

Name: peule mabele sefala (Velcich).

Use: for storing grain (ditto).

Decoration

Very little is known about the decoration. One bowl in the Transvaal

Museum has a wide horizontal band outlined with grooved lines and patterned

with a double zigzag line, the triangles so formed being decorated with cross-

hatching and the band with colour (cf. Nos. 199 and 200).

Another design is the use of crenulate and straight lines to form a hori-

zontal band, which is coloured.

The drinking vessel has wavy vertical bands patterned withcross-hatching,

and horizontal bands with compound hatching have also been seen.

System of distribution

Finished pots were taken into the location to sell. Cash prices varied from

75c (75. 6d.) to R7.00 (£3 10s.) depending upon the size and type of vessel.

A number of potters sometimes hired a lorry to take a load of pottery to a

location where there was grain for sale and where they were able to barter

their wares. Vessels were exchanged for twice the amount of grain they could

contain. Bartering was preferred to cash sales.

Velcich found that pottery was used because people preferred the taste of

food prepared in clay vessels, and beer and water kept so fresh and cool in

them.

No further information.

KONI

184 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

SECTION II—LITERATURE

No information in this section.

CONCLUSION

The Koni were not visited and their exact method of building is not known.

In 1957 the Koni were well known for their pottery and made large quantities

both for domestic use and for sale. The potters were women who kept their

techniques a closely guarded secret within the family. Earthenware utensils

continued to be bartered for grain rather than sold, although money was

accepted. One potter is known to have bought clay which she had to fetch

from a long distance.

Only two examples of Koni pottery were seen but from descriptions and

sketches made and terminology collected by Mr. Velcich, it appears that they

had a large range of pottery types, and both an undecorated and a decorated

ware. Several of the names recorded by Mr. Velcich are the same or variants

of those recorded by Quin (1959) among the Central Sotho, who used pottery

for the same purpose, and apparently made a similar range of types. The range

is also very similar to that made by Venda, Lemba and Lobedu.

There is no record of European influence on this pottery. Tsonga influence

is seen in the adoption of clay drinking vessels (tshomela).

No information.

(d) Tlokwa

SECTION I—FIELD

A Tlokwa homestead on Boulust farm, at Bochum, northern Transvaal,

was visited in June 1962.

Technology

The following information was obtained from informants at the interview

at a Tlokwa homestead.

Potters: A number of women in the district specialize in the manufacture

of pottery for sale.

Materials: Potters fetch the clay themselves from Soekmekaar where there

is a deposit of suitable clay. The raw material is fetched dry and is mixed with

water and kneaded. No filler is used. The clay is sometimes used on the day of

preparation.

Tools

1. As a support on which to build: a wooden dish, an enamel plate.

2. As smoothers: (i) for inner and outer surfaces—a piece of calabash;

(ii) for rim—a wet cloth; (iii) for beating walls together—a piece of plank.

3. For decorating: (i) for graphic designs—a sharp tool; (ii) for applying

colour—a piece of cloth.

TLOKWA

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 185

Technique: Pots are made indoors, out of the wind. They are started with

a lump of clay which is entirely hollowed to form the walls. The size is increased

by building on to the basic shape with rolls of clay which are flattened and

smoothed into position. The rim is completed by the addition of a thin roll of

clay smoothed into position around the mouth, and given the finishing touches

with a very wet piece of cloth. A knife is used to remove a small amount of

clay all the way around the mouth below the edge to give the rim a thickened

effect.

The day after shaping the upper section the base is completed. The hole

is closed by beating the walls inwards with a piece of plank and smoothing

the join neatly with a piece of calabash. It is necessary to add a little more

clay at this stage when making very large pots.

Drying: Pots are dried indoors for two months. On the morning of the day

of firing they are taken into the sun.

Decoration: Incised decoration is carried out after shaping. Colour is

applied when the pot is dry but before firing. Graphite (phémé) is obtained from

Tzaneen by the potters, who go there by lorry. The colour is applied by rubbing

the piece of graphite against the surface and then polishing the application

with a wet finger. It is sometimes necessary to apply a little more graphite

after firing. The ochre (letsoku) comes from Vendaland. It is applied as a paste

with a wet cloth.

Firing: Firing takes place on a large scale. Fuel is scarce and potters collect

and store as much as possible during the wet season. The number of pots which

are fired at a time depends upon the amount of available fuel. The pots are

placed on their sides on the ground, on a layer of stones and covered with

firewood. The fire is lit at the bottom of the pile. The pots become red-hot

after about an hour and the fire is then allowed to die down. The vessels are

left in position overnight. Cracking is believed to be caused by the fire.

Sealing/ Testing: No method of sealing is necessary as the pots are water-

proof after firing.

Mending : No information.

Pottery forms, names and uses

Pots

(a) No description. Large sizes.

Name: motsérga (field).

Use: for making beer and storing beer or water (field).

(b) No description. Small sizes.

Name: motségana/hlofelwana (field).

Use: for beer or vegetables (ditto).

BEAKERS

Beaker with projecting base. Decorated with graphic design and colour.

(field)

TLOKWA

186 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Name: no record.

Use: for drinking (field).

No further information in this section.

SECTION II—LITERATURE

No further information in this section.

CONCLUSION

Although only one Tlokwa vessel was seen it was learned from a family at

Boulust, Bochum, that the Tlokwa still use pottery and that there are a number

of women potters in that vicinity who sell to others.

The technique described by the informants was that of starting a vessel

by entirely hollowing a lump of clay, and building it up to the required height

with the addition of clay in rolls, and completing the base last.

The two pottery terms given by informants are comparable with those

used by the Koni.

(ec) Xananwa (Hananwa)

SECTION I—FIELD

A potter at Leipzig in the Blauwberg district, northern Transvaal, was

visited in June 1962.

Technology

The following information was obtained from the potter interviewed.

Potters: A number of women in the district specialize in the manufacture

of pottery.

Materials: Suitable clay for pottery is found locally. The potter had

experimented with a number of types before she found a good one. She mixes

water with the raw material and kneads it thoroughly; the clay is then ready

for use.

Tools

1. As a support on which to build: a plate.

2. As smoothers: (i) for the edge —a piece of wet cloth; (ii) for burnishing —

a stone.

3. For decorating: (i) for graphic designs—a thorn; (ii) for burnishing—

a smooth stone.

Technique: Small pots are moulded from the lump; when making large

ones the potter hollows the lump of clay entirely and builds the walls to the

required height with rolls of clay. The edge is smoothed, first with the fingers

and then with a piece of wet cloth, the thumbnail being used to smooth away

excess clay below the rim to give it a thickened finish. Large pots are completed

after a short period of drying by beating the lower sections of the wall inwards

until they meet.

Drying: Pots are allowed to dry indoors for a period of about two weeks

before firing.

XANANWA

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 187

Decorating: Incised decoration is carried out after shaping when the clay is

damp. Colour is applied a few days later. Graphite, from Soekmekaar, is

crushed, ground fine and mixed with water. It is applied and burnished with a

smooth stone. Ochre (letsoku) is dug, locally. It is prepared and applied in the

same way as the graphite. Ash (meléra) is rubbed into outlines of the designs

before or after firing. It is sometimes necessary to apply more graphite after

firing. |

Firing: About ten pots are fired at a time in a hole specially dug for them.

They are placed on, and covered with, layers of wood. The fire is lit in the

afternoon and allowed to burn itself out. The pottery is removed from the

ashes the following day.

No further information.

Pottery forms, names and uses

BowLs |

I, WITHOUT NECKS

(i) Open-mouthed

(a) Wide-mouthed bowls with cut or rounded rims and flattened or

rounded bases. Height 12-15 cm. Decorated with graphic design and colour.

(No. 182, SAM 8608, Blauwberg; No. 184, TVL 61.95, Blauwberg)

Name : lesapélé/lefisé (museum records), lehlapélo (Van Warmelo, 1964).

Use: for washing (ditto).

(b) Wide-mouthed bowls with rounded rims and flattened bases. Height

about 7 cm. Decorated with graphic design and colour. (No. 183, TVL 61.96,

Blauwberg)

Name: thiswana (museum records).

Use: for serving vegetables and meat (ditto).

Name: tsingetana (Blauwberg).

Use: for serving meat (ditto).

(11) Incurved

Small wide-mouthed spherical bowl with thickened rim and rounded

base. Height about 13 cm. Decorated with single incised line. (No. 185, TVL

61.97, Blauwberg)

Name: pitSana (museum records).

Use: for cooking meat and vegetables for about six people (ditto).

Ports

2. WITH NECKS

(i) Upright

(a) Very large wide-mouthed spherical pot with upright neck formed with

poorly-defined point of inflection and rounded base. Height about 45 cm.

Decorated with graphic design and colour. (Blauwberg)

XANANWA

188 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Name: pitsa (Blauwberg).

Use: no record.

(b) Large spherical pot with short upright neck formed with well-defined

point of inflection, rounded rim and rounded base. Height 31 cm. Decorated

with graphic design and colour. (No. 181, SAM 8697, Blauwberg)

Name: motséga (Blauwberg).

Use: for beer (ditto).

(11) Inward-sloping

Large inverted bag-shaped vessels with inward-sloping neck formed with

poorly-defined point of inflection, rounded rims and rounded bases. Height

about 25 cm. Decorated with graphic design and colour. (No. 186, TVL

61.98, Blauwberg)

Name: sekhukwana (museum records).

Use: for storing and serving beer (ditto).

MIscELLANEOUS

Other pottery names given by the potter were: hlofelwana—a small pot;

motsegana—a middle-sized pot; nkho— the biggest pot.

Decoration

Graphic decoration generally takes the form of designs outlined with

incised or grooved lines. A band 3 to 6 centimetres wide is sometimes patterned

with cross-hatching coloured with white ash. This type of decoration is com-

monly found around the mouths of bowls and the necks of pots. The pots are

sometimes further decorated with a design of arcs patterned with hatching or

stamped impressions. Graphite and ochre are used on vessels with graphic

design.

No further information.

SECTION Il—LITERATURE

No information.

CONCLUSION

The Xananwa still make and use pottery today. The potters are women

who specialize in its manufacture, and the one interviewed had a large trade.

Small vessels are moulded from the lump, and large ones built by hollowing a

lump of clay entirely to start with and building the walls up with the addition

of clay in rolls. The base is completed last. The latter technique is used by the

neighbouring Tlokwa, and moulding from the lump is used by the Venda,

and by some Shona tribes in the manufacture of small vessels.

The range of pottery types seen consists of open-mouthed bowls of various

sizes used for washing and serving relishes, incurved bowls for cooking, and

large pots with slight necks used in the brewing, storage and serving of beer

and storage of water. Vessels of the first two types are analogous with those

made by Koni, Pedi, Venda and Lemba. Even in degree of decoration there is

XANANWA

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 189

a parallel as the open-mouthed bowls are generally decorated both inside and

out, and the incurved bowls with a single horizontal line.

Xananwa decoration is characterized by a cross-hatched band below the

rim of both pots and bowls, and an arcade design coloured with graphite and

ochre on large pots. The former technique is also used by Venda, Lemba,

Lobedu and the Swazi potters of Sekhukhuneland, and an arcade design is

used by the Central Sotho, and also the Koni of Pietersburg.

The Xananwa terminology is very like that of the Koni.

The making of open-mouthed bowls with flattened bases not rounded may

be the result of European influence.

(f) Kwena or Moletse

SECTION I—FIELD

This group were not visited.

Technology

No information.

Pottery forms, names and uses

Pots

2. WITH NECKS

(i) Upright

(a) Spherical pot with very short, upright neck formed with well-defined

point of inflection, rounded rim and rounded base. Height about 22 cm.

Decorated with colour and stamped design. (No. 187, SAM 4993,* Pietersburg)

Name and use: no record.

(6) Inverted bag-shaped pot with short, upright neck formed with poorly-

defined point of inflection, thickened rim and rounded base. Height about

- 11 cm. Decorated with colour and stamped and graphic design. (No. 188,

SAM 4993, Pietersburg)

Name: no record.

Use: for beer (museum records).

Decoration

Both these vessels are decorated with well-burnished graphite and ochre,

and one with a white material rubbed across the stamped band as well. The

spherical pot has a single stamped arcade band coloured with graphite below

a wide band patterned with stamped impressions. The other also has a band

of arcs, but in this instance they are not joined to form a continuous band, and

are grooved not stamped. The band below the neck too is grooved, but is

patterned with hatched lines of stamped impressions.

No further information.

* This vessel could be classified as a spherical pot with thickened rim.

KWENA

190 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

SECTION II—LITERATURE

No information.

CONCLUSION

It is not known whether the Kwena/Moletse people make pottery today

but these two examples of their ware, particularly the spherical pot, are

decorated in the way described by Schofield as being typical of Pedi ware.

This suggests a link with the Central Sotho.

No technological information is available.

(g) North Sotho (undifferentiated)

SECTION I—FIELD

Technology

No information.

Pottery forms, names and uses

The following pottery types are included here because they come from the

region inhabited by the North Sotho tribes. Some of them are modern,

others were found in abandoned caves and may not necessarily be Sotho

in origin.

ad. FROM CAVES

BowLs

I, WITHOUT NECKS

(1) Open-mouthed

No. 190, SAM 8128, Koppie Cave, Holmsleigh, Pietersburg; No. 196,

SAM 8132, Location Cave, Potgietersrust; No. 197, SAM 8131, Blieden’s

Farm, Potgietersrust; cf. Koni TVL 8146 and TVL 8280, Pietersburg; No.

195, Location Cave, Potgietersrust; cf. Koni TVL 8146, TVL 8289, Pietersburg.

(ii). Incurved

No. 192, SAM 8132, Location Cave, Potgietersrust; No. 193, SAM 8135,

Location Cave, Potgietersrust.

2. WITH NECKS

(1) Everted

No. 189, SAM 8132, Location Cave, Potgietersrust.

Pots

I. WITHOUT NECKS

No. 200, SAM 8129, Koppie Cave, Holmsleigh, Potgietersrust; No. 191,

SAM 8130, Waterfall Cave, Amatola, Potgietersrust.

b. MODERN

2. WITH NECKS

(i) Upright

No. 199, SAM 4994, Pietersburg.

NORTH SOTHO

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA IQt

BEAKERS

No. 198, SAM 4991, Pietersburg.

Decoration

The examples of ancient pottery of this region consist of both undecorated

and decorated vessels, stamped decoration being charactistic of the latter. The

same degree of decoration is found on these vessels as on the modern ware of

this region, and that of the Lobedu and Venda. Open-mouthed bowls have a

wide band of decoration on the outer surface below the rim, and are sometimes

coloured with graphite both inside and out. Incurved bowls have a much

simpler form of decoration consisting of a single horizontal line of stamped

impressions or two lines, one stamped and one grooved. One incurved bowl

has a stamped zigzag design.

The two examples of modern ware have entirely different decorative

styles and are unlike any other Sotho ware seen. The bowl is decorated almost

all over the outer surface with zigzag band and triangles coloured with graphite

on an ochre background. There is also a narrow grooved band at the base of

the neck patterned with stamped impressions. The design on the beaker was

outlined after firing and consists of two deep zigzag lines at the top and bottom

of the vessel, the peaks of which reach opposite extremes when vertically

opposed to each other. There is a narrow horizontal band half-way down the

vessel. ‘The areas above and below the upper and lower zigzags respectively are

coloured with ochre, and the mid-band with a brown material.

NortTH SotTHo — Discussion

The Kxaxa and Birwa are excluded from this discussion.

Pottery is still made and used among the Xananwa and Tlokwa today and

there was a thriving industry among the Koni. Among all the tribes women

specialists were responsible for the making of pottery, which they sold or

bartered. Among the Koni, the pottery techniques were said to be kept secret

within certain families. Potters seem to travel considerable distances to collect

or buy clay, ochre and graphite.

From descriptions it appears that the Xananwa and Tlokwa use similar

techniques, namely, the entire hollowing of a lump of clay to start with, the

vessel being built up with additional clay in rolls, and the base being completed

by beating the lower part of the wall inwards until the hole is closed. This

technique is not known to be used by any other Sotho tribes but a variation of

it was described by a Kalanga potter at Serowe, and a Karanga potter at

Belingwe.

No Tlokwa pottery was seen but Xananwa and Koni pottery showed

affinity in range of types, the use of an arcade design, and in terminology.

Further, this pottery, particularly that of the Koni, shows some resemblance

to that of the Central Sotho and to a lesser extent there seems to be a relation-

ship with Lobedu and Venda, although the decorative designs of the poly-

chrome wares of the latter are of a different type.

NORTH SOTHO

192 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Contact with Europeans does not appear to have influenced pottery shapes

and decoration of these wares, with the exception of the open-mouthed bowls

of the Xananwa, many of which have flattened bases.

SOTHO— DISCUSSION

There are potters among all three groups today but not among all the

tribal groups of each subdivision. As among the Nguni and Tsonga, pottery is

made by women specialists. Only one instance (Koni) was recorded where the

techniques were kept secret in certain families. This may have been general in

the past but among all the tribes visited there is no restriction as to who may

make pottery. Some potters or groups of potters have a very flourishing trade.

South Sotho and Tswana potters have no compunction in selling pots that have

been cracked in the fire and mended, a practice not found among Neguni or

Tsonga. ;

At the beginning of this section it was stated that the Sotho people had

been subdivided into three main groups. As regards the modern pottery it is

possible to distinguish the same groups in the south and the west, but among

the East Sotho there seem to be at least two distinct pottery traditions, typified

by the Lobedu (North East Sotho) and the Pedi (Central Sotho). It is possible

that the Lobedu may have been influenced by Lemba.

As regards building techniques one clear indication stands out and that is

that the West Sotho (i.e. Tswana) build with lumps of clay from the widest

diameter to complete one half of the pot first and then turn it over to finish the

other half. This group has one main characteristic shape, made in different

sizes for different purposes, that is a spherical pot with short, straight, everted

neck. Carination also occurs, mainly in the east of this area. Tswana ware is

heavy with a smooth moderately burnished finish, usually fired to a light

brownish red. It is decorated by coloured ochre rather than graphic designs.

Graphite is seldom used.

Among the remainder of the Sotho, whether in south or east, a variety of

techniques is used and it has not been possible to relate any of these to a par-

ticular group. It is doubted whether even with further investigation it would be

possible to do so now, because the two areas have seen much tribal movement

and there are the additional factors of the comparatively recent immigration

of the Tsonga among the East Sotho, and school instruction among the South

Sotho.

Among the South Sotho the range of pottery types consists of very large

straight-sided pots for storing liquids especially beer, narrow-necked elongated

pots mainly bag- or inverted bag-shaped for carrying liquids, barrel-shaped

pots for various domestic uses and pedestal-based beakers. The modern ware

is heavy, dark brown for the rough ware and pale orange to buff mottled for

the fine. There is scarcely any decoration, except on beakers. Decorative effect

is often obtained by a high burnish.

Among the East Sotho both pottery traditions include open-mouthed

SOTHO

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA _ 193

bowls and, apart from these, in the Central Sotho ware, inverted bag-shaped

necked pots predominate, and, in the North East Sotho ware, spherical

neckless pots predominate. Both wares are highly decorated with graphic

designs, which in the past were stamped and today are mainly grooved and

incised, and with ochre and graphite. The Central Sotho have black designs on red

while the North East Sotho tend to red designs on black. In both wares arcs

and triangles are frequently used motifs. Horizontal bands of cross-hatching are

characteristic of Xananwa and Lobedu.

While dealing with these differences in the modern pottery of fie Sotho

it must be remembered that some of them are more pronounced now than in

the past. For instance, stamped decorative techniques were used by some South

Sotho and to a greater extent by the Central Sotho, and food bowls and cooking

pots were most certainly part of the range of South Sotho pottery, although

they have now been replaced by trade utensils.

European influence is seen to have been more pronounced on Sotho ware

than on that of the Nguni and Tsonga, particularly in Basutoland (Lesotho)

and Bechuanaland (Botswana), where not only are synthetic decorative

materials used, but vessels in imitation of European glass- and china-ware are

popular. The diminishing range of pottery types is also the result of contact

with imported goods and is more marked in regions close to densely populated

European areas.

4. VENDA

In June 1962 some Venda homesteads in the Sibasa and Louis Trichardt

districts were visited.

41. WEST VENDA |

; SECTION I—FIELD

Technology

The following information was obtained from the group of potters inter-

viewed at Sinthumule’s location.

Potters: ‘The potters were women who specialized in the manufacture of

pottery, many of whom sold their wares outside the location. Most of them had

learnt the art from their mothers.

Materials : The potters collected clay in an almost dry state from a deposit

near a river. No filler was used, the clay being mixed with water and kneaded

until it was plastic. It was used immediately after preparation.

Tools

1. As a support on which to build: any hard flat object.

2. For smoothing: (1) for inner and outer surfaces—a piece of calabash; (11)

for rim—a piece of very soft leather.

3. For decoration: (i) for graphic designs—a piece of stick, a thorn; (ii) for

burnishing—a smooth stone.

Technique: A vessel was started by moulding the base from the lump and

WEST VENDA

194 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

increased in size by the addition of rolls of clay in incomplete rings. The

additional clay was smoothed into position and shaped as required. The shaped

vessel was set aside until the following morning when it was turned over and

the base smoothed and shaped.

Drying: The pots were left covered in the kitchen hut for about a month

before firing. They were taken straight from the hut to the fire when they were

dry.

Decorating: On the second day after shaping, the vessel was decorated,

first with incised designs outlined in the wet clay, and then by the application

of colour within these designs.

The following traditional materials were used —

1. libundi: a clay dug from a deposit on a nearby mountain and sold in the

location. It gives a red colour. The raw material was dissolved in a little

water and applied as a paint. The coloured area was then burnished.

2. phomo: graphite, from deposits in the Modjadji Mountains, which was sold

locally. Potters bartered a large pot for a fist-sized piece of graphite. A small

piece of material was ground to a powder and mixed with water to form a

paint which was applied with a piece of rag or the finger, and then

burnished.

Uncoloured areas were also burnished before firing.

A large number of potters used enamel paint, mostly red, green and white.

Vessels decorated in this way sell well. |

Firing: Up to ten pots were fired at a time. Large pots were placed the

right way up in the middle of a shallow round hearth on three stones, with the

smaller pots around them on their sides, mouth towards the centre. Natural

pats of dry dung were packed around the pots and covered with grass. Firing

takes about two hours; the potter was able to tell from the colour of a vessel

when it was fired, and immediately removed it by means of a long stick, to

prevent it from spoiling. Black patches on a fired pot were said to be caused

by smoke. Cracking during firing was caused by too much wind, but seldom

occurred.

Sealing/ Testing: Pots were said to be waterproof after firing.

No further information.

Pottery forms, names and uses

Bow.Ls

I. WITHOUT NECKS

(1) Open-mouthed

(a) Large wide-mouthed bowls with thickened or rounded rims and

rounded bases. Height about 13 cm. Decorated with graphic design and colour.

(No. 217, UCT 37.18, Mphefu’s, Louis Trichardt; No. 224, SAM 8693,

Sinthumule’s, Louis Trichardt)

Name: sambelo (Nzhelele; Sinthumele’s location).

Use: for washing (ditto).

WEST VENDA

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 195

(b) Medium-sized bowls with thickened or slightly thickened rims and

flattened bases. Height about 10cm. Decorated with colour. (No. 222,

SAM 8696, Sinthumule’s location; TVL 61.171, Mphefu’s, Louis Trichardt)

Name: tshidongo (Sinthumule’s; TVL records; Nzhelele).

Use: (i) for serving vegetables (Sinthumule’s) ; (ii) for eating meat; each

man has one of his own (T'VL records); (ii1) for eating (Nzhelele).

7 cm. Decorated with colour. (No. 225, TVL 61.46, Mphefu’s, Louis Trichardt)

Name: tshidongo/seriswana (Sotho) (museum records).

Use: for serving meat and vegetables or drinking marula beer (ditto).

(dq) Small bowls with rounded or projecting bases. Height about 8 cm.

Decorated with colour and graphic design. (No. 223, UCT 37.35,

Mphefu’s, Louis Trichardt).

Name: ndongwana (museum records).

Use: no record.

(11) Incurved

Deep bowls with thickened rims and rounded bases. Height 13-20 cm.

Simple graphic design. (No. 206, UCT 37.32, Mphefu, Louis Trichardt; No.

207, UCT 37.34, Nzhelele, Louis Trichardt)

Name: large size: khali (TVL records, 61.45); small size: tshidudu (UCT

records) ; tshingo (UCT records).

Use: large size: for beer or for cooking porridge (TVL records, 61.45);

small size: for cooking meat, vegetables or smal] amounts of porridge; for

keeping milk to turn sour (UCT records).

2. WITH NECKS

(i) Upright

Bowls with short, upright necks formed with poorly-defined point of

inflection, rounded rims and rounded bases. Height about 13 cm. Decorated

with simple graphic design and colour. (No. 219,* UCT 39.33, Mphefu’s,

Louis Trichardt)

Name: kududu (museum records).

Use: no record.

Kududu is the diminutive of tshidudu (Van Warmelo, 1937) (cf. Incurved

bowls, above).

Pots

I. WITHOUT NECKS

(a) Narrow-mouthed spherical pots with thickened rims and rounded

bases. Height about 17 cm. Decorated with colour and design. (No. 202, UCT

37.31, Mphefu’s, Louis Trichardt)

Name: mvhuvhelo (museum records).

Use: for water (Nzhelele).

WEST VENDA

196 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

(b) Small spherical pots with thickened rims and rounded bases. Height

about 12 cm.. Blackened by use. (No. 220, UCT 37.30, Mphefu’s, Louis

Trichardt)

Name: dzhomela (museum records).

Use: for drinking (ditto).

2. WITH NECKS

(i) Upright

(a) Spherical pots with short, upright necks formed with poorly-defined

point of inflection, rounded rims and rounded bases. Height about 25 cm.

Decorated with colour and design. (No. 214,* TVL 61.173, Mphefu’s, Louis

Trichardt)

Name: mvuvhelo (museum records).

Use: for preparing sour porridge before cooking (ditto).

(b) Spherical pots with shori, upright necks formed with well-defined

point of inflection, rounded rims and rounded bases. Height about 17 cm.

Decorated with colour and design. (No. 203,* SAM 8694, Sinthumule’s,

Louis Trichardt)

Name and use: no record.

(1) Everted

Bag-shaped, sub-carinated pot with everted neck formed with well-defined

point of inflection, rounded rim and rounded base. Height about 15 cm.

Decorated with colour and design. (No. 212,* TVL 61.172, Mphefu’s, Louis

Trichardt)

Name: dzhomela (museum records).

Use: for drinking beer (ditto).

MiscELLANEOUS

Double-bowled calabash-shaped vessel with thickened rim and flattened

base. Height about 15 cm. Decorated with colour. (No. 218, Sinthumule’s,

Louis Trichardt)

Name: dzhomela (museum records).

Use: for drinking (ditto).

Decoration

The examples of West Venda pottery studied showed that there is a

relationship between type of vessel and decoration.

Pots of fine ware were decorated with graphite and ochre applied within

graphic designs on the upper section of the vessel. The design generally con-

sisted of two or three horizontal bands about half-way down the pot, and above

these a pattern made up of arcs or triangles.

Incurved bowls had one or two horizontal grooved lines, or a band of

stamped impressions about a third of the way down the pot, and the section

above this was sometimes coloured with graphite.

* These bowls and pots with necks are borderline cases, and could be classified as vessels

with thickened rims.

WEST VENDA

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 197

Most open-mouthed bowls were decorated with colour and graphic

design, generally inside and outside. The most common forms of decoration

for the outer surface were a band of cross-hatching or two horizontal bands

coloured alternately with graphite and ochre. The inner surface was usually

coloured with burnished graphite, sometimes with patches of ochre as well.

System of distribution

At Sinthumule there are women specialists who make pottery for sale to

customers both in the same location and in other districts.

No further information in this section.

SECTION II—LITERATURE

No information.

CONCLUSION

Pottery is made by women who specialize in its manufacture. The Venda

potters interviewed had acquired their knowledge from their mothers and

some of them sold their wares as well as making them for their own use.

Pottery is moulded from the lump; large sizes being built up with rolls of

clay added in incomplete rings. Firing takes place in a shallow hearth.

Pottery types most commonly made are open-mouthed bowls, incurved

bowls and spherical pots, all of which are made in a variety of sizes. The finer

ware is decorated with graphic designs, ochre and graphite, and the coarser

ware is undecorated or patterned with a very simple graphic or stamped design.

It seems that decoration is very closely linked with the vessel type and thus

with its function.

Contact with Europeans has resulted in the use of enamel paint as a

decorative material, and perhaps in the manufacture of vessels with flat bases

instead of the traditional rounded type: The Tsonga custom of drinking from

clay vessels instead of calabashes has been adopted by some Venda, and

spherical and calabash-shaped drinking utensils are made.

44. EAST VENDA

SECTION I—FIELD

No East Venda were visited.

Technology

No information.

Pottery forms, names and uses

BowLs

I. WITHOUT NECKS

(1) Open-mouthed

Wide-mouthed bowl with thickened rim, rounded base and four legs.

Height 13 cm. Decorated with colour and graphic design. (No. 210, AFRIK

60.1628, Phiphidi Falls)

Name and use: no record.

EAST VENDA

198 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Pots

I. WITHOUT NECKS

(a) Large spherical pot with two mouths, thickened rim and rounded

base. Height about 30 cm. Decorated with design and colour. (No. 208, TVL

35.688, Mphaphuli, Sibasa, Transvaal)

Name: mvuvhelo (museum records).

Use: no record.

(b) Spherical pot with thickened rim and rounded base. Height about

27 cm. Decorated with colour and design. (AFRIK 60.1631, Phiphidi Falls)

Name: mvubelo (museum records).

Use: for serving beer (ditto).

MIscELLANEOUS

Calabash-shaped vessels; double-bowled with small bowl on large,

thickened rim and rounded base. Height about 29 cm. Decorated with graphic

design and colour. (No. 216, AFRIK 60.1629, Phiphidi Falls)

Name and use: no record.

Decoration

The four examples of pottery from the eastern Zoutpansberg were ail

decorated with graphite and ochre. The calabash-shaped and multi-mouthed

vessels had triangular motifs and wide horizontal bands coloured alternately

with graphite and ochre. On the multi-mouthed pot each triangular motif

consisted of three triangles of decreasing size, one inside the other, all with the

same base.

The four-legged open-mouthed bowl and spherical pot from Phiphidi

Falls were also coloured with ochre and graphite and graphic designs. ‘The

bowl was patterned both on the inner and outer surface, on the outside with

narrow hatched bands, truncated triangles and inverted triangles and on the

inner surface with four V-shapes, point inwards. Both these designs and the

more typical band and triangle design on the pot were outlined with narrow-

hatched, incised bands.

No further information in this section.

SECTION II—LITERATURE

No information.

CONCLUSION

The East Venda were not visited, and although it is known that they use

pottery, no field information concerning their techniques was obtained.

Very few examples of East Venda pottery were available for study. In

addition to spherical pots like those of the West Venda, calabash-shaped and

multi-mouthed vessels were seen, and an open-mouthed bowl with four short

legs.

Although the same decorative techniques were used and most of the

designs were the same as those on West Venda ware, some of them differed

in that bands and triangles were bordered by narrow-hatched bands.

EAST VENDA

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 199

47. SOUTH VENDA

SECTION I—FIELD

_ A visit was made to Chief Davhane Rasengani’s homestead.

Technology

The following information was obtained at an interview with Chief

Rasengani and his wife, who was a potter.

Potters: The potters are women.

Materials: Clay from a large hole near the river is used. This source had

been used for a long time and was the only one known in the neighbourhood.

Good clays need no filler, but poor clay is mixed with anthill clay. The raw

material is brought dry to the homestead where it is pounded fine and mixed

with water. The clay is not used on the day of preparation but is set aside for

twenty-four hours before use.

Tools:

1. As a suppori on which to build: a potsherd.

2. As smoothers: (i) for smoothing outer surface —a bean pod, thama; (ii) for

smoothing the edge—a piece of soft skin.

3. For decorating: (i) for graphic designs—a pin; (ii) for burnishing—a

smooth stone.

Technique: Pottery is moulded from the lump.

Drying: After the vessel is shaped it is set aside indoors and covered with

blankets to protect it from draughts until it is dry enough to be fired.

Decorating: Incised decoration is done before the vessel is dry, colour is

applied at a slightly later stage, before firing. The decorative materials are

bought from hawkers who get the graphite (phdémé) from Duiwelskloof district

and a red material from Lwamondo, near Sibasa. Both these materials are

prepared in the same way; a small amount is ground fine and mixed with

_ water to form a paint, which is then applied, burnished and left to dry. Many

potters decorate their wares with enamel paint which is applied after firing.

Firing: The pots to be fired are placed on their sides, base to base, on a

layer of stones covered with wood and grass. The pottery is then covered with

grass and wood and the fire is lit. After firing the pots are left in position until

the following day when they are quite cool.

Sealing/ Testing: Ground mealies are cooked in new pots to strengthen

them.

No further information.

Pottery forms, names and uses

BowLs

I. WITHOUT NECKS

(1) Open-mouthed

(a) Deep wide-mouthed bowls with rounded bases. Undecorated. (Plate

XXI No. 59, Chief Rasengani’s)

SOUTH VENDA

200 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Name: no record.

Use: as lid (sealed into position) (field).

(b) Smaller, shallower bowls with rounded bases. Undecorated. (Plate

XXI No. 59, Chief Rasengani’s)

Name: no record.

Use: lid for spherical pots (field).

Name: tshidongo (Chief Rasengani)

Use: for serving meat (ditto).

B. Ports

I, WITHOUT NECKS

Spherical pots with thickened rims and rounded bases. Made in a variety

of sizes. Undecorated or decorated with simple graphic design. Colour applied

to fine wares. (Plate XXI No. 59, Chief Rasengani’s; No. 205, SAM 8685,

Chief Rasengani’s, Sibasa)

Name: large size: nkho; medium size: mvuvhelo; smaller size: khali ya

ubika; small size: tshibvuvhelo (Chief Rasengani).

Use: large size: for storing beer, water or dry foodstuffs; medium size:

for carrying water; smaller size: for cooking; small size: for serving beer (ditto).

Decoration

Large, rough wares were decorated with two parallel incised lines between

the widest diameter and the rim, and were uncoloured. The fine ware, repre-

sented by a pot for serving beer (No. 205), was decorated over the entire

outer surface with incised band and triangle designs, coloured with ochre and

graphite and highly burnished.

No further information in this section.

SECTION II— LITERATURE

No information.

CoNncLusION

Pottery is used among the South Venda today. The only potter interviewed,

the wife of Chief Rasengani, moulded her pottery from the lump.

At the homestead visited a large quantity of pottery was seen; the range of

types was small, but a wide variety of sizes of each type was made. Only the

finer wares were decorated with all-over graphic design, graphite and ochre,

the large vessels of coarse ware having only a simple, horizontal incised or

grooved band.

4. VENDA (undifferentiated)

SECTION I—FIELD

Technology

No information.

VENDA

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 201

Pottery forms, names and uses

BowLs

I. WITHOUT NECKS

(1) Open-mouthed

INow2o9, APRIK 59.2322A., No. 211, AFRIK 58.1650B., No. 221, UCT

29.59, northern Transvaal; cf. Lobedu, No. 173.

(ii) Incurved

No. 201, UCT 29.60, northern Transvaal, No. 204, SAM 8830, Louis

Trichardt.

Decoration

The open-mouthed bowls described above have designs nearer that on the

bowl from Phiphidi Falls in East Venda territory than those of the West Venda.

One incurved bowl is decorated with a single line of stamped impressions, the

surface above it being coloured with graphite, like those attributed to the West

Venda. The design on the other is not typically Venda, nor does it resemble

any other design seen on Bantu pottery.

SECTION II—LITERATURE

Technology

Except where reference is made to other sources the information set out

below is recorded by Van der Lith (1960 unpublished manuscript). As he

deals with Venda and Lemba, an attempt has been made to separate the

information here.

Potters: According to Stayt (1931) the manufacture of pottery used by the

Venda was at one time entirely in the hands of Lemba potters, but there were

at the time of his writing a few Venda potters, who had learnt the craft from

them. Van der Lith states that go per cent of Venda women have no knowledge

_ of pottery at all. He says further that he found that those who practised the art

were regarded with disapproval and suspicion since it was against the tribal

tradition for Venda to make pottery. He suggests that the missions were largely

responsible for the fact that a number of Venda had broken away from their

traditions.

Most Venda women who make pottery do so only for their own domestic

use and there are only a few who sell their wares.

Materials: There are many types of clay suitable for pottery in Vendaland.

Venda potters believed that pottery clays were the property of the Lemba and

that they were protected by Lemba spirits, midzimu ya vumba. Pottery made by

Venda potters was believed to be successful only if the potter obtained the

permission of these spirits to use the clay. To do this, each time a potter wished

to use the clay from a new site, she took a bundle of dry sticks with her and

petitioned the spirits. If the pottery was a failure in spite of the potter’s prayers

she tried other sources until her wares were successful. Van der Lith concluded

VENDA

202 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

that this practice was an adaptation of the Lemba one in which the midzimu ya

vumba were asked to provide a good clay (p. 215).

The potter herself went to collect the clay with a pick to dig it and a sack

in which to carry it. Since the sites were frequently distant from the homestead

the potter collected a supply sufficient to last her for some time.

The clay was prepared by stamping it fine with a short wooden pestle

on a grinding stone, adding a filler if necessary, and mixing water with the fine

material. The damp clay was then stored in an old pot and covered with a lid

until it was required.

Van der Lith records the use of ground sandstone (lwald) or potsherds as

a filler. The potters who used them said that these materials prevented breakages

during drying and firing. The use of asbestos as a filler is recorded by Lestrade

(Duggan-Cronin, 1928).

When the clay was required it was moistened with water and again

pounded until it was of the required plasticity.

Tools:

1. As a support on which to build: a potsherd, which was sometimes stood on

a grass ring during decoration to prevent it from tilting.

2. As smoothers: (i) for smoothing inner and outer surfaces—a bean pod,

thama (Dolichos lablab L.) ; (11) for shaping base —a flat stone, 4—5 in. in diameter;

(iii) for smoothing rim—a piece of very soft goatskin (tshzkobvulo).

3. For decorating: (1) for graphic designs—thorns (mupfa); (i1) for stamped

designs—stalks of thatching grass; (ii) for burnishing—a smooth pebble

(khulungo). |

Technique: The Venda use the same technique as the Lemba but are not as

skilled as the latter. Vessels are moulded from the lump, the clay being formed

into a squat conical shape and the slightly pointed end placed on a sherd. The

lump is hollowed out, smoothed upwards and shaped as desired. A thick roll

of clay is then placed around the pot at the termination of the wall and smoothed

inwards to increase the height and size of the vessel. The edge is evened by

pinching off excess clay and then cutting it straight with the edge of a pod

(thama). A narrow roll of clay is then attached to the upper edge of the wall

termination; this is shaped with the aid of a soft, wet goatskin, which is folded

over the rim and held in position while the pot is rotated. By exerting pressure

from the inside the potter everts the rim slightly. A pod is then used to scrape

away excess clay below the edge and the rim is once again smoothed with the

soft leather.

The vessel is then placed indoors, with a small amount of damp clay

inside it, until the following day, when the base is shaped and finished off. This

is done by beating the still plastic base with a flat stone until it is neatly rounded,

and smoothing it both inside and outside with a bean-pod.

This technique is used in the manufacture of all vessels. Bowls are merely

moulded from the lump without additional clay. Large vessels are built to the

VENDA

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 203

widest diameter and allowed to dry indoors for about twenty-four hours before

they are built to the required height with rolls of clay. Venda potters make

only the simplest pottery forms.

Drying: After shaping is complete, the vessel is placed indoors to dry in a

store or sleeping-hut, covered with sacking. The potter tests the condition of

the vessel by tapping it with her knuckles and is able to tell by the sound whether

it is sufficiently dry for firmg. The drying period varies with the size of the

vessel and the climatic conditions. |

Decorating: Graphic decoration is carried out on the first day of making

before the vessel is put indoors. Burnishing of the upper section is done the

following day, before the vessel is removed from its support to have the base

shaped and finished, and the base is burnished immediately after it has been

shaped.

Colour is applied after burnishing. Both graphite (phomo) and ochre

(luvhund:) are used. Graphite is either rubbed in the piece against the surface

to be coloured, or mixed with water to form a thick paste which is applied with

the forefinger. Ochre is applied as a paste. The colour is then burnished with

a smooth pebble.

Enamel paint is popular among the Venda and is applied after firing.

Stayt (1931) records the use of charcoal to blacken pottery. This was

applied after firing.

Firing: Firing takes place in a shallow depression about 5 feet in diameter.

The hearth is lined with small stones covered with dry twigs. The pots are

placed on this lining, the large vessels first, in such a way that the vessels support

each other. They are then covered with firewood, which is in turn covered with

a layer of grass, held in position by a couple of branches. A temperature of

about 700°C. is attained. The fire is kept alight with dry grass until the potter

thinks that the vessels are done (about forty minutes), when the fire is allowed

to burn itself out. The warm vessels are then removed from the ashes with a

_ stick, and when they have cooled they are carried to the homestead and

washed.

According to Stayt (1931) the fire was kept burning slowly for a day.

Sealing/ Testing: Vessels used in the preparation and serving of food and

beer are treated by a process known as ‘hangula’ before they are put to use.

Basically this involves heating each pot after filling it with the food or liquid

for which it will be used: beer, porridge, water or meat as the case may be.

Mending: 'Two methods of mending broken vessels are:

1. By smearing tree-gum or wet cattle dung on minor cracks and allowing it

to dry. Special mention is made of the white root sap of mufhanga (Encephal-

artos sp.) which dries hard and black.

2. By drilling small holes on either side of the break with an iron awl, threading

wire through the holes and smearing the mend with gum or dung. Further,

a band of wire may be bound around the vessel.

VENDA

204 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Pottery forms, names and uses .

The descriptions are from Van der Lith, 1960. Information concerning

name and use is from Stayt, 1931, Van Warmelo, 1937 and Van der Lith, 1960.

BowLs

I. WITHOUT NECKS

(i) Open-mouthed

(a) Large, shallow, open-mouthed bowl with thickened rim and rounded

base. Height about 11 cm. Decorated with graphic design and colour both

inside and out.

Name: sambelo (Stayt; Van Warmelo; Van der Lith).

Use: for washing (ditto), according to Van der Lith (1960), used by men

only.

(b) Shallow, open-mouthed bowl with thickened rim and rounded base.

Height about 10 cm. Decorated on outer surface with graphic design and

sometimes colour too.

Name: sambelwana (Van Warmelo; Van der Lith).

Use: for washing (ditto). According to Van der Lith (1960), used by women

and children, and also sometimes as a baby’s bath.

Height about 8 cm. Not usually decorated. Sometimes has incised line below

rim on outer surface.

Name: ludongo (Van Warmelo; Van der Lith).

Use: (i) lid for cooking-pot (Van Warmelo; Van der Lith); (ii) for serving

vegetables to women (Van der Lith); (111) sometimes, for grinding snuff (Van

Warmelo).

(d) Shallow open-mouthed bowl with flattened rim and rounded or

pedestal base. Decorated with graphic design and colour both inside and out.

Name: 1. tshidongo (Stayt; Van Warmelo; Van der Lith); 2. tshitzbo (Van

Warmelo).

Use: 1. (i) for serving food (Stayt; Van Warmelo); (ii) for serving food

to men only (Van der Lith); 2. Name given to a tshidongo, when being used as

a lid for a pot (Van Warmelo).

(e) As (d) above but smaller and not as well made. Undecorated or

decorated with graphic design on the outside.

Name: (i) tshidongwana/ndongwana/tsevhelo (Van Warmelo; Van der Lith) ;

(i1) mutzbo/tshitebo (ditto).

Use: (i) for serving meat and vegetables (ditto) according to Van der

Lith used only by women and older children; (ii) lid (Van Warmelo), lid for

cooking-pot (Van der Lith).

(f) As (e) above, but smaller. Undecorated or with simple incised band

on outer surface.

VENDA

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 205

Name : tshidongwana tsha nwana (Van der Lith).

Use: for food for children between ages of 2 and 5 (ditto).

(g) Deep open-mouthed bowl with thickened rim and rounded, slightly

pointed base. Inner surface serrated to about 3 cm. below rim. Height about

11 cm. Undecorated usually, sometimes coloured with graphite on outer

surface and just inside.

Name: luenda lwa fola/tshisilo tsha fola/tshisilo tsha u kuya fola/tshikuyo (Van

der Lith), luwiende vha fholi (sic) (Stayt), tshisilo (Stayt; Van Warmelo; Van der

Lith). |

Use: for grinding snuff (all sources).

(ii) Incurved

(a) Very large, spherical bowl with thickened rim and rounded base.

Height about 30 cm. Decorated single incised line or incised line with row of

stamped impressions below.

Name: sadzingo (Van der Lith).

Use: for cooking beer porridge (ditto).

(b) Wide-mouthed spherical bowl with thickened rim and rounded base.

Height about 25 cm. Generally decorated horizontal band around widest

diameter and triangles design above. Covered with basketwork lid or cloth.

Kept in store-hut and never moved.

Name: mukambari (Van der Lith).

se: for storing mealie-meal (ditto).

about 15 cm. Decorated with a single line below rim, or two lines about 2-5 cm.

apart. In eastern areas band coloured with graphite. Sometimes has mato a

khalt (see p. 209).

Name: khalana (Van Warmelo; Van der Lith).

Use: for cooking (Van Warmelo) ; for cooking porridge for three to seven

people (Van der Lith).

(d) As (c) above. Height about 13 cm.

Name: kukalana/kukali tshituku/kukalana ya u bika vhuswa (Van der Lith).

Use: for cooking porridge for three people (ditto).

(e) Spherical bowl with thickened rim and rounded base. Mouth com-

paratively smaller than (c) above. Height about 16 cm. Decorated two parallel

incised lines.

Name: ndudultshidudu tsha u bika muroho (Van der Lith), tshidudu (Stayt;

Van Warmelo; Van der Lith).

Use: for cooking vegetables (ditto, all sources)—according to Van der

Lith, for about seven people.

(f) Spherical bowl as (e) above. Height about 12 cm. Decorated with

parallel incised lines or double row of stamped impressions. Mato a khali some-

times used (p. 209).

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206 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Name : tshidudwana/ndudwana (Van Warmelo; Van der Lith).

Use: for cooking vegetables for six people, frequently used for meat too.

Used by doctors for preparation of medicines (Van der Lith).

(g) Spherical bowl as (f) above. Height about 10 cm.

Name: ndudwana ya nwana|tshidudu tsha nwana/tshidudwana tsha nwana (Van

der Lith).

Use: for cooking vegetables for children or two or three adults; also for

preparing medicines (Van der Lith).

Pots

I. WITHOUT NECKS

(a) Very large spherical pot with narrow mouth, thickened rim and

rounded or slightly flattened base. Decorated single incised line or band, or

undecorated. Height about 50 cm.

Name: nkho (Stayt), nnkho (Van Warmelo; Van der Lith).

Use: for storing beer (Stayt); for beer (Van Warmelo); for fermenting

beer (Van der Lith).

(6b) Large spherical pot with thickened rim and rounded base. Better

finish than (a) above. Height about 40 cm. Decorated with incised bands,

sometimes coloured.

Name: nkhwana (Van der Lith).

Use: for storing beer, generally kept in store-hut covered with basketwork

lid (ditto).

36 cm. Decorated with three bands around the widest diameter and patterned

with triangles above them. Fairly often coloured.

Name: tamba-khotst (Van der Lith).

Use: for carrying beer to work-parties in the field; it may also be used for

storing beer or carrying water used for cooking or washing (ditto).

(d) Large, wide-mouthed spherical pot with thickened rim. Height about

30 cm. Simple graphic design, and occasional use of colour.

Name: lukamba (Van Warmelo, Van der Lith).

Use: (i) for soaking mealies before stamping; (ii) for soaking grain for

beer brewing; (111) for prepared beer porridge (all Van der Lith); (iv) name

given to a broken earthenware vessel (Van Warmelo).

(e) Narrow-mouthed, spherical pot with thickened rim and rounded base.

Height about 30 cm. Decorated band and triangle design above widest dia-

meter, coloured with ochre and graphite.

Name: khali ya madi (Van der Lith).

Use: for storing drinking water, kept in a cool place. Also used for trans-

porting water (ditto).

(f) Spherical and sub-spherical pots with slightly flattened wall above

the widest diameter, rounded rims and rounded bases. Height about 30 cm.

VENDA

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 207

Decorated with band, arc and triangle design on upper section, and colour.

Name: mvouvhelo khulwane (Van der Lith).

Use: for serving beer at the homestead and on the lands; in the latter use

it is replacing tamba-khotsi. Contains beer for eight or more people (ditto).

(g) Spherical or sub-spherical pots as (f) above. Height about 20-24 cm.

Name: mvuvhelo (Stayt; Van Warmelo; Van der Lith).

Use: (i) for serving beer (Stayt, 1931); (ii) for serving beer to five or eight

people (Van der Lith); (iii) for storing water (Van Warmelo).

(A) Spherical, bag-shaped and sub-carinated pots with wall above widest

diameter slightly flattened, thickened rims and rounded, flat or dimple bases.

Height 19-22 cm. Decorated as (f) above.

Name: mvuvhelwana (Van Warmelo, Van der Lith).

Use: (1) for serving beer to two or four people (Van der Lith) ; (ii) for water

or sour porridge (Van Warmelo).

(t) Spherical, sub-spherical and sub-carinated pots with wall above widest

diameter slightly flattened, pots with thickened rims and rounded, flat or

dimple bases. Height 12-17 cm. Decorated as (f) above.

Name: mvuvhelwana (Van der Lith).

Use: for serving beer to from one to three people (ditto).

(7) Wide-mouthed, spherical pot with thickened rim and rounded base.

Height about 25 cm. Decorated single incised line or band.

Name: khali ya u bika mafurt (Van der Lith).

Use: for cooking pumpkin; also replacing sadzingo ( (a), p. 205) as cooking-

pot for beer (ditto).

(Kk) Spherical pot with thickened rim and rounded base. Mouth narrower

than (j) above. Height about 25 cm. Decorated with single incised line or

band.

: Name: khali|gali[khalt ya u bika vhuswa/khali ya vhuswa (Van der Lith),

Khali (Stayt; Van Warmelo).

Use: for cooking porridge (Stayt; Van der Lith) —according to Van der

Lith for about seven people; for cooking (Van Warmelo).

(1) Spherical pots with thickened rims and rounded bases. Height from

12 to 15 cm. Decorated with band, arc and triangle design over entire or upper

surface. Coloured (Van der Lith).

Name: large size: thufha; small size: thufhana (Van der Lith).

Use: for storing baby’s porridge, after cooking (ditto).

(m) Small spherical pot with flattened rim and rounded, pedestal or

dimple base. Some examples with handles. Height about 11 cm. Entire surface

decorated with band, arc and triangle design. Coloured.

Name: (1) dzhomela (Van der Lith; Van Warmelo); (2) mukelo (Van der

Lith) ; examples with pedestal bases.

Use: (1) for drinking beer; found mostly in regions where Tsonga influence

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208 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

is strong (Van der Lith); drinking-mug; of Tsonga manufacture (Van War-

melo); (2) for drinking beer (Van der Lith).

(n) Bag-shaped pot with flattened rim and handles. Height about 15 cm.

Decorated graphic design and colour.

Name: dzhomela (Van der Lith).

Use: for drinking beer (ditto).

2. WITH NECKS

(1) Upright

Spherical pot with short, upright neck, thickened rim and rounded base.

Height about 19 cm. Decorated with band, arc and triangle design and colour.

Name: mvouvhelwana (Van der Lith).

Use: for serving beer to from two to four people (ditto).

MIscELLANEOUS

(a) Doubled-bowl, calabash-shaped vessels with thickened rims and

rounded or dimple bases. Height 17-29 cm. Decorated with band, are and

triangle design and colour (Van der Lith).

Name: large size: ngota/mvuvhelo; medium size: ngotana/mvuvhelwana;

small size: dzhomela (Van der Lith, 1960).

Use: large size: for serving beer to from five to eight people; medium size:

for serving beer to from one to three people; small size: for drinking beer

(ditto).

(b) Spherical pots with more than one mouth. Van der Lith saw three

examples, one with two mouths, and the others with four mouths, all with

rounded bases. Height below spouts about 23 cm. Decorated with graphic

design and colour.

Name: mvuvhelo (Van der Lith, 1960).

Use: for serving beer, the extra mouths said by Venda informants to show

hospitality. This type of vessel is made only by Lemba potters, but is used by

the Venda too (see also p. 210) (ditto).

Decoration

Having done systematic research into the decorative designs used on Venda

pottery, Van der Lith drew the following conclusions:

1. There is no link between the decorative designs and the totem group of the

potter or the user.

2. There is no evidence that the decorative motifs have any symbolic sig-

nificance.

3. There is no evidence that the type of decoration is related in any way to the

- traditional religion.

4. There is a definite relationship between decoration and the use of pottery

vessels. Those used by men, and in company, are the most highly decorated.

VENDA

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 209

5. Lemba potters prefer to repeat a decorative motif four times on each vessel.

The Venda do not show the same tendency.

6. Before she has finished making a vessel, the potter knows what design she

will use to decorate it, and she goes about the process systematically and

carries 1t out as symmetrically as possible.

7. Traditional designs are used and there is very little attempt to introduce new

designs. It is not known whether these designs are Venda or Lemba in

origin.

The mato a khali are shallow depressions made with thumb and forefinger

on certain vessels only. After questioning a number of women Van der Lith

learnt that these were a type of trademark by means of which potters recognized

their ware.

The types of decoration described by Van der Lith are the same as those

described and illustrated from museum specimens and pottery seen in the field,

particularly that of the South and West Venda and northern Transvaal Lemba.

System of distribution

Pottery is now paid for in cash. In the past it was bartered for grain. The

vessel was exchanged for the amount of grain which it could contain. Venda

potters make domestic ware for their own use, few of them sell their wares (Van

der Lith, 1960).

Taboos and other practices in connexion with pottery manufacture and use

1. Van der Lith records the following taboo:

Members of the Venda tribes have to hangula (p. 203) a vessel bought from the

Lemba before putting it to use. This is done for two reasons: firstly for fear

that they may be cheated by the Lemba and sold poor quality pottery; secondly

for fear of being poisoned by the Lemba. It is taboo for a Venda to bring a

newly purchased Lemba pot into the chief’s village without having treated the

_ vessel herself. This taboo is based on the fact that if a chief should fall ill as a

result of poisoning, his forefather spirits, to whom he intercedes for rain, will

punish the people by sending a drought.

Van der Lith devotes a large part of his thesis to the part played by pottery

in the life of the Venda and Lemba. This information is not recorded here.

The following information is obtained from other literary sources.

2. Wessman (1908) states that numerous twins were killed annually and

their bodies packed into pots which were buried on the swampy river banks.

3. Hughes (1957) describes the practice of putting the bones of a deceased

chief in a pot which is then placed in a shallow hole 3 feet deep; this hole must

be in the same kraal as the bones of the ox in whose skin the body of the chief

was previously wrapped. The pot is surrounded by stones built up to its height,

and is covered with a flat stone. The new chief and the daughter of the dead

chief pray at this site and sprinkle water over the bones and the surrounding

stones to keep the spirit of the dead chief cool.

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210 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

4. Van Warmelo (1944) states that the multi-mouthed mvuvhelo were

sacred objects connected with ancestor worship by the Lemba, and that they

were also to be found in the secret quarters of most Venda chiefs. He states that

it was the prerogative of the chiefs to possess them, and it was an offence for a

commoner to do so. These pots were kept indoors in a basket with a lid, and it

was taboo for them to be uncovered except for use. They could only be seen

by certain people. After a public beer-drink, when the chief retired to his

private quarters with a small chosen and trusted company, the mvuvhelo was

said to be used as a drinking-vessel. As it was not allowed to be put on the ground

the junior wife had to be present to hold it, and two other wives to keep it filled

from the storage pot. These three women always had to be present, they tasted

the beer and presented it to each of the company in the order directed by the

chief. Great care was taken to keep one of the mouths for the chief only, the

other guests using the other openings.

VENDA—DISCUSSION

it is very difficult to separate the Venda and Lemba pottery industries,

and the discussions of both sections should be taken into account.

The pottery used by the Venda today is made by both Venda and Lemba

potters, but there is a higher percentage of Lemba women who are able to make

pottery than Venda. In general it is accepted that the Lemba, who have lived

among the Venda at least since they migrated to the Transvaal between two

and three hundred years ago, used to keep the Venda supplied with pottery

utensils, and that those Venda who made pottery had learnt from them. This

theory is supported by the fact that Venda and Lemba potters use the same

technique, and make the same type of pottery. Nevertheless, at Sinthumule

location it was said that the Lemba women there no longer made pottery.

Pottery is moulded from the lump with the addition of clay in one or more

thick rings formed by joining a number of sausage-shaped pieces together.

The most common pottery types used today are open-mouthed bowls for

washing or eating from, incurved bowls for cooking, and spherical pots of

various sizes, some decorated and some with a rough finish used for brewing

beer, storing beer or water, and serving and drinking beer. Van der Lith

describes a wider range of these types and a greater variety in degree of decora-

tion than was seen in the field or museum collections. Many of the variations

described by him are seldom made today. The tendency now seems to be to use

a smaller range of pottery so that the uses to which each vessel is put are wider

than in the past. Multi-mouthed and calabash-shaped pots are used by the

Venda, but are said to be made only by Lemba potters. Drinking-vessels are

made in many shapes and are believed to be the result of Tsonga influence.

Graphically decorated ware, some of it polychrome, is used, and the type

and degree of decoration is closely linked with the use of the vessel. According

to Van der Lith, food- and washing-bowls used by men are highly decorated

VENDA

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA Pa (A |

and those for women only slightly. The same distinction in decoration is made

on pots used in company for serving and drinking beer and those used only by

the women, for domestic purposes. Incised and grooved decorative techniques

are most common, and stamping with the end of a grass stem is also used.

Designs on beer vessels are made up of horizontal bands and triangles

and/or arcs. The bands are sometimes hatched and the motifs are coloured with

well-burnished graphite and ochre. Cooking and storage vessels generally have

one or two horizontal lines below the mouth, either grooved or stamped, and

small sizes are sometimes coloured with graphite above this. Open-mouthed

bowls for men are coloured both inside and out. Graphite and ochre are applied

within grooved horizontal bands on the outside, and roughly-shaped motifs

inside. The inner surface is sometimes merely coloured with well-burnished

graphite. Women’s food- and washing-bowls sometimes have the graphic

designs but are generally uncoloured. The type of decoration described above

is also found on Lemba ware. Some of the decoration on pottery attributed to

Venda potters is not of the same style although the same techniques and basic

designs are used.

An unusual item recorded by Van der Lith is the use of a type of trade-

mark by which potters recognized their work.

Many pottery terms are recorded by Van der Lith, who includes dialectal

forms. In his classification it can be seen that the name of a vessel is closely

related to its use, shape and size. From information from other literary sources

and that obtained in the field it appears that this relationship is, in fact, fairly

flexible especially in regard to size, and in some instances, use.

Modern influence can be seen in the use of enamel paint as a decorative

mnaterial. ‘The use of earthenware drinking-mugs instead of calabashes is due

to contact with the Tsonga. |

It seems most unlikely that the Venda should never have had a pottery

tradition of their own. All other Bantu people of South Africa have made

pottery at some time even if they no longer do so. It is possible that the Venda

made their own pottery before the Lemba came to live among them, probably

before they reached the Transvaal, and that they lost their knowledge of it so

completely that when they began to make it again they adopted the Lemba

techniques and copied their ware. It is not clear why the Venda should suddenly

start to make pottery again after being satisfied with Lemba ware for so long,

but it may be that contact with the European upset the Venda—Lemba sym-

biotic relationship, in that with the introduction of money the Lemba no longer

received agricultural produce for their pottery, and the amount they earned

would not buy sufficient food. They therefore, had to turn to agriculture

themselves and their pottery production dropped. The Venda were able to

buy trade articles to replace some pottery, but still preferred earthenware for

some purposes and therefore started to make their own.

VENDA

212 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

5. LEMBA

There are Lemba living among both the Venda in the northern Transvaal

and the Shona in Rhodesia. They are dealt with in two sections.

A. Lemba in the northern Transvaal

SECTION I—FIELD

This group was visited in June 1962.

Technology

The following information was obtained at a demonstration and interview

given by a Lemba potter at Mphego’s, Sibasa.

Potters: The potters were women.

Materials: Clay was collected from the near-by Luvuvhu River. No filler

was needed, the clay was stamped with a short wooden pestle on a flat stone,

and mixed with water until it was the required consistency (Plate XXI No. 60).

Tools

1. As a support on which to build: a potsherd.

2. As smoothers: (i) for inner and outer surfaces—a bean pod, thama

(Bauhinia kirkit Oliv.) ; (ii) for the rim—the bean pod, a very wet cloth.

3. For decorating: (1) for graphic designs—a small stick; (i1) for stamped

designs —the ends of two stalks of thatching grass.

Technique: The vessel was moulded from the lump (Plate XXII No. 61)

which was hollowed out and smoothed upwards and inwards to give the required

shape. The rim was formed by adding a roll of clay to the termination of the

wall after it had been evened. The roll was smoothed with the thama pod and

the very wet cloth and the pod was used to scrape excess clay away below the

rim (Plate XXII No. 62). After the vessel had been smoothed it was put aside

to dry until the following day, when the base was to be shaped.

Drying: After shaping the base the potter puts the pot indoors for about

five days, covered with sacking to allow it to dry completely. On the day of

firing the pot is placed in the sun.

Decorating: Graphic designs are done after shaping the upper section of

the vessel (Plate XXII Nos. 63 and 64).

Colour is applied after the base has been completed. Graphite (phomo) is

either rubbed on from the piece, or ground to a fine powder, mixed with water

and applied as a paint. Ochre (luvhundi), which is found locally, is also applied

as a paint; both materials are burnished after application.

Firing: The pots are placed on their sides in a shallow hole, supported by

stones and with their mouths facing each other. They are covered with layers

of grass, firewood and kindling. Dung is sometimes used as a fuel. Firing takes

about an hour and the pots are left in position overnight to cool before they

are removed from the ashes.

No further information.

LEMBA

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 213

Pottery forms, names and uses

BowLs

I. WITHOUT NECKS

(i) Open-mouthed

(a) Large, deep, wide-mouthed bowl with serrated inner surface, rounded

rim and rounded base. Height 21 cm. Undecorated. (No. 232, SAM 8690,

Mphego’s, Sibasa)

Name: mugurudo (museum records).

Use: for grinding monkey-nuts (museum records) ; for storing or rubbing

soaked maize to pieces; done by Tsonga before they learnt the art of making

good flour by pounding in a mortar (Van Warmelo, 1937).

(b) Small, shallow wide-mouthed bowl with thickened rim and rounded

base. Height 8 cm. Decorated graphic design and colour on the outer surface

and colour inside. (No. 233, SAM 8805, Sibasa)

Name: ndongwana (museum records).

Use: for serving food (ditto). |

Pots

I. WITHOUT NECKS

(a) Large, spherical pot with narrow mouth, thickened rim and rounded

base. Height 37 cm. Decorated graphic design. To be coloured with enamel

paint. (Plate XXI No. 57)

Name: mvuvhelo (Mphego’s).

Use: for beer or water (ditto).

(b) Spherical pot with thickened rim and flattened base. Height 19 cm.

Decorated graphic design and colour. (No. 237, SAM 88o1, Tshimbupfe,

Sibasa)

Name: mvuvhelwana (museum records).

Use: no record.

Height 14 cm. Decorated graphic design and colour. (No. 235, SAM 8805,

Tshimbupfe, Sibasa)

Name: dzhomela (museum records).

Use: for drinking beer (ditto).

(d) Inverted bag-shaped, pot with thickened rim and rounded base.

Height about 20 cm. Decorated graphic design and colour. (No. 234, UCT

39-1)

Name and use: no record.

(e) Inverted bag-shaped, sub-carinated pot with thickened rim and

rounded base, Height 14 cm. Decorated graphic and stamped design. (No. 227,

UCT 37.29, Lemana Mission, Transvaal)

Name and use: no record.

LEMBA

214 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

2. WITH NECKS

(i) Upright

(a) Sub-spherical pot with tall, curved, upright neck formed with well-

defined point of inflection, thickened rim and rounded base. Height about

22 cm. Decorated graphic and stamped design and coloured. (No. 228,

BWYO 2047, Mphefu’s)

Name and use: no record.

(b) Small, wide-mouthed spherical pot with very slight, short, upright

neck formed with poorly-defined point of inflection, rounded rim and rounded

base. Height 15 cm. Decorated stamped design and colour. (No. 236,* SAM

8691, Mphego’s, Sibasa)

Name: tshidudu (museum records).

Use: no record.

Decoration

The decoration on most of the Lemba ware studied was the same as that

seen on the pottery attributed to the Venda and used by them; that is a band,

arc and triangle type of design coloured with ochre and graphite, well

burnished. A few specimens showed greater attention to detail; the use of

stamped impressions to outline a triangular design and move frequent use of

hatching on vessels with the band and triangle design (No. 228).

Two of the examples studied were decorated with designs which did not

appear to be typical of this pottery. On one the design consisted of grooved

hatching and cross-hatching combined with lines of stamped impressions. No

colour was applied (No. 227). This vessel was made at a mission, which probably

accounts for its atypical shape and design. The second example was coloured

with graphite and ochre and had a band and triangle design, but this was

further patterned with grooved parallel lines and stamped impressions (No.

234). It is not known where this pot was collected.

System of distribution

The potter interviewed made large quantities of pottery for sale. Informants

in the Sinthumule location, Louis Trichardt, said that Lemba women in that

area no longer made pottery.

No further information in this section.

SECTION II— LITERATURE

Technology

The only information on Lemba pottery methods in the literature is

recorded by Van der Lith, and according to him Venda and Lemba techniques

are identical (p. 201). The following information applies only to the Lemba.

* This pot is a borderline case. It could be classified as one with a thickened rim, without

neck.

LEMBA

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 215

Potters: The majority of Lemba women are able to make pottery.

Materials: When a Lemba potter goes to collect clay at a new site she

places a bundle of twigs at the pit and prays to the spirits of the clay midzimu

ya vumba that the material will make good, strong vessels.

Tools (see p. 202).

Technique: The Lemba potters are more skilled than the Venda and make

more complicated shapes which are not made by the Venda, such as calabash-

shaped and multi-mouthed vessels (see p. 202).

Drying (see p. 203).

Decorating: Few Lemba potters use enamel paint to decorate their wares,

preferring the traditional materials (p. 203).

Firing (see p. 203).

Testing/Sealing: To the Lemba the hangula process (p. 209) is a part of the

process of manufacture and is a test of the strength and quality of the wares.

Mending (see p. 203).

Pottery forms, names and uses

The classification of pottery types from Van der Lith (1960) set out under

Venda (p. oooff.) applies also to the Lemba. There are no other references to

Lemba pottery types in the literature.

Decoration

The designs used by the Venda and Lemba potters are identical, those

executed by Lemba potters are, however, more symmetrical and show better

workmanship (Van der Lith, 1960).

System of distribution

In the past Lemba potters bartered their wares for grain and it was not

necessary for them to cultivate their own. Today, the demand for their wares

has dropped because of the greater use of European wares and because some

Venda make pottery. Further, payment is made in cash, and as the price of

grain is high many Lemba are finding it necessary to abandon their pottery

industry or to relegate it to second place, and cultivate their own crops.

Taboos and other praciices in connexion with pottery manufacture and use

I. Stayt. (1931) records the following ‘New Moon Rite’ (cf. Basuto,

p. 118): ‘At about the time that it [the new moon] was expected, a large black

bowl was filled with water and put on the ground outside the hut of each

headman, where the midday sun would shine directly on it. Just before noon on

the day before the new moon became visible to the naked eye in the sky, it

could be seen reflected in this bowl of water, following close behind the sun’s

reflection. The man who first saw this reflection told all his neighbours, and

all shaved their heads and spent the rest of the day in fasting. The following

day was a day of rest, all work of every kind being strictly tabu.’

LEMBA

216 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

2. Jaques (1931) records that it was a Lemba custom never to speak to

strangers until they had been offered a dish of water for washing purposes.

3. It was a marriage custom of the Lemba that the bride had to remain in

the village of her parents-in-law for a year before the consummation of marriage.

If they accepted her she was led to her husband at the end of this period. A

doctor was called in to mix the couple’s blood and the bride was then given an

earthenware dish in which she was to bring water to her husband every morning

without his ever having to ask for it (Jaques, 1931).

4. The multi-mouthed mvuvhelo were sacred objects connected with

ancestor worship among the Lemba (Van Warmelo, 1944).

CONCLUSION

According to literary sources the majority of Lemba women are able to

make pottery, and in the past they made a living by bartering their wares for

grain to the Venda. Today the demand for earthenware has decreased and

not all the Lemba practise pottery as a trade.

Lemba potters mould their wares from the lump, with the addition of rolls

of clay in rings one on top of the other to increase the size of the vessel, for large

SIZES.

The Lemba make open-mouthed and incurved bowls and spherical and

near-spherical pots. Pots with necks are also occasionally made, and calabash-

shaped and multi-mouthed pots used by the Venda are said to be of Lemba

manufacture.

Decoration generally takes the form of graphic and stamped designs

coloured with graphite and ochre. Enamel paint is frequently used today instead

of the traditional materials. The Venda and Lemba use the same pottery

terminology although according to Van Warmelo (1937) the Lemba speak a

type of Karanga, which suggests that the pottery terms are Venda.

B. Lemba in the Belingwe District, Rhodesia (Rhemhba)

SECTION I—FIELD

This group of Lemba (Remba) was visited in June 1963.

Technology

The following information was obtained at an interview and partial

demonstration by a Remba potter at Chief Mposi’s kraal, Belingwe.

Potters: The potter was a woman who had learnt the art from her mother.

She made pottery for sale.

Materials: Suitable clay was obtained from near an antheap. The potter

went to collect it herself as it had to be particularly chosen. The raw material

was brought back to the homestead dry, and was stamped between stones and

mixed with water. No filler was needed.

Tools

1. As a support on which to build: a potsherd.

LEMBA

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 217

2. As smoothers: (i) for outer surface—a mealie cob, a flat stick, a pod

(namura) ; (ii) for inner surface—a pod (namura) ; (iii) for rim—a flat stick.

3. For decorating: (i) for graphic design—a grass stalk; (ii) for stamped

designs—a grass stalk; (i11) for applying colour—a piece of rag; (iv) for bur-

nishing —a smooth stone.

Technique: The pots are moulded from the lump. When the upper section

has been shaped the vessel is set aside to dry for a short while before it is turned

upside down and the base shaped.

Drying: The pots are kept indoors for two days to dry. They are not

covered. On the third day they are put into the sun and that evening they are

fired. .

Decorating: Graphic designs are done after shaping, while the pot is still

wet. Colour is applied when the pots are dry, before firing. Graphite (chzdzzro)

and ochre (chibundi) are used. The ochre is bought from pedlars. To apply the

graphite the potter first wets the design to be coloured and then rubs the

graphite lump over the surface. This area is then burnished. The ochre is

ground to a fine powder, and the potter dips either her forefingers or a piece of

cloth first into water and then into the powder and rubs the colour on to

the surface. This too is burnished.

Firing: The pots are fired either in the morning or the evening after they

have been in the sun for a while. The vessels are placed slightly off-vertical,

leaning against each other, in a dung fire. Wood was said to be too heavy for

the pots. The potter is able to tell by looking at them when they are fired. They

are left in position in the ashes until they are completely cold. Breakages were

said to be caused by poor clay; if they occurred the potter used another clay

for the next batch.

Sealing/ Testing: New pots are filled with water, which is brought to the

boil over a fire. This is a test for leaks.

Mending: No information.

Pottery forms, names and uses

BowLs

I. WITHOUT NECKS

(1) Open-mouthed

Wide-mouthed bowl with thickened rim and rounded base. Height about

10 cm. Decorated graphic design and colour. (No. 230, BWYO 2031, Belingwe)

Name and use: no record.

(ii) Incurved

Shallow, incurved bowl with rounded rim and rounded base. Height 9 cm.

Inside of bowl divided into two sections by a low clay ridge. Decorated graphic

design and colour. (No. 231, BWYO 5079, Belingwe; mission school)

Name: no record.

Use: for serving relish; made in traditional style (museum records).

LEMBA

218 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Ports

I. WITHOUT NECKS

(a) Bag-shaped pot with thickened rim and rounded base. Height about

1g cm. Decorated graphic and stamped design. (No. 229, BWYO 2028,

Belingwe)

Name and use: no record.

(b) Bag-shaped pots with rounded bases. Made in a variety of sizes.

Undecorated. (Mposi’s, Belingwe).

Name: large size: gate; medium size: shambakodzi; small size: adlane

(Mposi’s).

Use: large size: for brewing beer; medium size: for cooking porridge;

small size: for cooking meat and vegetables (ditto).

2. WITH NECKS

(i) Upright

(a) Pot with tall, upright neck formed with poorly-defined point ofinflection,

rounded rim and dimple base. Height about 30 cm. Decorated graphic design.

(No. 226, BWYO 2029, Belingwe)

Name and use: no record.

(6) Spherical pot with tall, upright neck formed with well-defined point

of inflection and rounded base. Decorated with graphic design. (Chief Mposi’s

kraal, Belingwe)

Name: chipfuko (Chief Mposi’s).

Use: for beer or water (ditto).

point of inflection and rounded base. Single line around base of neck. (Chief

Mposi’s, Belingwe)

Name: njengiero (Chief Mposi’s).

Use: for beer (ditto).

Decoration

Lemba pottery from Belingwe falls into the following three classes:

(1) Undecorated ware.

(ii) Polychrome ware: coloured with graphite and ochre and patterned with

rectilinear designs, which are either incised, grooved or stamped.

(ii1) uncoloured ware: patterned with designs of straight and curved grooved

lines.

Most of the pottery seen in the field was undecorated, the few exceptions

belonging to the second group. One example (No. 230) had a design very

similar to a Lobedu specimen (No. 182). Only one example of the third type of

ware was seen (No. 226).

The polychrome wares of the Lemba of Belingwe and the northern

Transvaal are not of the same type, nor does that of the Belingwe Lemba

resemble polychrome Shona ware.

No further information in this section.

LEMBA

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 219

CONCLUSION

Among the Lemba of the Belingwe district there are a number of women

who know how to make pottery. The potter interviewed had learnt from her

mother how to mould her vessels from the lump. She made pottery for sale, as

well as for her own domestic use.

The few examples of Remba pottery seen at the potter’s place were more

reminiscent of Shona pottery than that made and used by the Venda and

Lemba of the northern Transvaal. Shona pottery terminology was used.

Some examples of pottery from mission schools in museum collections show

European influence in shape and decoration.

LEMBA—DISCUSSION

The Lemba of Rhodesia and of the Transvaal both make pottery today,

and potters of both groups use the same technique. The modern pottery made

by the Lemba of Rhodesia is more like that of the Shona than that of the Lemba

of the Transvaal. However, the fact that pottery from archaeological sites in

Vendaland, Transvaal and in southern Rhodesia is of the same class (Schofield

Class R) suggests that ancestors of these two groups of Lemba made the same

type of ware and that in the isolation of Vendaland the style of the pottery

became more distinctive, whereas in Rhodesia Lemba pottery evolved along

the same lines as that of the Shona. There is known to have been an association

between the Lemba of the Transvaal and the Shona by the fact that the former

speak a type of Karanga.

6. CHOPI

61. CHOPI

(a) Lenge

SECTION I—FIELD

The Lenge were not visited.

Technology

No information.

Pottery forms, names and uses

BowLs

I. WITHOUT NECKS

(1) Open-mouthed

Open-mouthed bowl with cut rim and rounded base. Height 9 cm.

No. 240, TVL 6898, Maseyeni).

Name: no record.

Use: for food (museum records).

LENGE

220 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Pots

2. WITH NECKS

(i) Upright

Pot with upright neck formed with poorly-defined point of inflection,

rounded rim and rounded base. Height about 15 cm. Undecorated. (No. 239,

TVL 6835, Maseyeni)

Name: djomeia (museum records).

Use: for drinking (ditto).

Decoration

Neither of the examples of Lenge pottery were decorated.

No further information.

SECTION II—LITERATURE

Technology

The following information is recorded by Earthy (1933).

Potters: Potters were women, and all women in districts where there was

suitable clay made pottery both for their own use and for sale to women in

districts where no clay was available. The main pottery districts were Nguzeni,

Bungana, Mbangu, Malahisi, Mpalaneni (near Nyakweni) and the Barra

district, at the mouth of the Limpopo. Most potters were found to be of Ndau

or Tsonga origin at Malahisi.

Materials: The types of clay used in the districts given above varied in

colour and quality. At Malahisi the clay from the swampy part of the lake was

used.

After collecting the clay the potter put it in the shade covered with Ricinus

leaves to keep it moist until she was ready to prepare it. This was done by

stamping it in a mortar, first with water to make it plastic, and then mixed with

coarsely ground fragments of sherds to strengthen it. The mixture was then

kneaded in a large wooden bowl, more water and sand being added if required.

The mass of clay was then placed on a sherd covered with Ricinus leaves and

patted into the shape of a jampot with the hands or a small flat piece of wood.

Tools

1. As a support on which to build: a potsherd.

2. As smoothers: (i) for shaping—a small triangular piece of wood, a

wooden slat; (1) for smoothing —a wooden slat.

3. For decorating: (i) for burnishing—a large flat bean picked up on the

sea-shore.

Technique: The basic technique was to mould the vessel from the prepared

lump of clay, which was hollowed out, the walls so formed being drawn very

gently upwards while the clay was kept very damp. Small pots were formed

entirely in this way, but in the making of large pots this process was followed

by the building up of the walls and neck with rings of clay placed one on top

of each other. The narrow necks of gourd-shaped pots (sw7kutso) were smoothed

LENGE

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 22)

and shaped by twisting a stick inside the neck once it was too narrow for the

hand.

Drying: After shaping, the vessel was covered with a large inverted pot

so that it would dry as slowly as possible, for five days or so.

Decorating: The vessel was polished a number of times during the drying

period. Pottery was sometimes coloured red with ochre (tsumane) found on the

roots of rotting grass in marshy ground. The ochre was stamped together with

a reddish clay in a mortar, and then patted into little cakes which after drying

in the sun for about a month were roasted in a hot fire until they were an

intense red.

Firing: Wood was used as a fuel and the pots were either placed in between

layers of it on the level ground, or laid in a shallow pit in the sand and covered

with firewood.

Testing /Sealing

1. New cooking-pots were not considered to be fit for boiling water until

they had been sealed by cooking a little thick maize porridge (vuswa) in them.

2. Waterpots were not used for storing water until they had been treated to

render them less porous. The treatment consisted of filling them first with

boiling water, then with two changes of cold water from the lake.

3. Washbowls were strengthened by roasting maize husks (mahungu) in them.

Mending: No information.

Pottery forms, names and uses

The following vessel types are recorded by Earthy (1933).

Bow.Ls

I. WITHOUT NECKS

(1) Open-mouthed

(a) Large bowls. No further description.

Name: (i) hiso; (ii) masheku.

Use: (i) for mashing; used with a wooden pestle by women who sit on the

ground and manipulate the pestle with a rotary motion; (ii) for supporting a

pot over the fire; three bowls which have been used until there are holes in

their bases form the support.

(b) Medium-sized bowls. No further description.

Name: khamba.

Use: for washing.

Name: khambana.

Use: for food.

Pots

I. WITHOUT NECKS

No description.

LENGE

222 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Name: (1) mbita/ngadi (Lenge) /khadi (Chopi) ; (2) tolelo.

Use: (1) large size: for cooking; small size: for medicines, sometimes used

for supporting pot on the fire; (2) for storing oil and red ochre.

2. WITH NECKS

(a) Large narrow-mouthed pots with pronounced necks.

Name: liduwa.

Use: for storing water or beer.

(b) As (a) above, with less neck.

Name: pfuko.

Use: for beer or water.

MIscELLANEOUS

(a) Gourd-shaped pot; said to be of Ndau origin.

Name: kutso.

Use: for water.

(b) Pot; said to ‘follow’ the design of a woman’s hand-basket.

Name : ndzomeya. |

- Use: for drinking beer.

Name: kalaviso.

Use: for drinking.

(d) Pot. No description; said to be of Tsonga origin.

Name: large size: galangu; small size: galangwana.

Use: large size: for distilling gin; small size: no record.

Decoration

The favourite design of potters at Malahisi was a band of incised triangles,

each pair being placed apex to apex around the neck of the vessel. The use of

a red colour is also described. (Earthy, 1933).

System of distribution

Potters in districts where there was suitable pottery clay had large markets

for their wares among housewives in other districts. The buyers came to fetch

their pots which were mainly bartered for pieces of material (tinguvo), mealies,

and sorghum, although cash transactions did take place.

Taboos and other practices in connexion with pottery manufacture and use

1. The head-ring on which a potter carried her basket of clay could not be

made with the leaves of Momordica clematidae or Merremia augustifolia, or pots

made of that clay would crack (Earthy, 1933).

2. The maize porridge, cooked in a new cooking-pot to seal it, was given to

_ those who were no longer able to have children (Earthy, 1933).

3. Potsherds were used in medicines: the clay itself was believed to have

remedial properties (Earthy, 1933).

LENGE

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 223

4. Pots placed on the apex of the hut roof were said to serve as protection from

the rain and to have no further significance (Earthy, 1933).

5. A woman’s medicine and cooking-pots were sometimes placed on her grave

or buried with her when she died, but they were more usually thrown away

so that they did not remind her daughters of their mother (Earthy, 1933).

CONCLUSION

The Lenge were not visited, but from Earthy we know that in 1933 pottery

was made by women who specialized in its manufacture both for their own

domestic use and for sale in districts where no pottery clay was available.

The basic technique was moulding from the lump, large vessels being

formed by the addition of rings of clay.

Earthy describes a fairly wide range of pottery types consisting of open-

mouthed bowls and pots with and without necks. Decoration took the form of

a band of incised triangles placed apex to apex around the neck and the

application of a red colour.

No mention is made in the literature of changes in shape and decoration

of pottery as a result of contact with European peoples. Earthy found that most

potters at Malahisi were of Ndau or Tsonga origin. They do not, however, use

the same techniques as the Ndau potters of Rhodesia, although the term pfuko

suggests a link with the Shona. Tsonga influence is shown in the use of the

terms ndzomeya and galangu (also used by Tswa).

(b) Chopi

SECTION I—FIELD

Visits were paid to Chopi in the vicinity of Quissico (Inhambane), Alta

Malaissa, near Inharrime (Inhambane), and the area known as Makupulane

between Chidenguele and Manjacaze (Gaza). A great deal of pottery was seen

in the latter region and a partial demonstration watched. No pottery was seen

near Quissico.

Technology

The following information was obtained at the demonstration and from

informants in the Makupulane district.

Potters: Potters are women who specialize in the manufacture of pottery

for sale.

Materials: The clay, collected by potters from lowland areas, is

strengthened by the addition of ground potsherds. The potter pounds this

mixture with water in a deep wide-mouthed clay mortar with a wooden pestle.

Preparation is completed by kneading. When prepared, the clay is very stiff

and hard.

Tools

1. As a support on which to build: a potsherd.

2. As smoothers: (i) for surfaces—a specially prepared piece of calabash,

the head of a spoon; (ii) for the rim—stiff leaves.

CHOPI

224 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

3. For decorating: (i) for applying colour—a piece of cloth; (ii) for burnish-

ing—a large pip (zmbogota).

Technique: The potter worked out of doors. The pot was started with a ball

of clay which was hollowed out with the fingers. Although the ball was placed

on a potsherd the potter turned the pot itself as she worked. The vessel was

shaped by applying pressure from inside with the spoonhead. The rim was

flattened and smoothed with the fingers and then the edge of a stiff leaf was

used to scrape away excess clay and so straighten the edge.

Drying: After shaping, the pot was placed on a sprinkling of sand in the

sherd and left to dry in the sun for four days. |

Decorating: Pots are coloured red after a short period of drying. A cloth is

dipped in red-tinted liquid and gently drawn over the surface, which is then

smoothed and burnished with a large, smooth, brown pip.

Firing: Firing takes about one and a half to two hours. The pots are placed

between layers of firewood and covered with grass.

Sealing/ Testing: The pots were said to be ready for use after firing.

No further information.

Pottery forms, names and uses

BowLs

I. WITHOUT NECKS

(1) Open-mouthed bowls

(a) Large, deep, wide-mouthed bowls with cut rims and rounded bases

(Chief’s Place, Makupulane; Nhancaja, Alta Malaissa).

Name: (i) tshikuru (Chief’s Place) ; (11) lapani (Nhancaja).

Use: (i) as a mortar (Chief’s Place); (ii) for porridge (Nhancaja).

(b) Small, hemispherical bowls with rounded rims and rounded bases.

Sometimes decorated inside. (Shikolweni, Makupulane)

Name: lthiso (Shikolweni).

Use: for food or as a mortar (ditto).

2. WITH NECKS

(ii) Everted

(a) Wide-mouthed incurved bowls with short, everted necks formed with

poorly-defined point of inflection and rounded bases. (Chief’s Place and

Shikolweni, Makupulane).

Name: nkhamba (Shikolweni).

Use: no record.

(b) Wide-mouthed carinated bowls with short, everted necks formed with

poorly- or well-defined point of inflection and rounded bases. Made in a variety

of sizes. Sometimes with red finish. (Chief’s Place, Makupulane, Nhancaja,

near Alta Malaissa)

Name: nkhanye (Chief’s Place), tshtkalango (Nhancaja).

Use: for cooking (both sources).

CHOPI

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 225

Ports

2. WITH NECKS

(i) Upright

(a) Very large oval pots with short, narrow, upright necks formed with

poorly-defined point of inflection and rounded bases. (Makupulane district)

Name: mbita or khadi (field).

Use: for storing water, fermenting beer or cooking on feast days (ditto).

(b) Large oval or spherical pots with narrow upright necks formed with

poorly-defined point of inflection—neck almost collar-type sometimes—and

rounded bases. Usually coloured red and sometimes decorated with graphic

designs. (Chief’s Place and Shikolweni, Makupulane)

Name: liduwa (field).

Use: for transporting water or fermenting drinks (ditto).

(11) Everted

(a) Large narrow-mouthed spherical pots, sometimes with sub-carination

nearer mouth than base, short everted necks formed with poorly- or well-

defined point of inflection and rounded bases. Burnished red finish, sometimes

with graphic design. (Alta Malaissa)

Name: fuko or khadi (field).

Use: for water or for fermenting drinks (ditto).

(b) Smaller wide-mouthed spherical pots with everted necks formed with

poorly-defined point of inflection and rounded bases (No. 238, Makupulane

Village, Makupulane, and Nhancaja, Alta Malaissa).

Name: large size: khadi; small size: shikadjana (field).

Use: for cooking.

Name: likhelo (Nhancaja).

Use: as a mortar (ditto).

(d) Small spherical pot with narrow, tall neck formed with poorly-defined

point of inflection and rounded base. (Chief’s Place, Makupulane)

Name: tshiduwana (Chief’s Place).

Use: for holding drinking water or fermented drinks (ditto).

Decoration

A great deal of Chopi pottery is undecorated. Some was coloured red and

had rough incised or grooved triangular, cross-hatched designs below the neck,

sometimes only a collection of short, grooved strokes (No. 238).

System of distribution

Potters make pottery not only for their own domestic use, but also for sale

to neighbours. Pottery is used in most homesteads in the Makupulane and

Alta Malaissa districts. According to informants at Alta Malaissa some pottery

was bought from Jangamo, Inhambane district.

No further information.

CHO PT

226 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

SECTION II—LITERATURE

No information.

CONCLUSION

The Chopi of Makupulane still make and use pottery, but also buy some

from BiTonga potters near Inhambane. No pottery was seen at a Chopi

homestead in Quissico. The potters are women specialists who sell their wares

as well as making them for their own use. They mould pottery from the lump.

The range of pottery types seen was fairly comprehensive, and consisted

mainly of open-mouthed bowls, large and small, very large oval, narrow-

necked pots, and spherical to carinated pots with short everted necks with

both wide and narrow mouths. Decoration was rare, consisting of the use of

ochre or, Jess frequently, triangular incised designs.

Pottery shapes and decoration appeared to be unchanged by European

contact. The term fuko suggests some contact with the Shona. A number of

terms recorded by Earthy among the Lenge were also used.

It was found during field trips that the Khokha are better known locally as

the BiTonga, and this is confirmed by Rita-Ferreira (1959).

SECTION I—FIELD

BiTonga in the Conselho of Inhambane were visited in 1962 and 1963.

Technology

The following information was obtained from potters at Jangamo and at

Inhambane market, the first of whom gave a partial demonstration.

Potters: The potters are women, who make large quantities of pottery for

sale.

Materials: The potter at Jangamo used clay collected from a near-by

riverside which she brought home on her head in a pot. The potter interviewed

at the market collected her clay from Mutamba. Finely stamped potsherds are

used as a filler by both potters. The raw materials are mixed with water and

kneaded. Wet clay which is not required immediately is wrapped in the leaves

of the castor oil plant, tsafura (Ricinus), to keep it damp.

Tools

1. As a support on which to build: a potsherd.

2. As smoothers: shells of bi-valve molluscs.

3. For decorating: (i) for graphic design—a strip of tin (Jangamo); (ii) for

burnishing —shells (ditto).

Technique: The potter at Jangamo worked out of doors; when she was

first observed the pot had been shaped and she was smoothing it with a shell.

The vessel had been built up from the base, which was complete. ‘The potter

at Inhambane moulded vessels from the lump, with the addition of clay if

necessary.

KHOKHA

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 227]

Drying: Pots are allowed to dry indoors for a period of from one to two

weeks, before they are fired.

Decorating: Colour is applied to vessels when they are dry, before firing.

A natural red material, obtainable at Mutamba, is applied as a paint with the

flat of the hand and burnished with a clam shell. Egg-shaped balls of roasted,

red material for this purpose were seen on sale at the market at Inhambane

(ci pp: 221).

Firing: A number of vessels are fired at a time; they are placed on their

sides (Jangamo) or the right way up (Inhambane) in a wood fire, and take

about an hour to fire.

Sealing: The potter at Inhambane said that pottery was ready for use

after firing.

No further information.

Pottery forms, names and uses

_ Bowis

I. WITHOUT NECKS

(1) Open-mouthed

(a) Large, wide-mouthed bowls with cut rims and rounded bases. Height

about 18 cm. Undecorated. (No. 241, SAM 8768, Inhambane market)

Name: tinzalo (Inhambane).

Use: for cooking (ditto).

(b) Medium-sized bowl with rounded base. Undecorated or decorated

with colour. (Jangamo, Inhambane)

Name: fuwana (Jangamo).

Use: for washing (ditto).

_ (ce) Small straight-sided deep and shallow bowls with rounded bases.

Undecorated. (Maxixe market, Inhambane)

Name: no record.

Use: lid for covering small cooking-pot (Maxixe market).

2. WITH NECKS

(a) Shallow, carinated and sub-carinated bowls with short, straight,

everted necks formed with well-defined point of inflection, rounded rims and

rounded bases. Made in a range of sizes 11-20 cm. in height. Decorated with

colour. (No. 242 and No. 243, SAM 8775, Maxixe, and SAM 8767, Inhambane;

Plate XXIII No. 66, Jangamo, Inhambane)

Name: gikalango (Jangamo).

Use: for cooking (ditto).

Pots

I. WITHOUT NECKS

(a) Large, narrow-mouthed, elongated bag-shaped pot. Undecorated.

(Cabo Mayene’s, near Alto Malaissa, Inharrime).

KHOKHA

228 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Name: ringi (Gabo Mayene’s).

Use: for storing water (ditto).

(b) Small spherical pots with rounded bases. Undecorated. (Inhambane

and Maxixe markets, Inhambane).

Name: gifugo (Inhambane and Maxixe).

Use: for cooking rice (ditto).

2. WITH NECKS

(i) Upright

Large spherical or oval pots with narrow, upright necks formed with

poorly-defined point of inflection and rounded base. Undecorated or with

colour. (Inhambane market, Inhambane).

Name: tsungwa (Inhambane).

Use: no record.

(ii) Everted

(a) Spherical narrow-mouthed pots, with short everted necks formed with

well-defined point of inflection. Made in a range of sizes. Undecorated or

decorated with colour and/or graphic design (Plate XIV No. 33, Mutamba;

Plate XXIII No. 65, Jangamo, Cabo Mayene’s, near Alta Malaissa and

Inhambane market).

Name: nghulu/unguru (Jangamo), khali (market).

Use: for water (Jangamo); for fermenting cashew fruit (Alta Malaissa).

(b) As (a) above but wide-mouthed. (No. 244, Inhambane)

Name: khali (Inhambane).

Use: for cooking (ditto).

well-defined point of inflection. Decorated with graphite design and/or colour.

(Commissioner’s office, Maxixe)

Name: khali (Maxixe).

Use: for fermenting cashew fruit (Alta Malaissa).

Decoration

Applied lumps were seen on large cooking-pots at Inhambane market, and

this type of decoration was mentioned by the potter at Jangamo.

A carinated pot seen at the Commissioner’s office, Maxixe, was decorated

with a chevron line between neck and carination and patterned with stamped

impressions spiked up with a sharp tool on the lower surface. Another type of

triangular design was seen on a pot from Mutamba in use among the Tswa;

this was decorated with triangular impressions. (Plate XIV No. 33) A number

of pots with notched rims were seen at Maxixe market.

The most common form of decoration was the colouring and burnishing of

ochre on inside and/or outside surfaces.

KHOKHA

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 229

System of distribution

There are many potters among the BiTonga, who in addition to making

pottery for their own use and for sale at local markets make large quantities

of pottery for sale to stores in the northern districts around Funhalouro, Sitila

and Rio das Pedras. In these regions there is no clay suitable for pottery. (See

also p. 101.)

Taboos and other practices in connexion with pottery manufacture and use

A spherical cooking-pot, often painted white, was frequently seen crowning

the apex of the huts. According to informants this was to keep the rain out.

Potsherds are used as pumice to clean the feet.

No further information.

SECTION II—LITERATURE

No information.

CONCLUSION

The BiTonga pottery industry is thriving today. There are many women

who make more pottery than they need for their own domestic use; they sell

the surplus either at local markets or to trading stores in Tswa territory where

pottery clay is scarce. Pottery from Jangamo was also seen at Chopi homesteads

near Alta Malaissa, Inharrime.

Pottery is moulded from the lump, with the addition of clay in rings for

large sizes. A wide range of pottery types is used, including open-mouthed

bowls and both tall- and short-necked pots, the latter being narrow- or wide-

mouthed; carination and sub-carination are common features and in this

respect the pottery resembles that of the Chopi, the Tswa of Panda and Morrum-

bene and the Ronga. }

Decorative designs are not frequently used, but examples of applied, stamped

and graphic techniques were seen. More common is the colouring of vessels

with a specially prepared red ochre. Coloured vessels are highly burnished,

and the general standard of the pottery is high.

On the whole Khokha terminology differs from that of both other Chopi

groups although khali and mbita are both used.

62. TSHONGONONO

There is no information concerning these tribes.

CHOPI—DISCUSSION

The Tshongonono tribes of this division are excluded from this discussion.

Among Chopi and BiTonga (Khokha) there are still women who specialize

in the manufacture of pottery today. The Lenge made and used pottery as

recently as 1933. The potters make not only for their own domestic use but for

sale to neighbours and at markets. Among the BiTonga, there is an important

pottery trade with northern districts where very little pottery is made as there

CHOPI

230 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

is not much suitable clay. BiTonga pottery is also found in some Chopi home-

steads.

The potters of these groups all mould their pottery from the lump, large

vessels being built up with the addition of rolls of clay to form rings. The Ronga

and 'Tswa potters use the same basic technique, as do the Venda and Lemba

and some Natal Nguni, in the manufacture of small vessels.

Only two examples of Lenge pottery have been seen, and Earthy’s descrip-

tions of the various types are not detailed enough for classification according

to the scheme used in this survey. It is recorded, however, that open-mouthed

bowls were made and that some pot types were said by the Lenge themselves

to be of Ndau and ‘Tsonga origin. Among the other two groups the range of

types is very similar. It consists of open-mouthed bowls, both large and small,

spherical to sub-carinated, short-necked, wide- and narrow-mouthed pots,

and carinated, necked bowls. The very large, upright-necked pots seen among

Chopi of Makupulane were not as frequently seen among the BiTonga; these

vessels are very similar in shape to those made by a Karanga potter at Belingwe

(Plate XXV No. 73).

Decoration with ochre and incised triangles was seen on pottery of both

groups and is the same as that recorded by Earthy among the Lenge. On the

whole, the pottery resembled that made by the Tswa of Morrumbene and of

Panda, and is comparable with Ronga carinated and sub-carinated bowls.

Lenge, Chopi and BiTonga terminology reflects the confusion of influences

among the groups. Although Lenge and Chopi use some of the same terms, the

BiTonga appear to use a different basic terminology and share only a few

terms including those suggesting Shona and Tsonga influence.

7. SHONA

Some of the Shona tribes were visited on a field trip to Rhodesia in June

1963 and examples of their pottery were seen in museum collections.

71. KARANGA

(a) Zezuru

SECTION I—FIELD

A Zezuru potter and other informants at Mangwende Reserve, Mrewa,

were interviewed.

Technology

The following information was obtained from the potter and from a film

taken in 1939 in Masembura Reserve, Bindura, by Mr. M. E. Hayes.

Potters: The potters are women who make pottery both for their own use

and for sale to neighbouring housewives who are unable or unwilling to make

their own domestic ware.

Materials: Clay from antheaps is used without a filler. After digging the

raw material with a hoe the potter brings it home in a basket. It is then ground

ZEZURU

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 231

on a grinding stone to a fine powder, which is mixed with water and stamped

with a wooden pestle on the flat stone until it is the required consistency.

Tools

1. As a support on which to build: an enamel or tin plate.

2. As smoothers: (i) for inner and outer surfaces—-a smooth piece of wood

or metal, a piece of calabash, a mealie cob.

3. For decorating: (i) for graphic designs—a metal blade, a piece of stick;

(11) for burnishing—a smooth stone.

Technique: The ring technique is used. The vessel is started with two large,

roughly formed rolls of clay which are placed on a plate to form aring. The walls

are built up with further definite rings of clay, similarly formed from more than

one roll, and decreasing in size and thickness as the height of the vessel increases.

The pot is smoothed inside and out during building, and at the same time gently

formed into the required shape. The rim is smoothed with a piece of very wet

cloth as a finishing touch. After sprinkling the pot with water and smoothing

it all over once again, the potter stands it in the shade of the eaves of a hut until

the following day to allow it to dry sufficiently to stand it upside down without

it collapsing. The vessel is completed without the addition of any further clay.

It is turned over on a mat or blanket, the enamel plate is removed and the

excess Clay around the base is smoothed and shaped upwards until it closes

the opening.

Drying: The vessel is dried for three days indoors, on the fourth day it is

put outside and on the fifth it is fired.

Decorating: The decoration of a vessel is done at two different stages.

Graphic decoration is done on the second day of making before the vessel is

turned upside down. The application of colour to these designs is done on the

second or third day of drying. Both graphite and ochre are mixed with water,

applied with the forefinger and burnished with a smooth stone. The potter at

_ Mrewa, who decorated her wares with enamel paint after firing, burnished

them when they were nearly dry before firing.

Firmg: Firing takes place in a sheltered spot near the homestead, in a

shallow hearth which is used again and again. The Bindura potter started a

small twig fire in the ash-filled hearth, into which she put the pot on its side.

The fire was then built up with large pieces of firewood and allowed to burn

itself out. The vessel is removed from the ashes with a stick. The potter at

Mrewa described a similar method of firing for up to ten pots, which were

placed the right way up. She too used wood as fuel, if sufficient mukwati bark

(Strychnos pungens Solered (Loganiaeceae) ), which she preferred, was not avail-

able. This potter generally started firing at six o’clock in the evening and

the pottery was removed from the ashes the following morning.

Breakages are said to be the result of using poor clay, of firing insufh-

ciently dry vessels, or of a cold wind during firing.

Sealing/ Testing : No method of sealing was shown in the film or mentioned

by the potter at Mrewa.

Mending: No information.

g:N o ZEZURU

232 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Pottery forms, names and uses

BowLs

I. WITHOUT NECKS

(i) Open-mouthed

Small, shallow, open-mouthed bowls with rounded bases. Undecorated

(Matongarere, Mangwende Reserve, Mrewa).

Name: mbia (Matongarere).

Use: for serving vegetable relish (ditto).

(11) Incurved

(a) Deep, wide-mouthed bowls with rounded bases. Height about 20 cm.

Undecorated. (Plate XXIV No. 70, Chiweshe, Mangwende Reserve, Mrewa)

Name: tsya (Chiweshe).

Use: for cooking (ditto).

(b) Narrow-mouthed, incurved bowls with rounded rims and rounded

bases. Height about 15 cm. (No. 245, SAM 8976, Chiweshe, Mangwende

Reserve, Mrewa; Plate XXIV No. 70, Chiweshe, Mangwende Reserve,

Mrewa).

Name: chikari (Chiweshe).

Use: for cooking vegetables (ditto).

2. WITH NECKS

(i) Everted

Sub-carinated bowl with everted neck formed with poorly-defined point of

inflection. Decorated with graphic design and colour. (Nazolo Jam, Mang-

wende Reserve, Mrewa)

Name: gati (Nazolo Jam).

Use: no record.

Pots

I. WITHOUT NECKS

Large, straight-sided pot with rounded base. Height about 25 cm. Un-

decorated. (Nazolo Jam, Mangwende Reserve, Mrewa).

Name: biso (Nazolo Jam).

Use: for brewing beer (ditto).

2. WITH NECKS

(i) Upright

(a) Narrow-mouthed spherical pots with tall, upright necks formed with

well-defined point of inflection. Height 24-35 cm. Decorated incised design

and colour (Bindura, film; No. 246, Chindemora Reserve).

Name: hari, generic term (Bindura).

Use: for carrying water (ditto).

(b) Wide-mouthed spherical pots with upright necks formed with well-

defined point of inflection, rounded rims and rounded bases. Height about 20 cm.

ZEZURU

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 233

Decorated with stamped and incised design and colour. (No. 247, SAL 6114.1,

Lake McIlwaine)

Name and use: no record.

inflection, thickened rim and rounded base. Height about 20 cm. (No. 248,

SAM 8975, Chiweshe, Mangwende Reserve, Mrewa; Plate XXIV No. 70,

Chiweshe, Mangwende Reserve, Mrewa).

Name: kapfuko (Chiweshe).

Use: for drinking beer (ditto).

(11) Everted

(a) Vessels of the type described under (a) and (b) above are also made

with everted necks. |

Name and use: The same names and uses.

(b) Very large, spherical pots with wide-mouthed everted neck formed

with well-defined point of inflection. Decorated with graphic design and

colour. (Plate XXIV No. 70, Chiweshe, Mangwende Reserve, Mrewa)

Name: (ti)gati (Chiweshe).

Use: for beer or water (ditto).

ZOOMORPHIC Pots

‘Tortoise’ pots; roughly shaped headless creatures with squarish bodies

and four legs, the mouth of the pot being the neck of the tortoise (BWYO 2009,

2010, Marandellas, Rhodesia).

Name: lamba (museum records).

Use: no record.

MIscELLANEOUS

Small, spherical pots with three narrow spouts and pedestal bases. (Plate

XXIV No. 70, Chiweshe, Mangwende Reserve, Mrewa)

Name: no record.

Use: as a vase (Chiweshe).

Decoration

Water and beer pots are decorated with graphite and sometimes with

ochre as well. The colour is frequently applied within a triangular design

outlined with incised or grooved lines around the body of the vessel and in

vertical bands down the neck. Some pots had the graphic design but were

uncoloured.

The sub-carinated bowl seen at Nazolo Jam was decorated in an entirely

different way with a complicated triangular design patterned with hatching

in a variety of directions.

A number of the pots with necks have a groove around the base of the

neck.

ZEZURU

234 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

System of distribution

Pottery is made by women specialists for their own use and for sale.

No further information.

SECTION II—LITERATURE

Technology

Potters: Pottery is made by women (Posselt, 1935).

Decorating: Some pottery is decorated with designs coloured by means of

graphite and iron oxide (Posselt, 1935).

No further information.

Pottery forms, names and uses

BowLs

I. WITHOUT NECKS

(i) Open-mouthed

(a) Wide-mouthed bowl with thickened rim and pedestal base. Height

about 12 cm. Notched rim and pedestal decoration and graphite on inner .

surface. (Schofield, 1948; Plate IX No. 6, QVMM)

Name and use: no record.

(b) Small, wide-mouthed bowls with rounded bases. Height about 7 cm.

Diameter of mouth about 17 cm. Undecorated. (Stead, 1947)

Name: chimbiya|mbiya (Stead).

Use: for serving relish (ditto).

(ii) Incurved

(a) Wide-mouthed incurved bowls. Height about 19 cm. Undecorated.

(Stead, 1947)

Name: tsaya (Stead).

Use: for cooking, usually porridge (ditto).

(b) Inverted bag-shaped bowls. Height about 12 cm. Undecorated.

(Stead, 1947)

Name: large size: chigapu; small size: kahadjgana (Stead).

Use: for cooking meat and vegetables (ditto).

Pots

2. WITH NECKS

(i) Upright

(a) Large pots with tall, narrow necks formed with poorly-defined point

of inflection. Height about 30 cm. Often decorated. (Stead, 1947)

Name: chirongo (Stead).

Use: for carrying water (ditto).

(b) Spherical pot with tall, narrow neck formed with well-defined point of

inflection, rounded rim and rounded base. Height about 25 cm. Decorated

ZEZURU

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 235

with colour and graphic design. (Schofield, 1948; QVMM Plate IX No. 3,

Echo Farm, Salisbury) |

Name and use: no record.

inflection. Height 15-22 cm. Sometimes decorated. (Stead, 1947)

Name: kapfuko (Stead).

Use: for drinking (ditto).

(d) Spherical pot with short, upright neck formed with well-defined point

of inflection, rounded rim and rounded base. Height about 15 cm. Decorated

with black burnish. (Schofield, 1948; Plate IX No. 4, QVMM, Echo Farm,

Salisbury)

Name and use: no record.

(e) Wide-mouthed spherical pot with neck formed with well-defined point

of inflection. Height about 17 cm. (Stead, 1947).

Name: chikari (Stead).

Use: for cooking meat and vegetables (ditto).

(i) Everted

(a) Large spherical pot with everted neck formed with well-defined point

of inflection, rounded rim and rounded base. Height about 30 cm. Decorated

with colour and conical bosses (Schofield, 1948; Plate IX No. 1, QVMM,

Sinoia West, Rhodesia).

Name: no record.

Use: for making and serving beer (Schofield).

(b) Spherical pot with everted neck divided into two with clay partition.

Decorated with colour and graphic design. (Bent, 1892, from Mazoe Valley)

Name: no record. !

Use: for making and serving beer (Schofield).

(iii) Inward-sloping

(a) Very large, narrow-mouthed spherical pot with inward-sloping neck

formed with poorly-defined point of inflection. Height about 50 cm. Undeco-

rated. (Stead, 1947)

Name: miyirimo (Stead).

Use: for storing cold kaffir beer (ditto).

(b) Large, inverted-bag-shaped pots with short, inward-sloping necks

formed with well-defined point of inflection. Height about 40 cm. (Stead, 1947).

Name: gati (Stead).

Use: for cooking beer (ditto).

ZOOMORPHIC Pots

(a) Vessel in form of goat. Length 30 cm. Decorated with colour and

graphic design. (Schofield, 1948; Plate IX No. 11, Chikwakwa Reserve)

Name: mbanematemai—goat (Schofield).

Use: for beer or water (ditto).

ZEZURU

236 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

(b) Vessel in form of headless lion. Decorated with colour and graphic

designs (Schofield, 1948; Plate IX No. 12).

Name: no record.

Use: for containing viscera of deceased chiefs from which the maggots

(that later develop into lions) are said to arise (Schofield, 1948).

Decoration

Mrs. Goodall (1946) found that the moulded conical bosses (mazamu, breasts)

and circular indentations (maziso, eyes) were being used for purely decorative

purposes and were losing any symbolic significance (p. 239).

The use of graphite and ochre as decorative materials is recorded on most

of the vessels described by Schofield (1948), the colour being applied on the

neck and upper section of the body either in designs outlined with grooved

lines or over the area as a whole.

Zoomorphic vessels are commonly decorated with both these materials,

which are generally applied in stripes or in triangular designs outlined with

grooved lines.

System of Distribution

An important industrial centre for the manufacture of zoomorphic pots

representing the lion, zebra, tortoise, birds, etc., still exists in the Wedza Hills,

south of Marandellas (Goodall, 1946).

Taboos and other practices in connexion with pottery manufacture and use

1. Goodall (1946) states that zoomorphic pots were used as funerary urns;

the native tradition concerning a pot of this type from a grave was that it

became animated at night by the soul of the deceased, so that it walked and

danced and that was why such pots were always made with legs.

2. Bent (1892) describes the use of pots as beehives in Mangwende’s

country. The pots were placed in high positions on boulders and supported

with stones.

3. Edwards (1929) describes the following customs practised by the tribes

of the Mrewa district:

(i) Twins were disposed of by filling their mouths with ashes and putting

them alive into a large pot which was buried in a wet vlei.

(ii) A girl was examined before she was handed over to her husband by a

female relative or other old woman. The party retired to a near-by

stream taking a honza (small pot used for ablution) with them. If the

examination was satisfactory the honza was full when the girl returned,

if half-full the girl was handed over to her father for questioning.

(111) A wall is built around a grave and the clay pot used for washing the corpse

is placed on top of the grave.

CONCLUSION

The Zezuru make and use pottery today. A number of women specialize

in its manufacture and sell what they do not need for themselves. They use the

ZEZURY,

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 237

ring technique, building with very thick rolls of clay, and complete the base

last by shaping and smoothing the lower part of the wall inwards until it

meets.

The number of pottery types made is small, although there is a range of

sizes in each type. There are minor variations in shape, but the main types are

open-mouthed bowls, incurved bowls and spherical pots with necks. Zoo-

morphic pots, with a specialized use are also attributed to the Zezuru.

Decoration is found mostly on the pots, where it takes the form of incised,

grooved and stamped horizontal or zigzag lines, and the application of graphite

and ochre.

More pottery terms are given by Stead (1947) than were recorded in the

field, although the terms tsaya, mbiya, chikari, kapfuko and gati were recorded

in the field too.

The pottery appeared to be traditional in form and decoration, without

changes resulting from contact with the European. Zoomorphic vessels were

not seen in the field. Small vessels with a number of spouts give the impression

of being traditional although they are now said to be used as vases.

(a.1) Shawasha

SECTION I—FIELD

The Shawasha were not visited.

Technology

No information.

BowLs

I. WITHOUT NECKS

No descriptions.

Name: (i) katsatya; (ii) mbiya; (iii) zenga; (iv) chigati/gati (SAL records).

Use: (1) for making monkey-nut sauce; (ii) for serving meat and sauce;

(11) for lid of storage pot, chikati, or for roasting; (iv) for thick milk or storing

meal (ditto).

2. WITH NECKS

(ii) Everted

Carinated bowl with tall, curved, everted neck. Height about 11 cm.

Decorated with graphite. (SAL 49.38)

Name and use: no record.

(iv) Undifferentiated

No description.

Name: chikati (SAL records).

Use: for washing body; used by married couple (ditto).

SHAWASHA

238 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Pots

I. WITHOUT NECKS

(a) Narrow-mouthed barrel-shaped pot with dimple base. Height about

20 cm. Undecorated (No. 249, SAL 49.39, Chishawasha, Rhodesia).

Name and use: no record.

(6) No description.

Name: biso (SAL records).

Use: for brewing beer or boiling vegetables (ditto).

2. WITH NECKS

(i) Upright

Narrow-mouthed spherical pot with upright neck formed with poorly-

defined point of inflection. Height about 21 cm. Decorated stamped impressions

and colour. (SAL 49.37, Rhodesia)

Name and use: no record.

(iv) Undifferentiated

(a) No description of shape. Large size. Decorated.

Name: makati (SAL records).

Use: for storing beer or storing seeds (ditto).

(6) Wide-mouthed pot. Decorated.

Name: hadjikana (SAL records).

Use: for cooking meat (ditto).

Name: tyipfuko (SAL records).

Use: for serving beer to field-workers (ditto).

(d) Spherical pot with tall neck formed with well-defined point of

inflection.

Name: kapfuko (SAL records).

Use: for carrying water to hut (ditto).

(¢) No description.

Name: chirongo (SAL records).

Use: for storing water to keep it cool (ditto).

Decoration

Little can be said about the decorative designs and techniques of the

Shawasha from the specimens seen, except that both polychrome and black

ware are made. The former is coloured with burnished graphite and ochre

and the latter sometimes partly with graphite. The only other form of decoration

seen was the use of stamped impressions in horizontal lines to separate bands

of red and black (SAL 49.37).

No further information.

SHAWASHA

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 239

SECTION II—LITERATURE

Technology

No information.

Pottery forms, names and uses

BowLs

2. WITH NECKS

(ii) Everted

(a) Large, wide-mouthed carinated bowl with curved everted neck

formed with point of carination, cut rim and rounded base. Height about

28 cm. Decorated with moulded and stamped features. Coloured with graphite

and a whitish pigment. (Goodall, 1946, fig. V(1))

Name: chigati (Goodall, 1946).

Use: for storing food; given by wife to husband on wedding day (ditto).

(b) Wide-mouthed bowl with curved everted neck formed at point of

carination, cut rim and rounded base. Height about 14 cm. Decorated with

stamped impressions and moulded lumps. Black burnish over part. (Goodall,

1946, fig. V(ii))

Name: chkatt (Goodall, 1946).

Use: (i) for washing; used by woman to wash her husband, or less fre-

quently, herself; (11) for storing dry foods (ditto); chikatt means a large pot,

and the uses to which vessels with this name are put are many. (ditto)

and maziso. (Goodall, 1946)

Name: (i) gatt (meaning pot); (11) kakati (meaning small pot). (Goodall,

1946). |

Use: (i) for thick milk; (ii) for washing hands and face. (ditto)

_ZOOMORPHIC FORMS

Bird-shaped pottery vessels. Decorated with graphite and ochre and

incised design. (Goodall, 1946; Schofield, 1948; Plate XX No. 13)

Name: hari ye dongwe (pot of honour) (Goodall, 1946).

Use: ritual vessel used originally at the celebrations attending the rule

of a new chief (ditto).

Decoration

Goodall (1946) discusses the mazamu and maziso features of Shona pottery.

She points out that the mazamu represented the female breasts and symbolized

the woman’s giving of herself to her husband. The maziso represented eyes,

the equivalent of a warning to others to observe this agreement. The features

were found on vessels belonging to, and for the exclusive use of, a married

couple. Goodall states further that although pottery is still decorated with

mazamu and maziso the significance of these features is no longer recognized

and anyone uses the vessels (p. 236).

SHAWASHA

240 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Other forms of decoration on the vessels described by Goodall are colouring

with graphite and a whitish pigment and simple incised designs.

No further information.

CONCLUSION

Pottery is still made and used by the Shawasha today, although a number

of vessel types are no longer made and the significance and ritual use of others

have to a great extent been lost.

The potters are women, who make pottery for others, as well as for their

own use. Pottery is put to a wide variety of uses.

The pottery types recorded include open-mouthed bowls, carinated pots

and bowls and spherical pots with narrow, tall necks. Zoomorphic vessels are

also attributed to this group.

Decoration, as described by Goodall, included the use of raised lumps and

depressions which used to have a social significance. The pottery generally

had a black finish.

To some extent the name of a vessel describes its shape, size and use, but

Goodall (1946) points out that the name of a pot, for example chikati, is some-

times used to describe only its size, and that the term may include pots of a

variety of shapes, which are put to different uses.

(a. 2) Maromo

A number of pots collected by Mr. W. H. Stead, now in the National

Museum, Bulawayo, are attributed by him to the Dzete tribe. Today these

people are known in the Charter district, where they live in Maronda Mashanu

under the Hera chief, Metekedza, and in Narira Reserve under the Rozwi

chief, Musarurgwa, as the Maromo (District Commissioner, Charter District,

in lit., 31/4/1964).

SECTION I—FIELD

The Maromo were not visited.

Technology

No information.

Pottery forms, names and uses

BowLs

I, WITHOUT NECKS

(11) Incurved

(a) Deep, wide-mouthed incurved bowl with cut rim and flattened base.

Height about 19 cm. Undecorated. (No. 250, BWYO 2053, Charter district,

Rhodesia)

Name: munzira (Stead, BWYO records).

Use: no record.

(b) Small, incurved bowl with wide mouth, cut rim and flattened base.

MAROMO

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 241

Height about 11 cm. Decorated with graphite (No. 251, BWYO 2054, Charter

district, Rhodesia).

Name: chikadjgana che munzira (Stead; BWYO records).

Use: for cooking; the smallest size (ditto).

2. WITH NECKS

(iv) Undifferentiated

As (b) above with neck (Stead).

Name: chimbiya (Stead; BWYO records).

Use: no record.

Ports

2. WITH NECKS

(i) Upright

Spherical pot with straight, upright neck formed with poorly-defined point

of inflection, rounded rim and rounded base. Height about 32 cm. Decorated

with graphic design and colour. (No. 252, BWYO 2057, Charter district,

Rhodesia)

Name: chkati (Stead; BWYO records).

Use: for cooking meat or porridge, in large quantities only (ditto).

(ii) Everted

(a) Large, inverted bag-shaped pot with everted neck formed with well-

defined point of inflection, and flattened base. Height about 33 cm. Decorated

with colour and graphic design. (No. 253, BWYO 2056, Charter district,

Rhodesia)

Name: chrongo (Stead; BWYO records).

Use: for carrying beer or water (ditto).

(b) Spherical pot with everted neck formed with well-defined point of

inflection, thickened flattened rim and rounded base. Height about 20 cm.

Decorated with colour and graphic design. (No. 254, BWYO 2052, Charter

district, Rhodesia)

Name: hadjgana (Stead; BWYO records).

Use: for cooking. Cooking-pots are used for cooking meat and vegetables

when they are new, they can then be used for cooking other foods and the

name changes accordingly; for example tsambakonzi is used exclusively for

porridge, whatever the type (ditto).

Decoration

The pots collected by Stead were decorated by the application of ochre

and graphite, either in vertical stripes on the neck and in triangular designs

on the body below the neck, or in alternate horizontal bands of colour. The

former design is the same as that found on a pot from Chindamora in Zezuru

territory. The designs were outlined with grooved or incised lines and a deeply

grooved line was commonly found at the base of the neck. The bowls were either

MAROMO

242 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

plain or decorated by the application of graphite on the outer surface below the

rim.

No further information.

SECTION II—LITERATURE

No information.

CONCLUSION

The Maromo were not visited and nothing is known of their pottery

techniques, nor, in fact, whether they make or use pottery today.

Examples of their pottery in museum collections consist of bowls and

large, necked pots (Stead). Pots are decorated with ochre and graphite within

simple graphic outlines and bowls are generally undecorated.

There is no obvious European influence on the type and decoration of

this ware.

(6) Manyika

SECTION I—FIELD

The Manyika of Inyanga Reserve, who had been transferred there from

Umtasa Reserve, and of Maranke and Zimunye Reserves, Umtali, were

visited during June 1963.

Technology

The following information was obtained from potters and other informants

were interviewed.

Potters: Potters were women specialists who made pottery for their own

use and to fulfil orders placed by neighbours. They had learnt the art either

from their mothers or other women who knew the techniques.

Materials: The potters dug their clay themselves with a hoe, from deposits

near rivers, and carried it home in a basket. It was either pounded wet (In-

yanga) or stamped when dry (Maranke); in either case water was then added

and the mixture was kneaded until it was the required consistency.

Tools

1. As a support on which to build: a wooden plate (Maranke), a piece of

zinc, an enamel plate (Inyanga).

2. As smoothers: a piece of calabash, a smooth piece of wood (Maranke;

Inyanga).

3. For decorating: for graphic designs—a grass stalk (Maranke).

Technique: The method described by both the potters interviewed was the

same ring technique as that used by the Zezuru (p. 231) with the variation that

the potter at Inyanga added lumps or rolls of clay to complete the base.

Drying: Once a vessel was formed it was allowed to dry before firing. The

potter at Inyanga left her pots to dry for about a week outside in a warm place,

sheltered from the direct rays of the sun. According to her the wind had no

detrimental effect on the vessels during the drying period.

MANYIKA

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 243

The potter at Umtali dried her wares in the sun for four days, but took

them indoors during the night.

Decorating: The decoration of pottery was done in two stages: graphic

decoration while the clay was still wet, just after the base was completed, and

the application of colour a day or two later. At Umtali, the potter prepared

graphite by grinding a small amount and mixing it with water. Graphite was

bought, and came from Penhalonga. Red colouring material was said to be

scarce in that district.

Firing : The number of pots fired at a time depended on how many of them

were ready when a firing took place. Both potters fired from three to twenty

vessels at a time. The firing took place either in a hollow (Maranke) or on the

level ground (Inyanga); the pots were placed on their sides on a layer of fire-

wood, the rest of the fuel being carefully arranged over them, and covered

with grass.

A firing time of from one-and-a-half to two hours was usual at both

Inyanga and Maranke. The potter at Inyanga allowed the vessels to cool in

the ashes before removing them.

Sealing| Testing: At Inyanga pots were used after firing without any further

treatment. At Maranke, when the fire had died down the pots were turned

the right way up and filled with water into which some bark of the mukarati

(Burkea afrikana Hook) was placed. The vessel was washed before being sold

or put to use.

Mending : No information.

; Pottery forms, names and uses

BowLs

2. WITH NECKS

(1) Upright

(a) Bowls with upright necks formed with well-defined point of inflection.

Made in range of sizes. Undecorated, with black finish. (Zimunya and Maranke

Reserves, Umtali)

Name: large size: inhamba/inkhama; small size: chikart (Zimunye).

Use: large size: for cooking; small size: for cooking (ditto).

(b) Wide-mouthed bowls with short, upright necks formed with poorly-

defined point of inflection. Made in range of sizes. Undecorated, with black

finish. (Inyanga Reserve, Inyanga)

Name: (i) chigapu; (ii) mbia (Inyanga).

Use: (i) for cooking vegetables; (ii) for monkey-nut sauce (ditto).

(ii) Everted

Open-mouthed bowl with everted neck (borderline thickened rim)

formed with poorly-defined point of inflection, rounded rim and rounded

base. Height about 7 cm. Decorated with colour. (No. 255, SAM 7125,

Holdenby, Rhodesia)

MANYIKA

244 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Name: mbiya (museum records).

Use: for serving food (ditto).

Pots

2. WITH NECKS

(1) Upright

(a) Wide-mouthed spherical pots with upright necks formed with well-

defined point of inflection. Height about 35 cm. Undecorated. (Maranke

Reserve, Umtal)

Name: mbidziro (Maranke).

Use: for brewing beer (ditto).

(5) Narrow-mouthed spherical pots with curved, upright necks formed

with well-defined point of inflection. Height about 30 cm. Undecorated.

(Maranke Reserve, Umtali).

Name: msudze (Maranke), gaii (Inyanga).

Use: for storing beer or water (Inyanga).

inflection. Smaller than (b) above. Sometimes decorated with graphic designs ~

and colour. (Maranke and Zimunye Reserves, Umtali; Inyanga Reserve,

Inyanga)

Name: (1) chipfuko (Maranke and Zimunye) ; (ii) kakaha (Inyanga).

Use: (i) for sweet beer or water (Maranke and Zimunye); (ii) for serving

beer to two or three visitors (Inyanga).

(d) Spherical, wide-mouthed pots with upright neck formed with well-

defined point of inflection. Made in two sizes. Undecorated, with black finish,

or with band of graphic design. (Zimunye and Maranke Reserves, Umtall)

Name: chigapu (Zimunye and Maranke).

Use: for cooking (ditto).

point of inflection. Height about 10 cm. Decorated with graphic design and

colour. (Zimunye Reserve, Umtalli)

Name: chimbiya (Zimunye).

Use: for serving vegetables (ditto).

(11) Everted

(a) Spherical pots with narrow, curved, everted necks formed with well-

defined point of inflection; sometimes has handle. In range of sizes. Decorated

with graphic design and colour. (No. 256, SAM 8970, Inyanga)

Name: kakaha (Inyanga).

Use: for storing and serving beer (ditto).

(b) Inverted bag-shaped pot with curved, everted neck formed with

well-defined point of inflection, rounded rim and rounded base. Height about

17 cm. Decorated with graphic design and colour. (No. 257, SAM 7126,

Holdenby, Rhodesia)

MANYIKA

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 245

Name: pfuko (museum records).

Use: for water (ditto).

Decoration

Most of the Manyika pottery seen was undecorated black ware, and some

examples had a raised band of cross hatching at the base of the neck.

Exceptions to this were pots used for storing beer or for serving beer or relish.

On these vessels decoration took the form of the application of colour (graphite,

ochre, red and black enamel paint) in vertical bands on the neck and triangular

designs below it.

Pottery from Holdenby was decorated with a very light orange ochre,

graphite and red paint and was entirely different in style from other Manyika

ware.

A characteristic feature of Manyika pottery was a marked grooved line

at the base of the neck, particularly in the Umtali districts.

No further information.

SECTION II—LITERATURE

Technology

Martin (1941) gives a full description of Manyika techniques as demons-

trated by the wife of a chief at Penhalonga, who came from Macequece,

Mozambique, and her daughter.

Potters: The manufacture was a hereditary craft passed from mother to

daughter within certain families, who sold their wares to the rest of the clan.

Martin says that although potters were then still handing their craft on to their

daughters they doubted whether it would be practised by them as the demand

for pottery was decreasing.

Materials: At Penhalonga pottery was made of a local greyish yellow clay

which turned red on firing. The potter herself dug the clay with a hoe from

about 33 feet below the surface and carried it in a basket. Each lump of clay

was examined and stray grass, roots and extra coarse, hard, white granules

were removed before it was placed in the basket. The site was re-covered

with the surface soil when sufficient clay had been dug.

Wooden pestles (motu) 6 feet long and 3 inches in diameter were used to

pound the clay which was placed on a flat slab of granite (guyo) and sprinkled

with water. The pole was jabbed into the clay, twisted away and drawn up

again until it did not come away readily, at which stage the material was

sufficiently prepared.

Tools

1. As a support on which to build: an enamel dish, a basket.

2. As smoothers: (i) for smoothing inner surface—a piece of calabash

(nhemba); (ii) for smoothing outer surface—a flat strip of bamboo (chipariro

che hart); (iii) for smoothing rim —a piece of wet skin.

3. For decorating: (i) for graphic designs—a fine, pointed stick; (ii) for

applying colour—a dry twig; (iii) for burnishing—a quartz pebble.

MANYIKA

246 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Technique: Large vessels were built by the ring technique, the base being

completed with the addition of lumps or rolls of clay after the rest of the vessel

had dried slightly.

Potters actually formed a more elongated vessel than appeared as the final

product. The reason for this was that while the clay was wet its weight caused

the pot to subside to a shorter, rounder form.

Small vessels were started from a lump of clay which was hollowed out to

form the base and the lower section of the walls on to which rolls of clay were

added in the usual way.

Drying: Three days were allowed for the drying of large pots.

Decorating: Incised designs were carried out while the clay was still wet

before the base of the pot was completed, and the application of colour a day

or two later. Martin (1941) said that Manyika pottery was generally undeco-

rated but that the potter demonstrated methods of decorating which she had

been taught by her grandmother at Macequece.

Graphite and ochre were applied in designs. The graphite was rubbed

directly on to the surface of the vessel after the lump of raw material had been

moistened. The blackened areas were then rubbed with first the fingers and

then a small quartzite pebble. The potter had bought her graphite from pedlars

who obtained it from Inyanga or Mutewe. She also used a red earthy material,

not an ochre, from Macequece, which she applied with a dry twig ‘brush’ after

moistening it with a little water. This too was burnished after application. Both

coloured and plain surface were burnished.

Firing : Firing took place in a level clearing. The pots were placed the right

way up, with the large ones in the centre and the smaller ones near the edges,

on a layer of firewood, and carefully covered with fuel and a layer of grass.

Firing was very quick; it took roughly fifteen minutes for the small pots to

become a dull red, after which they were gently edged out of the heap with a

stick and left to cool. Large vessels were fired for an hour and allowed to cool

off for another hour.

Sealing| Testing: No information.

Mending: No information.

Pottery forms, names and uses

BowLs

I. WITHOUT NECKS

(1) Open-mouthed

(a) Small wide-mouthed bowls with almost pointed bases. Height about

7 cm. Mouth diameter about 17 cm. (Stead, 1947).

Name: mbiya (Stead, 1947).

Use: for serving relish (ditto).

(b) Flattish, wide-mouthed bowls (Stead, 1947).

Name: rwenga (Stead).

Use: for roasting maize or other food (ditto).

MANYIKA

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 247

(ii) Incurved bowls

(a) Wide-mouthed incurved bowls. Height about 19 cm. Undecorated.

(Stead, 1947)

Name: mukate (Stead).

Use: for cooking, usually porridge (ditto).

(b) Inverted bag-shaped bowls. Made in range of sizes. Undecorated.

(Stead, 1947)

Name: large size: chigapu; small size: kadodo (Stead).

Use: for cooking meat and vegetables (ditto).

Pots

2. WITH NECKS

(1) Upright

(a) Large pots with narrow-mouthed neck formed with poorly-defined

point of inflection. Sometimes decorated. Height about 30 cm. (Stead, 1947).

Name: musudze (Stead).

Use: for carrying water (Stead), for storing beer (Martin, 1941).

(b) Spherical pot with narrow neck formed with poorly-defined point of

inflection. Height about 15-22 cm. Sometimes decorated. (Stead, 1947)

Name: kapfuko (Stead).

Use: for drinking (ditto).

defined point of inflection. Height about 17 cm. (Stead, 1947).

Name: chikari (Stead).

Use: for cooking meat and vegetables (ditto).

(d) Spherical pot with upright neck formed with well-defined point of

inflection. Height about 11 cm. Decorated with round indentations and

graphite. (Schofield, 1948; Plate X No. 17, Penhalonga, Rhodesia)

Name: chipfuko (Schofield, 1948).

Use: for cooking vegetables (ditto).

(iii) Inward-sloping

(a) Very large, spherical pots with narrow mouths and inward-sloping

necks, formed with poorly-defined point of inflection. Undecorated. Height

about 50 cm. (Stead, 1947).

Name: mbidziro (Stead).

Use: for storing kaffir beer, after cooking it (ditto).

(b) Large, inverted, bag-shaped pots with short, inward-sloping neck

formed with well-defined point of inflection. Sometimes decorated. Height

about 40 cm. (Stead, 1947).

Name: gati (Stead).

Use: for cooking beer (ditto).

MANYIKA

248 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

MIscELLANEOUS

Large beer-pot with two mouths (Schofield, 1948; Plate X No. 18).

Name: mbidziro (Martin, 1941).

Use: for serving beer at important occasions; used only by chiefs and head-

men, the two mouths show the hospitality of the host, for two people can help

themselves from it at the same time using a gourd ladle (ditto).

Decoration

According to Martin (1941) and Schofield (1948), Manyika pottery is

generally simple and seldom decorated. Graphite or red earth may be used

as colouring agents and dimpled depressions, maziso (p. 239) are also used.

System of distribution

Martin (1941) states that the pottery trade was at a low ebb at the time of

writing and that demands for pottery were few. Pottery was made by specialists

who retained the secrets of their craft within their families (Martin, 1941).

Taboos and other practices in connexion with pottery manufacture and use

Girls over the age of puberty were examined regularly by an old woman

of the village to ascertain that they were still virgins. The girls each took a

kapfuko to the stream where the examination took place. When they returned

they took the kapfuko to their fathers; if it was full of water they were still

virgins, if only half full they had been seduced and their fathers set about

making inquiries (Stead, 1947). Cf. Zezuru, p. 236.

CONCLUSION

The Manyika tribes make and use pottery today. Martin (1941) found that

the techniques were kept secret within certain families (cf. pp. 180, 286), but

today potters learn either from their mothers or by watching neighbours at

work. They sell to neighbours, as well as making for their own use.

The Manyika use the ring technique for large pots, and close the base,

after completing the rest of the vessel, with additional clay. Small pots are

started from a hollowed lump of clay on to which rings of clay are smoothed.

The pottery of the Manyika living in the Umtali district consists of necked

bowls and pots in a range of sizes, the neck being formed with a well-defined

point of inflection. The pottery of the group living at Inyanga differs in that

most necks are formed with a poorly-defined point of inflection.

Manyika pottery is generally black and only a few examples of their ware

were decorated with colour.

Pottery vessels are used for cooking and as containers for liquids.

The shapes of the necked pots are very similar to those of the Zezuru;

further, in both wares there is often a grooved line at the base of the neck of

a vessel, and both are black or coloured, with similar designs.

In some districts enamel paint has replaced graphite and ochre for

decoration.

MANYIKA

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 249

(b. 1) Teve

The Teve are a Shona people who live in Mozambique.

SECTION I—FIELD

The Teve were visited in July 1963.

Technology

No information in this section.

Pottery forms, names and uses

BowLs

2. Everted

(a) Deep, spherical, wide-mouthed bowl with very short, everted neck

formed with well-defined point of inflection. Undecorated. Matt black finish.

(Plate XXIV No. 71, Marera Mission, Vila Pery, and at Chief Marera’s,

Vila Pery)

Name: chikari (Chief Marera’s).

Use: for cooking (ditto).

(b) Deep, wide-mouthed spherical bowls with curved, everted necks

formed with poorly-defined point of inflection, and rounded base. Made in

range of sizes. Black finish, decorated with graphic design. (Plate XXIV

No. 71, Marera Mission, Vila Pery)

Name: chikart (Marera Mission).

Use: for cooking (ditto).

Pots

I. WITHOUT NECKS

Deep, spherical pot with rounded base. Undecorated. (Chief Marera’s,

Vila Pery)

Name and use: no record.

2. WITH NECKS

(1) Upright

Large, wide-mouthed, inverted bag-shaped pot with curved, everted neck

formed with poorly defined point of inflection. Height 25-30 cm. Decorated

with graphic design and colour. (Chief Marera’s, Vila Pery)

Name: dzuwe (Chief Marera’s).

Use: for brewing beer (ditto).

(11) Everted

Large, inverted bag-shaped pot with tall, narrow, curved, everted neck

formed with well-defined point of inflection and rounded base. Grooved line

at base of neck. (Chief Marera’s, Vila Pery)

Name: mutuwe (Chief Marera’s).

Use: no record.

TEVE

250 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

MIscELLANEOUS

Carafe-shaped vessels, probably made in imitation of Portuguese ware.

Decorated with paint. (Chief Marera’s, Vila Pery)

Name: maringo (Chief Marera’s).

Use: for beer or water (ditto).

Decoration

All the examples of chikart were blackened by use, but nearly all decorated

with incised designs: cross-hatched bands and triangles, and single or double

zigzag lines (Plate XXIV No. 71). Large pots with necks were also decorated

with a band and triangle pattern just below the base of the neck.

The carafes were decorated with enamel paint applied in triangular

designs.

The incised triangular, cross-hatched motifs were not unlike those of the

Hlengwe ware (see Nos. 55-62).

No further information in this section.

SECTION II—LITERATURE

Technology

The following information was recorded by Shropshire (1936).

Potlers: The potters were women.

Materials: The clay was collected from antheaps and mixed with water.

Tools

1. As a support on which to build: a wooden plate.

2. As smoothers: (1) for outer surface—a mealie cob; (ii) for inner surface—

a piece of bamboo, a piece of calabash; (iii) for rim—a piece of cloth, a leaf.

Technique: ‘The spiral technique was used, the clay being formed into

rolls between the palms of the hands and built up on a wooden dish. A mealie

cob, dipped in water, was used for smoothing the outer surface and as an aid

in shaping the vessel. The inside of the pot was smoothed with a piece of

calabash, and the rim was shaped by smoothing with a piece of rag or a leaf.

The base was completed after a short drying period.

Drying: Drying took place in the sun.

Decorating: Vessels were decorated with different coloured clays in geo-

metrical designs and polished with a smooth pebble.

Sealing/ Testing: Potters tested the vessels with food and water which they

themselves ate or drank. This was done either before selling or using a pot

themselves.

No further information.

CONCLUSION

The Teve of Mozambique still make and use pottery. The potters are

women. According to information in the literature they use the spiral technique,

a method which was not used by any Shona or Tsonga peoples visited during

the survey.

TEVE

BANTU POTTERY OF SOU'THERN AFRICA 251

Most of their pottery consists of deep wide-mouthed bowls, some with

everted necks and some without, decorated with incised cross-hatched bands

and triangles. Large pots with necks are also decorated in this way but are

the natural colour of the fired clay, whereas the small ones are blackened,

possibly by use. Carafes, made in imitation of Portuguese earthenware, are

decorated with enamel paint.

The pottery terminology includes the terms chikart, used by many Shona

of both Karanga and Roswi subdivisions, and dzuwe, which is possibly related

to the Ndau term dubi/inthube.

In shape the small vessels are very similar to those made by the Manyika

of Inyanga, but the necks are not of the ‘collar-type’ (i.e. with a deep groove at

its base), which is frequently found among the Shona tribes.

SECTION I—FIELD

The Korekore were not visited.

Technology

No information.

Pottery forms, names and uses

BowLs

I, WITHOUT NECKS

(ii) Incurved

Incurved bowl with wide mouth. Height about 15 cm. Decorated with

raised and graphic designs. Black finish. (No. 258, SAL, no number, Lomagundi,

Darwin) .

Name and use: no record.

2. WITH NECKS

(i) Everted

Small bowl with everted neck formed with poorly-defined point of inflec-

tion, rounded rim and pedestal base. Height about 10 cm. Decorated with

moulded or applied lumps. (No. 259, SAL 45.7.1. Sinoia, Rhodesia; cf. No. 260,

CAM 54.37, Salisbury, pre-occupation)

Name and use: no record.

Decoration

Both examples were decorated with bosses, mazamu. On the incurved bowl

three pairs of them were spaced on a raised cross-hatched band below the

mouth of the vessel. On the other example five pairs of twin lugs were placed

equidistant from each other on the outer surface and there were four pairs of

‘pimples’, also spaced, on the inner surface of the neck.

No further information.

KOREKORE

252 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

SECTION II—LITERATURE

Technology

No information.

Pottery forms, names and uses

MiIscELLANEOUS

Pottery cups

(1) In the shape of a small sub-carinated bowl with everted neck formed

with poorly-defined point of inflection, and short pedestal base. Decorated

with colour and stamped impressions (compound). (Schofield, 1948; Plate X

No. 14, Sinoia, Lomagundi)

(ii) In the shape of an inverted bag-shaped pot with tall, everted neck

formed with well-defined point of inflection, and pedestal base. Decorated with

graphic design. Black finish. (Schofield, 1948; Plate X No. 15, Sinoia, Loma-

gundi)

Name and use: no record; for drinking (from shape).

Decoration

Schofield (1948) suggests that the comb impressions used by the Korekore

either show Senga influence or are a legacy from Class R,G wares which were

used in Lomagundi district until the early part of the last century.

No further information.

CONCLUSION

No Korekore tribes were visited and there is very little information on their

pottery. It is in fact, not known whether they make and use it today.

Two examples of Korekore pottery in museum collections are decorated

with raised bosses of the type described by Goodall (1946) (see p. 239) and

found on Tonga pottery from Mkota Reserve, Budjga pottery from Mtoko and

some Zezuru examples.

The two examples illustrated by Schofield are to him reminiscent of

pottery from the north.

(ci) Budjga/Budja

SECTION I—FIELD

The Budjga of Mtoko were visited in 1963. One potter was watched at

work and another interviewed.

Technology

The following information was obtained from two potters.

Potters: The potters were women who had learnt their craft from their

mothers. Both of them made pottery for sale, as well as for their own domestic use.

Materials: Clay was collected near a river, and was chosen by the potters

themselves. It was dug with a hoe and carried home in a basket. The dry clay

BUDJGA

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 253

was ground on a grinding stone, foreign matter was removed and water was

added to the fine material. The mixture was then kneaded.

Tools

1. As a support on which to build: a plate, for small vessels.

2. As smoothers: (i) for the outer surface—a mealie cob, a piece of cala-

bash; (ii) for the rim—a piece of soft skin.

3. For decorating: (i) for graphic design —a grass stem; (ii) for burnishing —

a quartzite pebble.

Technique: One of the potters was seen making a very large beer-pot inside

her hut; she said that she always worked indoors to keep out of the wind and

had never had a vessel break. The other potter, who was only interviewed,

sometimes worked out of doors, but she stressed the importance of keeping

damp pottery out of the wind, which would cause it to crack.

The technique used in the manufacture of a large water pot with upright

neck, and narrow mouth was as follows:

Three extremely large, fat rolls of clay were placed so as to form a ring in

a depression in the hut floor, which had been especially prepared for the

purpose. Three similar rough, thick, clay rings were placed one on top of the

other, before the potter, moving around the pot, smoothed them together,

using only her hands, and starting from the inside. The potter then allowed

this section to settle into shape before adding another three rings of clay which

were likewise smoothed and shaped with the hands only. A piece of sacking was

then tied around the base of the vessel to keep it damp and the pot was left

until the following day when it would usually be dry enough to turn over on to

the neck so that the base might be completed.

Drying: Pots are left indoors for from four days to a week before they are

fired; they may be covered with a piece of sacking while they are still damp.

On the day of firing the vessel is placed outside in the sun until about six

o'clock when it is fired.

Decorating: At the demonstration the potter showed how with the fingers

inside the vessel and the thumb exerting slight pressure around the base of the

outside of the neck she obtained the single depressed line which is so charac-

teristic of vessels of this type.

The other potter sometimes decorated her wares with graphite, which was

bought in the form of a ‘ball of black powder’ and was to be found near Mtoko,

and ochre, which was obtained from a river site about 20 miles away. Examples

of pottery seen at her homestead were coloured with enamel paint.

Firing: The methods of firing described by these two potters varied only

in slight details. In both cases the firing took place on level ground, the vessels

being placed mouth upwards between layers of fuel. One potter used dried

bobbejaanstert (pfundo (Vellozia sp.) ) as a fuel, and placed small quantities

of it inside the vessels as well as around them. The fuel used by the other potter

was the bark of the mukwati tree (Strychnos pungens Solered (Loganiaeceae)),

none of which was especially placed inside the pots. The pottery was removed

from the ashes the morning after firing. BUDJGA

254 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Sealing/ Testing: Both potters filled pots with hot beer before they used

or sold them.

Mending: No information.

Pottery forms, names and uses

BowLs

I. WITHOUT NECKS

(1) Open-mouthed

Deep, almost straight-sided bowl with rounded base. Undecorated (near

Musungwa Mountain, Mtoko).

Name: tsya (Mtoko).

Use: for cooking (ditto).

(ii) Incurved

Wide-mouthed, incurved bowls with rounded base (near Musungwa

Mountain, Mtoko).

Name: chikant (Mtoko).

Use: for cooking (ditto).

Pots

2. WITH NECKS

(i) Upright

(a) Spherical, narrow-mouthed pot with upright neck formed with well-

defined point of inflection, rounded rim and dimple base. Height about 20 cm.

Decorated with paint. (No. 261, SAM 8978, Mtoko)

Name: kapfuko (Mtoko).

Use: for drinking (ditto).

(b) Medium-sized spherical, wide-mouthed pot with upright neck formed

with well-defined point of inflection, flattened thickened rim and rounded

base. Undecorated, except for grooved line around base of neck. (Kaunya,

Mtoko)

Name: gaha/kaha (Mtoko).

Use: no record.

formed with well-defined point of inflection. Undecorated, except for grooved

line around base of neck. (Kaunya, Mtoko)

Name: hari (Kaunya).

Use: for storing beer or drinking water (ditto).

(11) Everted

Spherical pot with narrow mouth and everted neck formed with well-

defined point of inflection. Decorated with enamel paint. (Mtoko)

Name and use: no record.

MIscELLANEOUS

‘Sugar bowl’ with lid and two handles, and pedestal base. Coloured with

enamel paint. (Kaunya, Mtoko)

BUDJGA

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 255

Name: no record.

Use: for sugar (Mtoko).

Decoration

The few vessels which were seen were either undecorated, except for a

grooved line at the base of the neck, or coloured with enamel paint applied

in triangles below the neck.

System of distribution

Pottery is made by women specialists who fulfil orders placed by

neighbours.

No further information.

SECTION II—LITERATURE

Technology

No information.

Pottery forms, names and uses

BowLs

i. WITHOUT NECKS

(11) Incurved

Wide-mouthed incurved bowl. Height about 10 cm. Decorated with four

elongated projections, mazamu. (Schofield, 1948; Plate IX No. 8; Goodall,

1946, fig. VII No. 2)

Name: chirongo (Goodall, 1946).

Use: for use by women as container for cooked food (ditto).

2. WITH NECKS

(ii) Everted

Large bowl with carination at base of everted neck. Height about 20 cm.

Decorated with graphite and four pairs of projections below carination. (Scho-

field, 1948; Plate IX No. 2; Mtoko Reserve; Goodall, 1946, fig. V No. 4)

Name: gaha (Goodall, 1946).

Use: for washing body (Schofield, 1948; Goodall, 1946).

MIscELLANEOUS

Schofield (1948) found that the Budjga made a number of different types

of pots and bowls similar to Zezuru ware.

Decoration

Moulded (or applied) decoration was used on the two special vessels

described above, but although this form of decoration is believed to have had

some significance in the past, this is no longer found to be the case (Goodall,

1946) (see p. 239).

No further information.

CONCLUSION

Pottery is made and used by the Budjga today. The potters are women who

learn the art from their mothers and make domestic utensils both for their

BUDJGA

2 56 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

neighbours and for themselves. They use the ring technique used by the

Manyika and Zezuru potters.

Very little Budjga pottery was examined, but the few pieces seen were

undecorated, black pots and bowls with a grooved line at the base of the neck.

Apart from these traditional forms, a few examples in imitation of European

ceramics, coloured with enamel paint, were seen.

The moulded decoration described in the literature was not seen in the

field.

(d) Tonga

SECTION I—FIELD

The Tonga were not visited.

Technology

No information.

Pottery forms, names and uses

BowLs

I. WITHOUT NECKS

(i) Open-mouthed

Shallow, open-mouthed bowl with flattened thickened rim and flattened

base. Height about 7 cm. Decorated with seven sets of three bosses around rim

and graphic design inside bowl. (SAL 45.33.10, Mkota, north-east Rhodesia)

Name and use: no record.

(11) Incurved

(a) Incurved bowl with cut rim and rounded base. Height about 16 cm.

Decorated with graphic design and colour. (No. 262, BWYO 5455, Wankie,

west Rhodesia)

Name and use: no record.

(6) Incurved bowl with rounded rim and rounded base. Height about

11 cm. Decorated with raised decoration and graphic design. Black finish.

(SAL 49.45, Mkota, north-east Rhodesia; Goodall, 1946, fig. VII No. 1)

Name: chikare (Goodall, 1946).

Use: for vegetables and gravy (ditto).

8 cm. Blackened by use. Decorated with raised rectangular bosses. (SAL

45-33.3, Mkota, north-east Rhodesia)

Name: no record.

Use: for meat and vegetables (museum records).

(d) Small, incurved bowl with cut rim and rounded base. Height about

8 cm. Decorated with graphic design (No. 263, SAL 25.8.46, Mkota, north-east

Rhodesia).

Name and use: no record.

TONGA

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 257

%. WI'TH NECKS

(ii) Everted

(a) Spherical bowl with curved, everted neck formed with poorly-defined

point of inflection, thickened rim and rounded base. Height about 16 cm.

Decorated raised bands, bosses, graphic design and graphite. (SAL 47.28.1,

Mkota, north-east Rhodesia)

Name and use: no record.

(b) Small, spherical bowl with everted neck formed with poorly-defined

point of inflection, rounded rim and slightly flattened base. Height about 9 cm.

Decorated black burnish. (SAL 45.33.4, Mkota, north-east Rhodesia)

Name and use: no record.

Ports

I. WITHOUT NECKS

Narrow-mouthed spherical pot with rounded base. Height about 16 cm.

Decorated with bosses and graphic design. Black finish. (SAL 46.33.2, Mkota,

north-east Rhodesia)

Name and use: no record.

2. WITH NECKS

(1) Upright

Pot with sub-carination or carination at widest diameter, with upright

neck, rounded rim and rounded base. Height 20-35 cm. Decorated with colour

and graphic design. (No. 264, BWYO 5456, Wankie; No. 265, No. 266 and

No. 297, Sebungwe, north-west Rhodesia)

Name and use: no record.

(11) Everted

(a) Large pot with tall, everted neck formed with well-defined point of

inflection, thickened rim and rounded base. Height about 27 cm. Decorated

with graphic design. Black finish. (SAL 47.28.2, Mkota, north-east Rhodesia)

Name and use: no record.

(b) Inverted bag-shaped pot with tall, curved, everted neck formed with

poorly-defined point of inflection, thickened flattened rim and rounded base.

Height about 21 cm. Decorated with graphic design and colour. (No. 267,

SAM 6070, Sebungwe, north-west Rhodesia)

Name: no record.

Use: for beer (museum records).

inflection, rounded rim and rounded base. Height about 18 cm. Decorated

with stamped depressions. Black finish. (SAL 49.44, Mkota, north-east

Rhodesia)

Name and use: no record.

TONGA

258 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

(ii1) Jnward-sloping

Large pot with inward-sloping neck formed with poorly-defined point of

inflection, thickened flattened rim and rounded base. Height about 30 cm.

Decorated with graphic design and colour. (No. 268, SAM 6070, Sebungwe,

north-west Rhodesia)

Name and use: no record.

Decoration

Tonga pots from Wankie Reserve were decorated with incised or grooved

chevron bands or triangular designs coloured with graphite and cchre. Often

there was a narrow band of stamped comb impressions or a stamped outline to

the design. Both beer vessels and a bowl were decorated in this way.

Tonga pottery from Mkota was differently decorated. Most of the vessels

had a black finish and decoration took the form of bosses or lugs on the rim or

round the body of the vessel, raised bands either cross-hatched or patterned

with stamped comb impressions, shallow single oval impressions and, occa-

sionally, incised designs. Graphite was occasionally used.

No further information in this section.

SECTION II—LITERATURE

The following information applies only to the Tonga of the north-east

corner of Rhodesia (Schofield, 1948, quoting Goodall).

Technology

Potters: Pottery is made by women.

Decorating: Graphic designs are carried out when the clay is fairly dry.

Firing: Pots to be burnt are placed on the open ground and completely

covered with a particular type of bark. Firing takes place only on still evenings

as a slow, even fire is essential. The fire is started at the apex with grass as

kindling.

Sealing/ Testing: After firing pots are washed inside and out with a red

decoction of the bark of the msototo tree which prevents them from cracking

when they are first used.

Pottery forms, names and uses

BowLs

I. WITHOUT NECKS

(1) Oben-mouthed

U-shaped bowls. Particularly well-made. (Schofield, 1948)

Name: no record.

Use: for serving porridge (Schofield).

(11) Incurved

(a) Deep, wide-mouthed, incurved bowls with rounded bases. Height

about 17 cm. Black or brown ware with raised bands and bosses and graphic

decoration. (Schofield, 1948; Plate IX No. 9, Niekerk Ruins, Inyanga)

TONGA

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 259

Name: ? chirongo (Schofield, 1948).

Use: for cooked food; used by women only (ditto).

(b) Narrow-mouthed, shallow incurved bowl with flattened base. Height

about 11 cm. Black or brown ware, decorated with graphic design. (Schofield,

1948, Plate IX No. 7, QVMM, Mkota Reserve, north-east Rhodesia)

Name: chikare (Schofield, 1948).

Use: for vegetables and gravy; used by women only (ditto).

Pots

2. WITH NECKS

(i) Upright

Inverted, sub-carinated pot with upright neck formed with poorly-defined

point of inflection, thickened rim and rounded base. Height about 30 cm.

Decorated with graphic design. (Schofield, 1948; Plate X No. 16, Mkota

Reserve, north-east Rhodesia)

Name: no record.

Use: for brewing and serving beer, and storing water (Schofield, 1948).

Decoration

Goodall (Schofield, 1948) describes two types of pottery made by the

Tonga of the Mtoko district; the first is black or brown ware decorated with

‘slightly raised bands with herring-bone or cross-hatched incisions, discs,

representing tribal facial cicatrization, breast-like projections, and simple

geometrical motifs, all placed a little below the rim’. The second type is deco-

rated with contiguous bands of cross-hatched triangles covering the whole

surface of the neck to a little below the rim. The decoration has a very clean-

cut appearance.

No further information.

CONCLUSION

None of the Tonga tribes was visited, but it is presumed that they make and

use pottery today as they did so up to 1948. There is no record of their building

and shaping methods.

A great deal of pottery made by the Tonga, particularly of the north-east

districts has been collected for museums. Two wares are found in Mkota

Reserve, one a polychrome consisting of necked carinated and sub-carinated

pots and incurved bowls which resembles the pottery from Sebungwe north-

west region; the decoration of the other which consists of open-mouthed bowls

and spherical bowls and pots with and without necks, is similar to that of the

black ware with moulded and graphic decoration of the Zezuru, Manyika and

Budjga tribes.

(ec) Karanga

SECTION I—FIELD

The Karanga of Belingwe were visited and a potter interviewed.

KARANGA

260 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Technology

The following information was obtained from the potter at Belingwe.

Potters: ‘The potter was a woman who made pottery both for her own

domestic use and to supply neighbours who came to her with orders. She did

not sell her wares for money but bartered them for the amount of grain that a

vessel could contain.

Materials: Dry clay is stamped finely, then mixed with water and stamped

again.

Tools

1. As a support on which to build: a plate.

3. For decorating: for incised designs—a piece of stick.

Technique: Small vessels were raised from the lump, whereas large ones

were built from rolls of clay formed into rings, the number of rings depending

upon the size of the vessel to be made. The lumps of clay from which the small

vessels are made are hollowed out entirely during the shaping of the upper

portion, and the base is completed last.

Drying: No information.

Decorating: Pottery is occasionally coloured with red and black materials.

The potter found the red material locally but had to buy the black from

hawkers.

Firing: Firing takes place in a hole about 3 feet deep which the potter

digs. The day before the writer’s visit, four large beer-pots had been fired, two

of which had cracked. The pots are left in position overnight and removed from

the ashes the following morning with a long stick.

Sealing/ Testing: Pots are tested on beer-brewing days by pouring hot beer

into them. The potter was most reluctant to sell any vessels before treating them.

A small hut-like shelter filled with fired vessels for testing was seen at the

homestead.

Pottery forms, names and uses

BowLs

I. WITHOUT NECKS

(i) Open-mouthed

Small open-mouthed bowl with cut rim and pedestal base. Height about

11 cm. Decorated with graphic design and graphite. (No. 269, BWYO 5815,

Fort Victoria)

Name: cimbia (museum records).

Use: for drinking beer or serving relish (ditto).

(ii) Incurved

Deep, incurved bowl with cut rim and flat base. Height 19 cm. Decorated

with graphic design and colour. (No. 270, BWYO 5814, Fort Victoria)

Name: ahjane (museum records).

Use: for cooking vegetables (ditto).

KARANGA

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 261

Ports

I. WITHOUT NECKS

Very large, incurved pots. Height about 55 cm. Two grooved lines

below rim (potter’s place, Belingwe).

Name: gate (Belingwe).

Use: for beer (ditto).

2. WITH NECKS

(i) Upright }

(a) Large, oval pot with narrow, upright neck formed with poorly-defined

point of inflection and slightly flattened base. Height about 45cm. Undecorated.

(Plate XXV No. 73, Belingwe)

Name: chirongo (Belingwe).

Use: for beer storage.

(b) Spherical pot with tall, upright neck formed with poorly-defined point

of inflection, cut rim and dimple base, with handle. Height about 29 cm.

Decorated with graphic design and colour. (No. 274, BWYO 5813, Victoria,

Rhodesia)

Name: Pfuko (museum records).

Use: for carrying water (ditto).

inflection and rounded base. Height about 20 cm. Graphic decoration. (No. 275,

BWYO 5158, Mtilikwe Reserve, Victoria, Rhodesia)

Name and use: no record.

Decoration

Karanga pottery seen at the potter’s place was mostly undecorated. The

only decoration seen took the form of two grooved lines or two bands of grooved

triangles below the rim of a vessel, and the potter also mentioned the occasional

_ use of graphite and ochre.

The characteristic feature of the decoration on pottery from the Victoria

district now in museum collections was an horizontal grooved band patterned

with incised cross-hatching below the rim or at the base of the neck of a vessel.

Graphite was used and, very occasionally, ochre. One pot had a design of

triangles on a background of stamped impressions, in addition to the cross-

hatched band.

| System of distribution

The potter at Belingwe made pottery for sale as well as for her own

domestic use.

No further information.

SECTION II—LITERATURE

Technology

No information.

KARANGA

262 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Pottery forms, names and uses

The following pottery types are illustrated by Robinson (1961) (from the

Karanga of Chibi) and Schofield (1948).

Ports

2. WITH NECKS

(i) Upright

Large spherical pot with narrow-mouthed upright neck formed with well-

defined point of inflection, and dimple base. Decorated with graphic design.

(Robinson, 1961)

Name: chiwana (Robinson).

Use: for holding beer at a party (ditto).

(11) Everted

(a) Small spherical pot with curved, everted neck formed with a poorly-

defined point of inflection and rounded base. Grooved decoration. (Robinson,

1961)

Name: hadyana (Robinson).

Use: for cooking relish (ditto).

(b) Larger spherical pot with curved, everted neck formed with poorly-

defined point of inflection, and rounded base. Grooved decoration. (Robinson,

1961)

Name: shamba kodzi (Robinson).

Use: for eating from (ditto).

(i11) Inward-sloping

(a) Spherical pot with inward-sloping neck formed with well-defined point

of inflection and rounded base. Decorated with raised band and graphic

design. (Schofield, 1948; Plate X No. 10, Morgenster, Zimbabwe)

Name and use: no record.

(b) Large spherical pot with inward-sloping neck and dimple base.

Grooved decoration. (Robinson, 1961)

Name: nyengero (Robinson).

Use: for beer for workers in the lands (ditto).

MIscELLANEOUS

Calabash-shaped pot with dimple base. Decorated with graphic design.

(Robinson, 1961)

Name: chipfuko (Robinson, 1961).

Use: for taste of new brew of beer for husband (ditto).

Decoration

_ The example illustrated by Schofield from Fort Victoria has a

raised cross-hatched, horizontal band, with pendant triangles around

the base of the neck.

KARANGA

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 263

The sketches of Chibi pottery (Robinson, 1961) show decoration as taking

the form of one or two grooved lines, or bands of stippled triangles, apex to

apex at the base of the neck. There is no mention of colour.

No further information.

CONCLUSION

Pottery is still made and used by the Karanga of the Belingwe, Chibi,

and Victoria districts. The only potter visited was one who lived in Belingwe

and made pottery not only for her own use but for neighbours who placed

orders with her. She preferred to barter her wares for grain rather than sell

them.

The potter used the ring technique for large vessels and built small ones

by entirely hollowing a lump of clay to form the walls. In both cases the base

was completed later with additional clay. The method used for making small

pots was also used by a Kalanga potter at Serowe.

Insufficient Karanga pottery was seen or available in the literature for

any representative range of types or decoration to be identified.

(f) Kalanga

SECTION I—FIELD

The Kalanga were not visited, but some pottery from Kalanga territory

was seen in museum collections.

Technology

No information.

Pottery forms, names and uses

BowLs

_ 2. WITH NECKS

(i1) Everted

(a) Deep, wide-mouthed bowl with everted neck formed with poorly-

defined point of inflection, and rounded base. Height about 16 cm. Decorated

with graphic design and colour. (No. 271, BWYO 2050, Matopo Hills)

Name and use: no record.

(b) Sub-spherical bowl with everted neck formed with poorly-defined

point of inflection, rounded rim and rounded base. Height about 13 cm.

Decorated with graphic design and colour. (No. 273, BWYO 2027, Gwai

Reserve, Rhodesia)

Name and use: no record.

KALANGA

264 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Pots

I. WITHOUT NECKS

Spherical pot with rounded rim and rounded base. Height about 15 cm.

Decorated with colour. (No. 272, BWYO 2049, Gwaai Reserve, Rhodesia)

Name and use: no record.

2. WITH NECKS

(11) Everted

Large spherical pot with curved everted neck formed with poorly-defined

point of inflection, cut rim and rounded base. Height 34 cm. Decorated with

graphic design and colour. (No. 276, Plumtree)

Name: no record.

Use: for water (museum records).

Decoration

The Kalanga pottery seen in museum collections was a polychrome ware,

coloured with either graphite and ochre, or red and black enamel paint.

Graphic designs consisted of vertical and horizontal bands, triangles, and

chevron patterns.

No further information.

SECTION II—LITERATURE

Technology

No information.

Pottery forms, names and uses

Pots

I. WITHOUT NECKS

Spherical pot with rounded base. Decorated with painted red designs.

Height about 21 cm. (Schofield, 1948; Plate X No. 9, Bulawayo district).

Name and use: no record.

Decoration

The example described by Schofield has geometric shapes painted in red

within a band round the neck.

CONCLUSION

The techniques of Kalanga potters in Rhodesia are not known (see p. 146

for Kalanga in Bechuanaland). The amount of pottery recorded was too small

to distinguish a range of types—bowls with everted necks and spherical type

pots with and without necks were noted. Decoration seemed to be generally

both graphic and coloured in red and black.

(g) Mari

SECTION I—FIELD

The Mari of Victoria and Chibi were visited in June 1963.

MARI

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 265

Technology

The following information was obtained from two potters one of whom

lived at Chimbeba, Chibi, and the other at Charumbira, Victoria.

Potters: Both potters had learnt the art from members of their family; the

potter at Victoria from her grandmother and the potter at Chibi from her

mother. They both made pottery for sale, the potter at Victoria, as requested,

made goods in imitation of wares discovered at Zimbabwe and Inyanga, for

sale at the store at the Zimbabwe Ruins. It was learned from informants in

the Chibi district that a local potter made large quantities of pottery, which

she transported by bus, for sale to the sugar estates at Triangle.

Materials: The potter at Chimbeba chose the type of clay according to the

type and size of the vessel she was going to make. A sandy clay, located fairly

near the homestead, was suitable for small pots, but clay for large pots had to

be fetched from a deposit farther away. The preparation of the raw material

was the same in each case; it was stamped with a pestle on a flat stone and

then mixed with water. .

The potter at Charumbira collected a great deal of clay at a time because

it was found far away. She went to fetch the clay herself and brought it back by

donkey. The clay, which was fairly damp when collected, was dried, ground

and stored in a sheltered spot out of doors in an old pot or tin until it was

needed. To prepare it for use the potter sieved it through a fine wire mesh and

mixed the fine material with water. The mixture was then kneaded. The idea

of sieving had been the potter’s.

Tools

1. As a support on which to build: an enamel plate (Chibi, Victoria).

2. As smoothers: a flat, smooth piece of wood (Chibi, Victoria).

3. For decorating: (i) for applying colour—a tuft of feathers tied to a stick

(Victoria); (ii) for burnishing—a smooth stone, urungudo (Victoria).

Technique: Two different methods of manufacture were used. The potter

at Chibi made pottery throughout the year and always worked indoors so as

to be out of the wind. This potter worked with very wet clay which she formed

into a conical lump and then hollowed out entirely, leaving an open base.

After shaping the vessel to the rim the potter tied a cloth around the base of the

walls to keep them damp and easy to work when she filled in the base about

two days later. |

The other potter worked only during the dry season. She made her pottery

out of doors in a place sheltered by very large boulders. The vessels were built

up with fat rolls of clay, placed one on top of the other in rings, each successive

one being flattened on to the one below on the inside, and then smoothed on

the outside. The potter worked standing up, bent over the vessel, holding the

support with her feet (Plate XXIV No. 72). The base was completed with the

addition of more rolls of clay the following day after the vessel had been

allowed to dry slightly indoors.

MARI

266 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Drying: Both the potters said that they dried their pottery for four days

before it was fired. On the day of firing the vessels were put into the sun.

Decorating: Graphic decoration is done after the pot is shaped, and colour

is applied when it has dried, before firing. The potter at Victoria obtained a

red clay from near Zimbabwe for decorating. This she applied with her fingers

and burnished with a smooth river pebble. A black colour was obtained from a

micaceous schist bought from pedlars, who obtained it from Makahore. The

material was powdered, mixed with water and applied with a paintbrush of

feathers.

The potter at Chibi described two shades of red obtained from clay which

she used for decorating, and a black colour (chidziro) which could be got from

Fort Victoria.

Firing: The potter at Chibi dug a hole deep enough to contain about six

pots. She placed the vessels on their sides, with their mouths facing away from

the wind. The bark of the mufura (Sclerocarya caffra) and mutondo (Cordyla africana

Lour (Papilionaceae) ) was used as a fuel, and grass as a kindling. No fuel was

placed inside the pots. Firing was started in the early afternoon and when the

fire died down the pots were ready but they were left in the ashes until they

were cool.

The potter at Victoria fired her pots on a level stretch of ground. Firing

took about two hours and she was able to tell by looking at the pots whether

they were done. She was not able to explain breakages during firing.

Sealing/ Testing: The potter at Chibi treated beer-pots by filling them with

beer while they were heating over a fire. The potter at Victoria practised no

sealing or testing methods.

Mending: Neither of the potters mended vessels which cracked during

firing.

Pottery forms, names and uses

Bow Ls

I. WITHOUT NECKS

(ii) Incurved

Small, incurved spherical bowls. Undecorated. Black finish. (Chimbeba,

Chibi)

Name: mbiya (Chimbeba).

Use: for serving meat or vegetables (ditto).

Pots

I. WITHOUT NECKS

(a) Large, inverted bag-shaped pot with rounded or flattened rim and

rounded base. Undecorated. (Chimbeba, Chibi)

Name: rukambi (Chimbeba).

Use: for cooking beer (ditto).

MARI

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 267

(b) Wide-mouthed, inverted bag-shaped pot. Slightly smaller than (qa)

above. Undecorated. (Chimbeba, Chibi)

Name: gati (Chimbeba).

Use: for brewing beer (ditto).

2. WITH NECKS

(i) Upright

(a) Large, spherical pots with short, upright neck formed with well-

defined point of inflection. Decorated with double incised band at base of

neck. (Chimbeba, Chibi)

Name: gati (Chimbeba).

Use: for making beer (ditto).

(b) Small pots as (c) below with slightly narrower mouth. Decorated with

graphic design and paint. (Chimbeba, Chibi)

Name: chikadlana/hadlana (Chimbeba).

Use: for serving meat and gravy (ditto).

defined point of inflection. Blackened by use. Sometimes decorated. (Chimbeba,

Chibi)

Name: shambakodzi (Chimbeba).

Use: for cooking (ditto).

(11) Everted

(a) Spherical pot with narrow mouth and slightly everted neck formed

with poorly-defined point of inflection, cut rim and flattened base. Height about

40 cm. Decorated with two grooved lines at base of neck. (No. 277, SAM 8956,

Charumbira, Victoria)

Name: nyenjero (Charumbira), chipfuko (Mafidi’s, Chibi).

Use: for beer (Charumbira), for carrying water (Mafidi’s).

(b) Spherical pot with tall, narrow-mouthed neck formed with poorly-

defined point of inflection. Sometimes has handle. Decorated with enamel

paint. (Chimbeba, Chibi)

Name: chipfuko (Chimbeba).

Use: for drinking water or beer (ditto).

Decoration

Most Mari pottery was undecorated but the following decorative tech-

niques were observed and/or described by potters.

Graphic techniques were confined to the use of grooved or incised lines,

the former generally in horizontal bands at the base of the neck and the latter

outlining triangles, chevron patterns and vertical bands, on the necks and

above the widest diameters of vessels. The potter at Victoria described the use

of incised triangles patterned with stamped impressions made with a grass

stem as being Karanga in origin.

MARI

268 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Although both potters described the use of natural decorative materials,

only red enamel paint was seen on their wares.

System of distribution

Pottery is made by women who specialize in its manufacture, for sale to

neighbours and for their own use.

No further information.

SECTION II—LITERATURE

No information.

CONCLUSION

Pottery used by the Mari tribes of Chibi and Victoria Reserves is made

by women potters who learnt the art from their mothers. Potters generally

have flourishing trades, some on a commercial scale. Two techniques were seen:

one, building with fat rings of clay, and the other, moulding from the lump

which was hollowed entirely. In both cases the base of the vessel was com-

pleted last.

Not a great deal of Mari pottery was seen, the basic types being necked

bowls and pots of various sizes. Decoration was simple, mainly graphic designs

and the application of colour. Synthetic materials had replaced the traditional

ones for decoration, to a large extent.

The pottery terms included a number not used by Manyika, Zezuru or

Budjga, although some were common to all tribes in Mashonaland.

(h) Ungwe

SECTION I—FIELD

The Ungwe of Makoni Farm in the Rusape district were visited in 1963.

A potter was interviewed, but none of her pottery was seen.

Technology

The following information was obtained from the potter at the interview,

and from other informants. .

Potters: The potters were women who made pottery both for their own

use and for sale to others in the district. The potter interviewed had learnt the

craft from her mother.

Materials: Clay from antheaps was used, as after experiment it was found

to be the most suitable. No filler was needed and the raw material was stamped

and then ‘winnowed’ in a flat basket so as to remove coarse material. The fine

clay was then mixed with water and pounded with a pestle, mootswi; when the

pestle did not come away from the clay cleanly and easily, the clay was mixed

(cf. Manyika, p. 245).

Tools

1. As a support on which to build: a plate (ndiero).

2. As smoothers: (i) for surfaces—a strip of iron, a piece of cloth; (ii) for

the rim —a piece of cloth.

UNGWE

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 269

3. For decorating : (i) for graphic design —a strip of iron; (ii) for burnishing —

a stone (hurunguda).

Technique: The method of manufacture described by the potter was the

same as that demonstrated by the Mari potter at Chibi, namely, the entire

hollowing out of a lump of clay to build the walls of a vessel, the base of which

was completed, after a period of drying, by the addition of more clay. Pottery

was always made indoors.

Drying: The pots were set aside to dry indoors before they were fired. On

the day of firing, they were placed in the sun for a short while.

Decorating: The potter used a red clay obtainable in the Rusape district

for colouring. It was applied with the fingers and burnished with a very smooth

stone. Graphite, dug in the Mrewa district, was brought for sale in Rusape.

This was applied in the same way. All pots were burnished whether they were

coloured or not.

Firing: Firing took place on a calm day, as a cold wind caused the pots

to crack. Dried dung and the stems of bobbejaanstert (feyo, Vellozia sp.) were

packed around the pots which were placed on their sides, base to base, in a

hollow which served to protect them from any wind. No fuel was placed inside

the pots. Black patches occurred where the pot touched the ground, and if any

were seen developing the vessel was moved with a stick.

Firing took about an hour and a half, after which time the pots were

usually an even colour and were removed from the ashes with a stick.

Sealing/ Testing: Containers for liquids were said to be strengthened by

pouring hot beer into them when they had cooled down after firing.

Mending: No information.

Pottery forms, names and uses

Name and use: ,

The following Ungwe terminology was obtained at Rusape.

chikari: for cooking meat or vegetables; pfuko: for drinking beer or water

(this vessel is put aside for the husband with a taste of a new brew of beer) ;

chirongo: for fetching water or as a container for beer; mukate: for cooking

food; mbiya: for serving vegetables.

No further information.

SECTION II—LITERATURE

Technology

No information.

Pottery forms, names and uses

Schofield (1948) states that the domestic ware of the Ungwe was very

similar to the Manyika in surface finish, which was smooth, black or burnished

graphite, any kind of graphic decoration being unusual. He says further that

in some of the large vessels the junction of neck and body was marked by a

slight but well-defined ridge and that necks were generally of the concave

everted type. Bowls with pedestal bases and everted necks were also made.

UNGWE

270 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Pottery rings, about 12 cm. in diameter were made for supporting pots

on the head.

No further information.

CONCLUSION

The Ungwe of Rusape still make and use pottery today. The potters are

women who specialize in its manufacture, both for their own use and for sale

to neighbours.

Although no examples of Ungwe pottery were seen, Schofield (1948)

states that their wares are similar in shape and lack of decoration to those of

the Manyika. Some of the pottery terms used by the Ungwe are the same as

those used by the Manyika and Zezuru.

The potters mould their pottery from the lump which they hollow out

entirely, completing the base last. This method is the same as that used by some

Mari potters, and by a Karanga potter of Belingwe for small pots only.

(1) Tawara

No information.

(j) Hera

No information.

KARANGA — DISCUSSION

The Hera and Tawara are excluded from this discussion, as no information

of any sort has been obtained concerning their pottery. The Tonga, Korekore,

Maromo, Kalanga and Shawasha were not visited, but examples of their

pottery were seen.

Pottery is made by women specialists among all these tribes and most of

them use the same basic technique, that cf building up vessels with rings of

clay. A Mari potter of Chibi and an Ungwe potter of Rusape moulded their

pottery from the lump which they entirely hollowed out, and a Karanga potter

of Belingwe described the same method for the making of small vessels.

From this survey it appears that the range of modern pottery made and

used by Zezuru, Manyika and Ungwe is basically the same. Open-mouthed

and incurved bowls and bowls and pots with necks form the basis of the

domestic ware. Necked bowls are more common among Manyika than Zezuru.

Naturally, within each group of vessel types, there are differences in shape of

body, rim and neck, particularly of the latter which in some cases is of the

‘collar-type’ and in others merely an extension of the body. However, some

vessels with both types of neck appear to be made by all the above groups.

The north-east Tonga make two pottery wares, one of which, consisting

of sub-carinated necked pots and bowls with graphic decoration, is similar to the

ware made by the north-west Tonga. The other ware, with a black finish,

might be an uninfluenced continuation of a pottery tradition which was at one

time also made by Manyika, Budjga, Korekore and some Zezuru tribes, including

KARANGA

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 27k

the Shawasha. One of the characteristic forms of decoration of this latter ware

is the use of raised lumps (mazamu) and single depressions (maziso) which

had some anthropomorphic significance in the past. The fact that raised lumps

are used to decorate pottery of some Tsonga tribes of Mozambique, and that

carinated vessels are also made by them suggests that the Tonga of Rhodesia

have some relationship to the Tsonga, but more evidence is necessary to

prove this.

The Karanga pottery seen seemed to consist of a number of heterogeneous

types. Those from Victoria were not comparable to any other ware, but a

striking likeness was observed between a large narrow-necked beer-pot at

Belingwe and those seen among the Chopi in the Makupulane district. Kalanga

pottery from Gwaai Reserve was similar to north-west Tonga pottery.

Zoomorphic pottery was probably more important in the past than it is

now. It is not known how widespread its use was, but today its manufacture

appears to be confined to Zezuru tribes, although examples have been found

south-east of Fort Victoria, outside the present Zezuru region.

Schofield illustrates a double-mouthed pot attributed to the Manyika,

and Von Sicard mentions their use in his paper on the origin of some of the

tribes of Belingwe (1950). The small multi-mouthed vessels made by Roswi

of Rusape and the Zezuru of Mrewa, which are said to be made as vases, are

probably the modern adaptation of these forms.

In regard to decoration the ware of the Karanga division falls into four

groups:

1. Undecorated pottery, generally the colour of the fired clay or blackened by

use. Most pots and bowls used for cooking purposes are of this type.

2. Pottery with graphic or raised designs, usually black, sometimes coloured

with graphite only. This type is found among the north-east Tonga, Budjga,

Manyika, Shawasha, Karanga of Fort Victoria and Korekore.

3. Polychrome pottery, decorated with graphite and ochre, or red and black

enamel paint, applied in designs outlined with grooved, incised or stamped

lines. This type of pottery is generally used for drinking or storing beer or

water.

There are two distinct types of design:

(i) A pattern of triangles or horizontal bands below the neck of a vessel with

vertical bands on the neck itself. This type is typical of the Zezuru tribes.

(The identical design was used by Roswi of Rusape.)

(ii) Designs over a greater surface of the vessel, generally consisting of zigzag

or wavy bands and triangles. This type is typical of some Kalanga, par-

ticularly of Bulawayo, and of the north-west Tonga.

Doke found that linguistic and ethnic grouping did not always coincide

and this is reflected in the Karanga pottery terminology. A large number of

pottery terms are used. Although a few of them are common to most groups it

can be seen from the tribal information that there is no pattern to their distri-

KARANGA

272 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

bution, nor do all tribes give the same names to the same type of pots, or to

vessels used for the same purpose.

72. ROZWI

(a) Ndau

SECTION I—FIELD

A Ndau potter at Tanganda Halt, Mutema Reserve, Chipinga, was

visited in June 1963, and a Ndau homestead in the Ngorima Reserve, Melsetter,

where some pottery was seen.

Technology

The following information was obtained from the potter at the demonstra-

tion and interview.

Potters : There were a number of women in the Chipinga district who made

pottery. The craft was usually passed down from mother to daughter. The

potter interviewed sold some of her pottery.

Materials: Clay was collected near the potter’s homestead. The potter

went to fetch the clay herself. No filler was needed as the clay was sandy enough .-

to use as it was. It was prepared by pounding it and if it was not required

immediately it was wrapped in a sheet of plastic material and stored in a metal

drum in the shade so that it would remain damp.

Tools

1. As a support on which to build: a plate.

2. As smoothers: (i) for outer surface—a variety of pieces of calabash, a

stick; (ii) for inner surface—a variety of pieces of calabash.

3. For decorating: (i) for graphic design—a pin, a sharply pointed stick;

(ii) for burnishing—a smooth stone.

Technique: The potter made her pots out of doors in the shade. Pots were

built up with fat rolls of clay formed into rings and placed one on top of the

other (Plate XXV No. 74). More than one roll was used to form a complete

ring. The potter smoothed the first two rings together both inside and outside

and added lumps of clay wherever necessary to obtain a symmetrical shape and

a wall of even thickness, before adding the next ring. The third ring, the last

one, was slightly thinner than the others. After smoothing this into position

the rim was shaped with the thumb and forefinger of the right hand. A piece of

sacking was wrapped around the lower half of the vessel which was then

covered with a piece of plastic material and put in the shade for a day. The

base was then formed by smoothing the wall inwards to close the hole.

Drying: The pot was then placed indoors and covered with plastic sheeting

for about a week before firing.

Decorating: Before the vessel was dry, a sharp stick or a pin was sometimes

used to incise designs. These were coloured when the pot was dry, before firing.

A red colour was obtained from ochre (mukura) which was collected near

Chipinga. It was powdered, mixed with water and applied as a paint. A black

NDAU

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 273

colour was obtained from chinzelo which was bought from pedlars who fetched

it from Espungabera, Mozambique. This material was prepared and applied

in the same way as the ochre, and both were burnished with a smooth stone.

Firing: Firing took place in the morning of a clear, still day. Three or four

pots were fired at a time. During firing they became red-hot, but they were

allowed to cool completely before they were moved from the ashes.

Sealing/ Testing: New pots were strengthened by filling them with water

while they heated over a fire.

Mending: Pots were not mended as their breaking was a sign that they

were faulty.

Pottery forms, names and uses

An informant at Melsetter supplied some of the following terminology.

Bow Ls

I. WITHOUT NECKS

(1) Open-mouthed

A small dish. No further description (informant, Melsetter).

Name: chikari (Melsetter).

Use: for vegetables (Ngorima Reserve).

2. WITH NECKS

(i) Upright

Wide-mouthed, spherical bowl with short, upright neck formed with

poorly-defined point of inflection, and rounded base. Undecorated. (Hlabiso’s

kraal, Ngorima Reserve, Melsetter)

Name: nhamba (Hlabiso’s and Tanganda Halt).

Use: for cooking porridge (ditto).

(ii) Everted |

(a) Deep, wide-mouthed spherical bowl with short, curved, everted neck

formed with poorly-defined point of inflection, rounded rim and rounded base.

Height about 19 cm. Decorated with band of cross-hatching. (No. 278, SAM

7218, Sabi-Lundi, Rhodesia).

Name: chkart (museum records).

Use: for vegetables (Ngorima Reserve).

(b) Shallower, wide-mouthed bow! with everted neck formed with poorly-

defined point of inflection, rounded rim and rounded base. Height about

13 cm. Decorated with triangular cross-hatched design. (No. 279, BWYO 2064,

Chikore, Rhodesia)

Name and use: no record.

Ports

(i) Upright

(a) Large, oval pots with short, upright neck formed with poorly-defined

point of inflection and narrow mouth. Undecorated. (Hlabiso’s kraal, Ngorima

Reserve, Melsetter)

NDAU

274 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Name: bia (Hlabiso’s).

Use: for cooking beer (ditto).

(b) Sub-spherical pot with upright neck formed with poorly-defined point

of inflection, rounded rim and rounded base. Height about 16 cm. With handle.

Decorated with cross-hatching and colour. (No. 280, BWYO 2061, Chikore,

Rhodesia)

Name and use: no record.

inflection. Undecorated. (Hlabiso’s kraal, Ngorima Reserve, Melsetter)

Name: gapu (Hlabiso’s).

Use: for cooking vegetables (ditto).

(d) Spherical pot with upright neck formed with poorly-defined point of

inflection, thickened rim and rounded base. Height about 17 cm. Decorated

with graphic design and graphite. (No. 281, SAM 2314, Maringua’s kraal,

Sabi-Lundi, Rhodesia)

Name: duwti/dubt (Sabi-Lundi), znhube/inthuvi (Ngorima).

Use: for fetching water from the river (ditto).

(ii) Everted

Spherical pot with everted neck formed with poorly-defined point of

inflection, rounded rim and rounded base. Height about 18 cm. Decorated

with graphic design and graphite. (No. 282, SAM 2313, Maringua’s kraal,

Sabi-Lundi, Rhodesia)

Name: dubi/duw1 (Sabi-Lundi), znhube/inthuvi (Ngorima).

Use: for fetching water (ditto).

(iv) Undifferentiated

Pot with neck. No further description (Ngorima Reserve, Melsetter). Very

small (informant, Melsetter).

Name: chipfuko (Ngorima).

Use: for water (Ngorima), for carrying water, used by children (Melsetter).

Decoration

The Ndau pottery was decorated with cross-hatched designs, either in

unbordered bands around the base of the neck of a vessel, or in triangles,

outlined with incised lines on the upper section of the body. Sometimes graphite

and a white material were used to colour the designs.

No further information in this section.

SECTION II—LITERATURE

Technology

No information.

Pottery forms, names and uses

No information.

NDAU

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 275

Decoration

Neville Jones reports as follows on the decoration of Ndau pottery from

Chikore:

It is of fine texture and is ornamented with inverted triangles depending

from a circumferential line, and hatched diagonally. In some instances,

the triangles are filled in with stipling. Both are characteristically M,

patterns, and are so strikingly similar that the tribal connexion is unmis-

takable. They might, but for their obvious modernity, have come from

Mapungubwe itself (Jones, 1937).

No further information in this section.

CONCLUSION

The Ndau still make and use pottery today. A potter at Tanganda Halt,

Chipinga, used the same technique as that used by most Shona potters of the

Karanga division, namely building with rings of clay, and completing the base

of the vessel last. This woman was well known in the district for her pottery.

Most of the Ndau pottery seen consisted of necked pots and bowls of

various sizes. The neck was the curved and everted type, no examples of a

‘collar’ neck being seen. Pottery seen in the field was undecorated, except for

one pot with two rows of stamped oval impressions around the rim. Examples

in museum collections from Sabi-Lundi and Chikore were patterned with

bands or triangles of cross-hatching, sometimes coloured with graphite and a

white material (cf. Hlengwe, p. 96). The finely incised triangular designs are

more like that seen on Teve pottery than any other Shona pottery.

The terminology includes terms used by the Karanga division (chikart,

gapu, bia) but others, nhamba and dubi, are not used by tribes of the Karanga

division in Rhodesia, although the latter term may be related to the Teve

dzuwe. Nhamba is used by the Chopi and Tsonga tribes in Mozambique.

Possible outside influence is shown in the addition of a handle to one

pot seen.

(b) Rozwi

SECTION I—FIELD

The Rozwi of Chiduku Reserve, Rusape, were visited in 1963 and a

potter at Mafuta’s kraal interviewed.

Technology

The following information was obtained from the Rozwi potter at Mafuta’s.

Potters: Potters were women who learnt the art from their mothers. They

made pottery for sale as well as their own domestic use.

Materials: Clay was obtained from the land and not from antheaps (cf.

Ungwe of Rusape). No filler was used and the clay was ground fine, mixed with

water and stamped until the mixture stuck to the pestle (cf. p. 245).

ROZWI

276 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Tools

1. As a support on which to build: a plate.

2. As smooihers: (i) for outer surface—a piece of wood; (ii) for inner sur-

face —a piece of calabash; (1i1) for rim—a piece of cloth.

Technique: Pottery was made indoors so that it was out of both wind and

sun. Vessels were built up from rolls of clay formed into rings which were

placed one on top of the other. The number of rings depended upon the size

of vessel to be built. The base was completed the following day with additional

clay, when the vessel was dry enough to be turned upside down.

Drying: The shaped vessels were dried indoors for two days and on the

third put outside into the sun until three or four o’clock, when firing was

started.

Decorating: Pottery was decorated with incised designs when slightly dry;

a flat piece of iron was used for outlining them; zigzag lines were done with the

point of the tool and straight lines with a side edge.

Colour was also used. Red was obtained from a local loam soil, and black

from graphite (chzdziro) which was bought from pedlars. Red and black enamel

paint seemed to be more frequently used than the traditional materials.

Firing: Firing was usually started at three or four o’clock in the afternoon.

The pots were placed base to base on their sides on a layer of mukwati bark

(Strychnos pungens Solered (Loganiaeceae) ), which was also packed over and

around them, but not inside. Grass was used for kindling. The pots were

removed from the ashes when the fire went out. Breakages were caused by the

use of too sandy a clay.

Sealing/ Testing : Hot beer was poured into new pots before they were used.

Mending : No information.

Pottery forms, names and uses

Bow Ls

I. WITHOUT NECKS

(i) Open-mouthed

Small, deep, wide-mouthed bow! with rounded base. Undecorated, black

finish. (Plate XXIV No. 69, Mafuta’s, Chiduku Reserve, Rusape)

Name: no record.

Use: for keeping food hot for husband (Mafuta’s).

(11) Incurved

Wide-mouthed, spherical bowls with rounded bases. Made in range of

sizes. Undecorated. (Plate XXIV No. 69, Mafuta’s, Chiduku Reserve, Rusape;

No. 284, SAM 8978, near Mafuta, Chiduku Reserve, Rusape)

| Name: large size: mukati/sawia; small size: mbia (Mafuta’s).

Use: large size: for cooking; small size: for serving meat (ditto).

ROZWI

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA Psy |

Pots

2. WITH NECKS

(1) Upright

Spherical pots with upright necks formed with well-defined point of

inflection, and rounded base. Grooved line at base of neck. Undecorated

otherwise. (near Mafuta’s, Chiduku Reserve, Rusape)

Name: rongo (near Mafuta).

Use: for cooking bones.

(11) Everted

(a) Very large, spherical pot with narrow-mouthed everted neck formed

with well-defined point of inflection and rounded base. Decorated with graphic

design and colour. (Mafuta’s, Chiduku Reserve, Rusape; Plate XXIV No. 69)

Name: mbidziro (Mafuta’s).

Use: for brewing beer (ditto).

(b) Large, spherical pots with narrow-mouthed everted neck, formed with

well-defined point of inflection, flattened thickened rims and rounded bases.

Height about 30 cm. Decorated with graphic design and colour. (No. 283,

SAM 8977, Chiduku Reserve, Rusape; Plate XXIV No. 79, Mafuta’s, Chiduku

Reserve, Rusape).

Name: chirongo (Mafuta’s).

Use: for fetching water, or for storing beer or water (ditto).

defined point of inflection, rounded rims and rounded bases. Grooved line at

base of neck. (Plate XXIV No. 69, Mafuta’s, Chiduku Reserve, Rusape)

Name: chikari/hadlana (Matfuta’s).

Use: for cooking vegetables (ditto).

(d) Spherical pots with narrow-mouthed everted necks formed with well-

_ defined point of inflection, rounded bases. Made in large and small size.

Decorated. (near Mafuta’s, Chiduku Reserve, Rusape)

Name: large size: pfuko; small size: kabfuko (near Mafuta’s).

Use: small size: for drinking beer (ditto).

MIscELLANEOUS

Small spherical vessel with four spouts and pedestal base. Undecorated

(Plate XXIV No. 69, Mafuta’s Chiduku Reserve, Rusape).

Name: no record.

Use: for flowers (Mafuta’s).

Decoration

Certain types of Rozwi pottery were decorated. Large necked pots were

coloured with an incised design on the neck and below it. The design consisted

of vertical bands down the neck and a chevron pattern within a horizontal

band below the neck, and was similar to that found on some Zezuru ware. Red

ROZWI

278 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

and black enamel paints were used for colouring, although traditional materials

were described by potters.

All necked vessels had a marked grooved line at the base of the neck, so

that the neck appeared to have been made separately and then fitted—collar

type.

No further information in this section.

SECTION II—LITERATURE

Technology

No information.

Pottery forms, names and uses

Schofield (1948) gives a little information concerning the Roswi pottery

from near Plumtree, Matabeleland, which he says was representative of the

pottery of the greater part of Matabeleland at the time of writing. According

to him bowls, both ‘shouldered’ and simple, were made, as well as the usual

variety of pots. He saw no ceremonial pottery.

Decoration

Roswi pottery of the Plumtree district was a polychrome ware; graphite

and various natural red clays were used to colour bold chevron and other

simple designs. The coloured areas were generally separated by incised designs,

but this was not always the case. Incised bands of cross-hatching were also

used (Schofield, 1948).

No further information in this section.

CONCLUSION

There are still women who specialize in the manufacture of pottery among

the Rozwi of Rusape. They use the ring technique which is used by most

potters of the Karanga division and by the Ndau.

The range of pottery made by the Rozwi of Rusape is very similar to that

of the Zezuru of Mrewa (cf. Plate XXIV Nos. 69 and 70). It consists: of deep

spherical bowls, wide-mouthed, and pots of all sizes with necks. The collar

type of neck is found both on large and small Rozwi pots, and only on large

Zezuru ones. Small multi-mouthed vessels are common to both.

Rozwi pottery is mainly undecorated, with the exception of large pots for

storing and carrying liquids, which have exactly the same design as those of

the Zezuru.

The Rozwi use a number of pottery terms common to the Shona, but

vessels of the same type as those of the Zezuru are not necessarily given the

same names or put to the same use.

The Rozwi of Plumtree were not visited, but according to Schofield’s

(1948) description their pottery was very different from that of Rusape. How-

ever, Schofield considered it and that of the Zezuru to be dineeshy derived from

the Class R, and R, tradition.

ROZWI

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 279

Rozwi— Discussion

Only the Rozwi of Rusape and the Ndau of Melsetter—Chipinga districts

were visited. The women potters of both groups used the same method of

manufacture as that used by most of the Karanga tribes, namely the building

of vessels with rings.

The pottery of the Rozwi of Rusape resembles that of the Zezuru and

Manyika more closely than that of the Ndau, although it seems from a com-

parison of Ndau pottery seen in the field and in museum collections that their

ware is becoming less characteristic. These came from different districts how-

ever. The former was undecorated and the latter decorated with hatched

bands and triangles.

The terminology used by the Rozwi group of Rusape has more terms in

common with the Karanga division than with the Ndau, although the Ndau

also use a number of the same terms.

In spite of the fact that tribal tradition links Ndau and Rozwi this is not

reflected in their pottery.

70. SHONA (undifferentiated)

SECTION I— FIELD

Technology

No information.

Pottery forms, names and uses

BowLs

I. WITHOUT NECKS

(i) Open-mouthed

No. 285, SAM 1823, eo bury, Rhodesia; No. 286, Ayreshire Hills,

Rhodesia, in private collection.

(ii) Incurved

No. 287, SAM 2076, Rhodesia.

2. WITH NECKS

(ii) Everted

No. 288, SAM 1824, found on grave, Rhodesia; No. 289, SAM 1824,

found on grave, Rhodesia; No. 295, CAM E.1905-497, Umtali; No. 2096,

CAM E.1905-493, Umtali.

Pots

I. WITHOUT NECKS

No. 290, SAM, Salisbury, Rhodesia. Cf. Tonga, Mkota, p. 259.

2. WITH NECKS

(ii) Everted

No. 291, SAM 1824, found on grave, Rhodesia; No.292, CAM 1905,

Rhodesia; No. 296, BWYO 58.64, Ziwa Farm, Inyanga; No. 293, SAM 7948,

Tunnel grave, Marandellas.

ROZWI

280 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

MiscELLANEOUS

No. 294, SAM 7949, Tunnel grave, Marandellas.

Decoration

Most of the pottery described above was collected in the Salisbury—

Marandellas area and is decorated with burnished graphite, applied over half

the outer surface and for about 3 cm. inside the rim. Decoration is completed

with a simple graphic design; a band of stamped impressions, or hatching; a

raised band patterned with grooved cross-hatching; bosses, either singly or

in groups on the body of the vessel, generally at the base of the neck.

A bowl from the Ayreshire Hills is decorated with two rows of oval stamped

impressions inside the neck, and a specimen from Mrewa with a type of chevron

design, coloured red.

No further information.

SECTION II—LITERATURE

No information.

SHONA— DISCUSSION

From the discussions on the Karanga and Rozwi subdivisions it can be

seen that more time will have to be spent studying the Shona to get a full

picture of the present-day pottery situation and the relationships of the various

tribes in the past. What does emerge from the information obtained in this

survey is that the pottery is becoming more homogeneous both in shape and

decoration than the literature and museum specimens suggest it to have been

in the past. At the present time there appear to be four main regions into which

Rhodesia can be divided on the basis of pottery form and decoration, but the

divisions are not clear-cut.

The basic pattern appears to be as follows:

1. The Zezuru, Manyika, Budjga and Rozwi of Rusape can be classed

together on the basis of pottery shape—the range consisting of open-mouthed

bowls, incurved bowls and necked pots, and, with the exception of the Budjga,

of decoration, which is confined to necked pots and consists of red- and black-

coloured ware with vertical and triangle designs.

2. The Tonga and the Karanga of Matabeleland can be classed together

on the basis of red and black decoration, mainly in chevron bands. (Schofield

recorded that Rozwi pottery from Plumtree was typical of that of Matabele-

land.) Tonga ware consists mainly of sub-carinated, tall necked pots and

incurved bowls. The only Karanga pottery of this district seen consisted of

bowls and pots, both without necks and with everted necks, but a very small

amount was seen.

3. Tonga pottery of Mkota is mainly a black ware decorated with raised

and graphic designs, consisting of bowls and pots, both with and without

necks.

4. Ndau pottery consists of bowls and pots with everted necks, none of

SHONA

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 281

which is of the collar-type found in group 1 above. The very large oval, necked

beer-brewing pots made by the Ndau of Melsetter are similar in shape to those

made by the Kalanga of Belingwe, and the Chopi. Ndau decoration is mainly

incised or grooved, in triangular designs, sometimes coloured with graphite.

The graphic designs are somewhat similar to those found on Hlengwe (Sabi-

Lundi), Chopi and Tswa pottery, and are also described on the M, ware of

Mapungubwe. Teve. pottery is nearer to that of Ndau in both shape and

decoration than to any other Shona ware.

No Hera or Tawara pottery was seen and the few examples of Korekore

ware were insufficient for classification.

There are a number of indications that Shona pottery has been undergoing

a change. Zoomorphic forms formerly made by tribes of Zezuru group are

no longer seen today, Manyika pottery was previously described as being a

black undecorated ware, and carinated pottery decorated with raised anthro-

pomorphic features, made by Shawasha and Budjga in the past is no longer

made.

Throughout the Shona tribes potters were women specialists and there is

an indication from the Manyika that pottery methods may have been kept

secret within certain families in the past, but there was no evidence of this

today. The main technique of all groups, except the Teve, was building with

well-defined rings, with the base completed last.

8. HERERO

No field work was done among the Herero.

81. KAOKOVELD HERERO (undifferentiated)

SECTION I—FIELD

Dr. Gibson of the Smithsonian Institute visited the Kaokoveld during the

- 1950's. He found very little pottery in use there, and all of it was said to come

from other areas. He came to the conclusion that the Himba do not make pot-

tery today. (Gibson, in lit. 3/6/64.) This is also the belief of the Commissioner

at Ohopoho, Kaokoveld, who reports that pottery used in the district is bought

from Ovamboland, and that it is often traded in exchange for sheep (Admini-

strative Officer, Ohopoho, in lit. 5/6/64).

| Technology

No information.

Pottery forms, names and uses

Bows

2. WITH NECKS

(11) Everted

(a) Deep, wide-mouthed, spherical bowl with short, straight everted neck

formed with well-defined point of inflection, cut rim and rounded base. Height

HERERO

282 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

about 17 cm. Decorated with stamped design. (No. 300, SAM 8639, Ehombo

Mountains, South West Africa)

Name and use: no record.

(b) Deep, wide-mouthed bowl with curved, everted neck formed with

poorly-defined point of inflection. Height about 12 cm. Undecorated. Blackened

by use. (WIND, Orotjitembo, Kaokoveld)

Name: kavindo (museum records).

The Tjimba generic term is onjungu (personal communication, Mr.

Grobbelaar, State Museum, Windhoek.)

Use: no record.

Decoration

Decoration on the Ehombo Mountain specimen consists only of clearly-

defined, round, stamped impressions arranged in a neat design; the other

example is undecorated.

System of distribution

It is almost certain that no pottery is made by the Kaokoveld Herero

today. Earthenware utensils are bought or bartered sometimes for sheep from ~

potters in Ovamboland.

No further information.

SECTION II— LITERATURE

Although there is nothing in the literature concerning the pottery of the

Kaokoveld Herero, Estermann (1961) found that the Herero of Angola, who

belong to the same tribal groups, do make pottery today. The only vessel type

illustrated (an inverted bag-shaped pot or bowl with tall, straight, upright

neck formed with a well-defined point of inflection) is decorated with simple

stamped impressions.

CONCLUSION

The Kaokoveld Herero were not visited, but it was learned from informants

that no pottery is made by them today. They do, however, occasionally buy

pottery from the Ovambo.

It is not known whether the Kaokoveld Herero used to make their own

pottery, and if they did so, how long ago they abandoned this practice.

Earthenware bowls from the Kaokoveld, attributed to the Himba, are not in

the Ovambo tradition and suggest that the former had a tradition of their

own.

82. DAMARALAND HERERO

SECTION I—FIELD

Technology

No information.

HERERO

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 283

Pottery forms, names and uses

BOWLS

I. WITHOUT NECKS

(ii) Incurved

Deep, spherical, wide-mouthed bowl with thickened rim and rounded

base. Height about 16 cm. Undecorated. (STUTT 28117)

Name and use: no record.

Pots

I. WITHOUT NECKS

(a2) Wide-mouthed spherical pot with cut rim and rounded base. Height

about 25 cm. With lugs. (No. 298, HAM 24.76.11)

Name and use: no record.

(b) Barrel-shaped pot with thickened rim and rounded base. Height

about 20 cm. Decorated with colour. (No. 299, COP G.1321)

Name and use: no record.

2. WITH NECKS

(i) Upright

Spherical pot with narrow, upright neck formed with poorly-defined point

of inflection. Height about 20 cm. Undecorated except for incised line at base

ofmeck. (STUTT 28116)

Name and use: no record.

Decoration

Decoration was seen on only two of the above specimens. One pot without

a neck had four pierced lugs at equal intervals around the mouth, the rim of

the other was coloured red with a natural material, probably ochre.

No further information in this section.

SECTION II—LITERATURE

Technology

Potters: The potters were women (Irle, 1906).

Materials: Fine clay from termite heaps was used (Irle, 1906).

Tools

1. For smoothing: smooth bones (Irle, 1906).

2. For decorating: small sticks (Gentz, 1903).

Technique: ‘The potter shaped a vessel by pressing a lump of well-prepared

clay around the full bent knee. This form was then carefully removed and the

pot shape improved by working with the fingers (Gentz, 1903).

Drying: No information.

Decoration: Decoration incised with a stick was done after shaping (Gentz,

1903).

Firing: This took place in a deep hole in the ground. The pots were sur-

rounded by dry dung, a small amount of which was put inside each vessel

(Irle, 1906). ‘The use of wood as fuel is recorded by Vedder (1934).

HERERO

284 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Pottery forms, names and uses |

Vedder (1934) describes Herero pottery as having narrow necks, wide

bodies and pointed bases. |

The generic term for pot is onjungu (Irle, 1917; 333).

Decoration

According to Schofield (1948) decoration took the form of bosses and

finely scratched lines, similar to those used by some of the Ambo tribes.

No further information.

CONCLUSION

The Damaraland Herero were not visited and there is no information

concerning the use and manufacture of pottery among them today.

It is learnt from literary sources that the women used to make pottery,

and that the vessels had pointed bases and were decorated with designs similar

to those of some of the Ambo tribes.

Four examples of pottery have been collected for museums from this

group of Herero, three of which are typically Ambo in style and were probably

obtained through trade. None of them have pointed bases.

83. BECHUANALAND HERERO

SECTION I—FIELD

Gibson (in lit. 3/6/64) neither saw nor heard of pottery made by this group.

No further information concerning the Bechuanaland Herero.

HERERO—DISCUSSION

The Herero, south of the Cunene, do not make pottery today, although a

few of them use earthenware utensils bought from the Ambo, and possibly

from Himba in Angola.

According to the literature the Herero did make pottery and this informa-

tion is supported by the fact that Angolan Herero have a pottery tradition, and

do in fact make pottery today. Of the vessels seen in museum collections only

one cannot be related to Ambo or Angolan Immigrants.

9. AMBO

Some of the Ambo tribes were visited in July 1961.

91. NORTH AMBO

(2) Kwanyama

| SECTION I—FIELD

Miss Shaw visited the Kwanyama in the vicinity of Odibo.

KWANYAMA

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 285

Technology

The following information was obtained from an informant at St. Mary’s

Mission, Odibo.

Potters: The potters were women, and a large number of them made

pottery.

Materials: Particular types of clay were used for pottery; not all types were

suitable.

Tools

As smoothers : the hoof of an ox or a horse.

Technique: The vessel was moulded into shape from the lump, with the

addition of pieces of clay where necessary to produce a symmetrical form.

Pottery was made in an underground room (Plate XXV No. 75, Odibo).

Drying: The pots were left in the workshop until they were dry.

Decoration: No information.

Firing: Pottery was fired in a shallow depression in the sand, at night, as

the potters believed that fires burnt better then.

No further information in this section.

Pottery forms, names and uses

BowLs

I. WITHOUT NECKS

(1) Open-mouthed

Hemispherical bowl with rounded base. Undecorated. (Chief Andreas’s

place, Odibo)

Name: oshitoo (Odibo).

Use: for straining beer into (ditto).

Pots

| 2. WITH NECKS

(1) Upright |

| (a) Wide-mouthed, spherical pot with short, upright neck formed with

poorly-defined point of inflection. Height about 30 cm. Undecorated. (Chief

Andreas’s place, Odibo)

Name: oshitoo (Odibo).

Use: for cooking (ditto).

(b) Spherical and inverted bag-shaped pots with upright necks formed

with well-defined point of inflection, cut or flattened rims and rounded or

nearly pointed bases. Made in various sizes. Undecorated. (No. 301, SAM

3776; No. 303, SAM 8474, near Omafe; No. 305, SAM 3977; No. 306, SAM

8475, near Omafe)

Name : osito/oshitoo (museum records).

Use: for beer (ditto).

KWANYAMA

286 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

(111) Inturned/inward-sloping

(a) Small, inverted bag-shaped pot with inturned neck formed with

poorly-defined point of inflection, cut rim and rounded base. Height about

11 cm. Single grooved line at base of neck. (No. 302, SAM 3777, Ovamboland)

Name: ombia (museum records).

Use: no record.

(6) Large, inverted bag-shaped pots with inward-sloping necks formed

with well-defined point of inflection, cut rims and rounded bases. Height

about 30 cm. Undecorated. (No. 304, SAM 3776, Ovamboland)

Name and use: no record.

Decoration

Kwanyama pottery is generally undecorated. A few examples have a

grooved line at the base of the neck. The surface of the vessels is generally

smooth with a matt finish. Sometimes pots have a shiny surface, possibly due

to the application of fat or oil.

System of distribution

Potters make both for their own use and for sale to those households where

no pottery is made.

No further information in this section.

SECTION II— LITERATURE

The following information is given by Tonjes (1911), Schofield (1948) and

Loeb (1962), who quotes Schinz (1891) and Sckar (1916).

Technology

Potters: The potters are women specialists, greatly respected among their

people, and they make pottery for sale. They work only at new moon, but not

all the time as their trade is less important than their work in the kraal and

field (Loeb, 1962). Schinz wrote that Kwanyama kept their pottery methods a

secret, but Loeb found that this was no longer the case (Loeb, 1962):

Materials: The potter goes at sunrise to collect her clay from a vlei. She

speaks to no one on the way there or on the way back. If the clay is the right

consistency she chops it up and stores it in pots. If the clay is too wet it is dried

a bit and then prepared over a period of two days. First it is pounded, damped

again and allowed to dry overnight. On the second day it is again wetted and

then kneaded and divided into portions suitable for the manufacture of indi-

vidual pots. Building starts the following day. (Loeb, 1962)

Tools

1. As a support on which to build: a potsherd (Schofield, 1948).

2. For smoothing: (1) inner surface—the right front hoof of an ox (ekondo) ;

(i1) outer surface —a rib from an ox’s right side (olupati). (Loeb, 1962)

Technique: Building of pottery and the preparation of the clay take place

in a specially constructed underground workroom (ondjibololo). The first step

KWANYAMA

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 287

in the manufacture of pottery is to build this. A pit about 3 feet deep, and 44 feet

in diameter is dug and four posts set in the walls extending above the surface

of the ground. These support the roof, which is formed by placing wood criss-

crosswise. An entrance wide enough for only one person to enter at a time is

made. (Loeb, 1962)

Pottery is moulded from the lump.

Drying: Pottery was dried in the underground workroom because of the

belief that if the wind blew on it before firing it would crack. While the pottery

was being dried the door of the room was sealed with grass and sand. (Loeb,

1962)

Decorating : No information.

Firing: Firing took place outside in open pits or firing holes (osofo). The

pots were placed on and covered with charcoal which was lit and then the

whole hearth was covered with earth. The fired pots were left in position over-

night and then taken back to the workroom. They fire black or yellow, depend-

ing on the temperature attained. (Loeb, 1962)

Mending: No information. |

Sealing: New pots are strengthened by rubbing them with a mixture made

by boiling the pounded bark of the mopane (Copaifera mopane Kirk) or omunghaft

tree together with some wood ash. (Loeb, 1962)

Pottery forms, names and uses

BOWLS

I. WITHOUT NECKS

(1) Open-mouthed

Hemispherical bowl with rounded base. Height about 6 cm. With four

small handles. Undecorated. Coarse ware, buff internally and brindled out-

side. (Schofield, 1948; Plate XIV No. 1, TVL)

Name: no record.

Use: for serving meat to guests (Schofield, 1948).

(ii) Incurved

Shallow, wide-mouthed, incurved bowl with rounded base. Height about

5 cm. With eight small lugs around the mouth. Undecorated. Black to buff

smooth ware. (Schofield, 1948; Plate XIV No. 4, TVL)

Name: no record.

Use: for serving meat to guests (Schofield, 1948).

iB’ Pots

Spherical pots with necks, in range of sizes (Loeb, 1962) (ombija—generic

term).

Name: (i) large size: osipifilo; small size: ositoo (Loeb, 1962); (11) ombia

jouvalelo (pot of the evening meal); (iii) ombia jombelelo (pot of meat) (Tonjes,

IQI1); (iv) ombya—generic term (Loeb, 1962).

KWANYAMA

288 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Use: (i) large size: for beer; small size for water (Loeb, 1962); (ii) for

preparing porridge; (111) for cooking meat, fish and similar foods (‘Tonjes, 1911).

Decoration

Pots are usually undecorated, but now pottery made at Humbe is decorated

with incised lines. The colour ranges from black to brown mottled or brick red,

depending on the amount of oxidization during firing. (Loeb, 1962) Small

lugs are found on food bowls (Schofield, 1948)

Taboos and other practices in connexion with pottery

1. The same pots are never used for meat and milk (Loeb, 1962).

2. All pots are scraped clean after use but never washed with water (Loeb,

1962).

3. On the day when the underground room is finished the owner has to

sacrifice to her ancestral spirits. A male relative of her father’s conducts the

sacrifice by throwing some bean and sorghum mixture into the air. Those

present eat what remains. This rite is said to keep the pit from caving in and

the pottery from cracking during firing (Loeb, 1962).

4. If the potter is not a kind-hearted woman someone else has to ignite the

fires, for it is believed that if an ill-tempered woman did so all the pots would

crack (Loeb, 1962).

5. A potter is expected to present a relative of her father with one pot,

the rest she may sell (Loeb, 1962).

Distribution

According to Hahn (1928) not all the Ambo tribes make pottery; those

who make none of their own barter from their neighbours.

CONCLUSION

Pottery is still made and used by the Kwanyama. The potters are women

specialists who used to keep their methods secret but no longer do so. ‘They

mould their pots from the lump.

A small range of Kwanyama pottery types is made, consisting mainly of

open-mouthed bowls, and pots with well-defined narrow-mouthed necks and

poorly-defined wide-mouthed necks. The base of the pots is in some instances

almost pointed. This pottery is generally a well-fired, hard ware. In most

areas a single horizontal grooved line at the base of the neck is the only decora-

tion used on pots, and small lugs on bowls.

In Loeb’s opinion the shallow bowls and three-legged pots made today are

the result of European influence.

(6) Kwankwa

SECTION I—FIELD

The Kwankwa were not visited.

KWANKWA

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 289

Technology

No information.

Pottery forms, names and uses

Pots

2. WITH NECKS

(ii) Everted

Spherical vessels with tall everted necks formed with poorly-defined point

of inflection and pointed bases. Height about 22 cm. Decorated with applied

lumps and graphic design. (No. 313, SAM 4099, Ovamboland)

Name: ositoo (museum records).

Use no record.

BEAKERS

Tall, flat-based vessels in which the height exceeds the diameter. Height

about 15 cm. Decorated with applied lumps and graphic design. (No. 312,

SAM 4100)

Name: ositoo (museum records).

Use: for drinking (ditto).

Decoration

The examples of Kwankwa pottery seen were decorated with lumps of

clay which appeared to have been applied rather than moulded. A grooved

line design on the neck of the vessel was also common, consisting either of

broken, parallel, horizontal lines bordered with a band of vertical hatching,

or of hatching with lines of unequal length and arcs.

No further information.

SECTION II—LITERATURE

According to Schinz (Loeb, 1962) only the Kwankwa and Kwanyama

used to make pottery.

No further information.

CONCLUSION

Nothing is known of the Kwankwa industry past or present. Examples of

Kwankwa ware are flask-like vessels and beakers, decorated with applied

lumps of clay and grooved designs.

The generic term for pottery ositoo, is the same as that used by the Kwan-

yama.

No information.

NortH AMBOo — DIscussION

Very little is known about the pottery of the North Ambo. According to

Shinz (1891), only the Kwanyama and Kwankwa used to make pottery. The

NDOMBONDOLA

290 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Kwanyama still do so today, but it is not known whether the Kwankwa still do

so, nor is there any record of their techniques.

The pottery utensils collected among the Kwanyama and Kwankwa are

entirely different from each other in both shape and decoration. Nothing is

known of Ndombondola ware.

Both the Kwanyama and Kwankwa use the same term, ositoo, for pottery.

With the exception of the flat-based beakers made by the Kwankwa, the

pottery of the North Ambo appears to be uninfluenced by contact with the

West.

92. SOUTH AMBO

(a) Ndonga

There is no information concerning the pottery of this group.

(6) Kualuthi

SECTION I—FIELD

The Kualuthi were not visited.

Technology

The following information was obtained from Miss A. Mertens and from

photographs taken by her near Oshikuku in 1958, now in the South African

Museum collection.

Potters: ‘The potters are women.

Materials : No information.

Tools

1. As a support on which to build: a potsherd.

2. As smoothers: a piece of smooth wood, a bone, a flat pebble.

Technique: Vessels are formed from the lump. The potters work out of

doors, kneeling on the ground.

Drying: No information.

Decorating: No information.

Firing: Firing takes place in a hole in the ground. The ash is then rubbed

off the vessels with sand.

No further information.

Pottery forms, names and uses

BowLs

I. WITHOUT NECKS

(a) Small, shallow incurved bowls. Decorated with applied bosses around

the mouth (photograph SAM, Oshikuku, South West Africa).

Name and use: no record.

_ (b) Deep, wide-mouthed bowls. Undecorated (photograph SAM, Oshi-

kuku, South West Africa).

Name and use: no record.

KUALUTHI

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 291

Pots

2. WITH NECKS

(ii) Everted

Flask-shaped vessels with everted necks formed with poorly-defined point

of inflection, rounded rims and rounded or flattened bases. Height 25—30 cm.

Decorated with graphic design and raised lumps. (No. 307, SAM 4097; No. 309,

SAM 4098, Ovamboland)

Name: ositoo (museum records).

Use: no record.

Decoration

Decoration takes the form of bands of grooved lines around the neck, and

the application of small lumps of clay.

No further information.

SECTION II—LITERATURE

No information.

CONCLUSION

Pottery is still made and used by Kualuthi women. The vessels are moulded

from the lump.

Only a small range of vessel types were seen, consisting of deep and shallow

bowls, the latter like those of the Kwanyama illustrated by Schofield, and

flask-like pots similar in shape and decoration to those of the Kwankwa.

Decoration consists of short, grooved line designs and small applied lumps.

SECTION: I—FIELD

The Kuambi were not visited, and there is no information in this section.

SECTION II—LITERATURE

Potters: ‘The potters were women who were taught the craft when they

were young girls. The knowledge was not confined to particular families and

anyone who was interested was able to acquire it. (Hahn, 1928). The potters

were specialists (Lebzelter, 1934)

Materials : Both Hahn (1928) and Lebzelter (1934) record that the Kuambi

district was one of the main centres of the pottery industry in South West

Africa on account of the availability of suitable clay and the fact that in a

number of places water was available even during the dry season. A bright

red, not particularly good clay was used without a filler (Lebzelter, 1934).

The clay used was obtained from antheaps (Hahn, 1928).

Tools : No information.

Technique: A lean-to type of shelter was built for the potters to work in

(Lebzelter, 1934). There is no record of the technique used.

Drying: No information.

Decorating : No information.

KUAMBI

292 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Firing: A fire was made in a deep hole (onjimbongo) which was covered

with layers of wood and sand. The pots were put in small holes (osiosero) near

the fire and similarly covered. (Lebzelter, 1934) [This description is difficult

to follow. |

No further information in this section.

Pottery forms, names and uses

The following pottery forms are mentioned by Lebzelter (1934).

BOwLs

I. WITHOUT NECKS

(a) Shallow dishes. Undecorated.

Name and use: no record.

(b) Hemispherical vessels, some with pointed bases. Undecorated.

Name: okandindo.

Use: no record.

Pots

I. WITHOUT NECKS

(a) Globular (spherical) pots. Undecorated.

Name and use: no record.

(b) Three-legged pots.

Name and use: no record.

Decoration

Pottery was undecorated (Lebzelter, 1934).

System of distribution

Kuambi potters used to supply the bulk of the country’s requirements

(Hahn, 1928). Potters’ husbands used to peddle the wares from village to village

(Lebzelter, 1934).

No further information in this section.

CONCLUSION

Pottery was made by Kuambi women as recently as 1934, and was traded

with neighbouring tribes. There is no record of their shaping techniques. They

worked in an underground room.

The range of pottery types made by the Kuambi, and described in the

literature, was small and similar to that of the Mbalantu. There are no

examples of either ware available for study.

(d) Mbalantu

SECTION I—FIELD

The Mbalantu were not visited, and there is no information in this

section.

MBALANTU

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 203

SECTION II—LITERATURE

Technology

Potters: Pottery was decidedly women’s work and was carried out on a

professional basis (Lebzelter, 1934).

Materials: Very good clay for pottery was found in the Ombalantu

district. No filler was used. (Lebzelter, 1934)

Tools: No information.

Technique: The potters worked in a lean-to shelter near the ‘kiln’ (Leb-

zelter, 1934) or in an underground room (Hahn, 1928). There is no record of

their techniques.

Drying: No information.

Decorating : No information.

Firing: The firmg method described by Lebzelter (1934) (p. 292) applies

to both Kuambi and Mbalantu.

No further information.

Pottery forms, names and uses

BowLs

I. WITHOUT NECKS

(a) Hemispherical bowls, some with pointed bases. Undecorated. (Leb-

zelter, 1934)

Name: okandindo (Lebzelter, 1934).

Use: no record.

(b) Shallow dishes. Undecorated. (Lebzelter, 1934)

Name and use: no record.

Pots

I. WITHOUT NECKS

Spherical pots with wide or narrow mouths. Undecorated. (Hahn, 1928

) Lebzelter, 1934)

Name and use: no record.

2. WITH NECKS

(1) Upright

Spherical pots with narrow, upright necks formed with well-defined point

of inflection, and rounded bases. Undecorated. (Hahn, 1928)

Name and use: no record.

Decoration

This ware is undecorated.

System of distribution

Potters are specialists who sell their wares. Their husbands peddle their

wares from village to village. (Lebzelter, 1934)

No further information.

MBALANTU

294. ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

CONCLUSION

According to literary information, women specialists among the Mba-

lantu made pottery by the same method and of the same type as the Kuambi.

They too, made pottery for sale. There is no detailed account of their method

of building, except that they worked in an underground room. None of their

pottery has been seen and it has not been described in the literature.

(e) Nkolonkathi

SECTION I— FIELD

The Nkolonkathi were not visited.

Technology

No information.

Pottery forms, names and uses

Pots

2. WITH NECKS

(i) Upright

Spherical and inverted bag-shaped pots with short, upright necks formed

with poorly-defined point of inflection, rounded or flattened rims, and rounded

bases. Height 13-17 cm. Undecorated or decorated with graphic design.

(No. 308, SAM 4107; No. 310, SAM 4104; No. 311, SAM 4105, Ovamboland)

Name: ombia (museum records).

Use: no record.

Decoration

Only one of the vessels seen was decorated. The design consisted of a wide

band of grooved lines, making a triangle pattern, below the neck with regularly

spaced applied lumps along the lower border of the band (No. 311).

No further information.

SECTION II—LITERATURE

No information.

CONCLUSION

There is no information concerning the manufacture and use of pottery

among the Nkolonkathi either now or in the past.

The examples of their pottery which have been seen are all of the same

type and size: spherical pots with very short, upright necks. The pots were

either left with a plain finish or decorated with a grooved line design and

applied lumps of clay, like the flask-like vessels of the Kwanka and Kualuthi.

(f) Ngandjera

No information.

(cg) Eunda

No information.

NKOLONKATHI

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 295

SoutH AmsBo— Discussion

The women of the Kualuthi, Kuambi, Mbalantu and Nkolonkathi

tribes of the South Ambo are known to have made and used pottery although

there is no description of their techniques, with the exception of that of the

Kualuthi, who mould their vessels from the lump. Nothing is known of the

Ngandjera, Eunda and Ndonga.

According to information in the literature the Kuambi and Mbalantu

potters were the most productive, since they lived in a region where suitable

clay was available even in the dry season. They supplied other tribes with

pottery.

The Kuambi and Mbalantu make the same range of pottery types, and

do not decorate their wares. None of their pottery was seen, but from the

description in the literature it appears to be comparable with that of the

Kwanyama. The Kualuthi make flask-like vessels decorated with applied lumps

and a grooved line design, and bowls of various sizes; the former vessels are

like those of the Kwanka and the latter like those of the Kwanyama. Nko-

lonkathi ware, although different in form from other Ambo ware, is decorated

in the same way as that of the Kualuthi and Kwankwa. The pots seen are not

sufficiently representative to be able to judge any relationships.

93. EAST AMBO

(a) Kuangari

The Kuangari and Bunja are classified as East Ambo because of the

resemblance of their huts to those of the Ambo tribes, and because they them-

selves claim Ambo ancestry (Hellberg, July 1961, personal communication).

Westphal (1963) classifies them with the Okavango tribes on account of lan-

guage similarities. |

SECTION I—FIELD

A pottery demonstration was attended at Lupala in July 1961.

Technology

The following information was obtained at the demonstration.

Potters: The potter who gave the demonstration was a man, who said that

among the Kuangari both men and women made pottery.

Materials: Clay from either a river bank or a termite hill was used. Coarsely

ground potsherds are mixed with the raw material to strengthen it. At the

demonstration the clay was used immediately after mixing.

Tools

As smoothers: 2 spatulas of ugava wood (rumyagili), 1 crescent-shaped

tool of ugava or uhahe wood (sthakeso), 1 calabash smoother with bevelled

edges (simyareso).

Technique: The vessel was started from a conical lump of clay which was

hollowed out from the wide end, and increased to the required size by the

KUANGARI

296 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

addition of rolls of clay which were added in complete rings after the hollowed

lump had been enlarged by beating with a wooden spatula. During building,

which took place outside, the pointed end of the cone was placed in a hollow

in the sand in which it could be turned easily. When the base of the neck was

reached the vessel was set aside to dry a little while another pot was built to

the same stage. The neck of the first pot was then shaped by beating it narrow,

with emphasis on the edge of the tool from the outside, and smoothing it wide

from the inside. After half an hour in the sun the pot was turned upside down

and the base pared off with the crescent. It was then alternately beaten with

the spatula and wetted until properly shaped.

Drying: There is a drying period between the shaping and firing of vessels.

At the demonstration pots made in the morning remained in the sun during the

afternoon, were put indoors for the night and fired the following day. This

period, however, appeared to be insufficient as one of the three vessels cracked,

and under normal circumstances the drying period would have been longer.

Decorating: A cross-hatched design was outlined with the point of the

wooden crescent which was dipped in water and wiped clean from time to

time. Decoration was done after the neck had been formed and before the

vessel was turned upside down to complete the base.

Firing: The firing took place next morning. The vessels to be fired were

placed around a small grass and stick fire to warm up while the potter prepared

a shallow hole for them, using an adze and his hands. The pots were placed on

their sides with their mouths facing toward each other and a few pieces of

bark (preferably wmsu bark (acacia family) ) were put inside each vessel.

Bark, sticks, and grass were then used to cover the vessel and the coals from

the preliminary fire were heaped on top of the small pile. After about one hour

the vessels were placed the right way up and re-covered with the fuel for another

fifteen minutes, after which time they were examined and removed from the

hearth if they were ready.

Sealing/ Testing: The potter claimed that the pots were waterproof. Acacia

gum was smeared inside some vessels to ensure their imperviousnéss (Miss

Jantenen, Finnish Mission, Lupala).

Mending: No information.

Pottery forms, names and uses

Bow Ls

2. WITH NECKS

(1) Upright

Wide-mouthed deep bowls with tall, upright necks formed with well-

defined point of inflection, cut rims and rounded bases. Height 10-16 cm.

Decorated with graphic design and raised band. (No. 314, SAM 8484, Lupala) .

Name: large size: kayiga; small size: kandimbe (museum records).

Use: large size: for cooking; small size: for sauce or beer (ditto).

KUANGARI

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 297

(11) Jnward-sloping

Wide-mouthed, fairly deep bowls with tall, straight, slightly inward-

sloping necks formed with well-defined point of inflection, flattened thickened

rim and rounded base. Height 13-15 cm. Decorated graphically. (No. 318,

SAM 9025, Runtu; No. 316, SAM go25, Runtu)

Name and use: no record.

Ports

2. WITH NECKS

(i) Upright

(a) Very large, inverted bag-shaped pot with short, wide-mouthed neck

formed with well-defined point of inflection, cut rim and rounded base. Height

about 45 cm. Undecorated. (west of Lupala)

Name: no record.

Use: for beer (field).

(b) Spherical pot with tall, narrow neck formed with well-defined point of

inflection, cut rim and rounded base. Height about 19 cm. Decorated graphic

design and raised band. (No. 315, SAM 8486, Lupala)

Name: kavaza (museum records).

Use: for beer (ditto).

defined point of inflection, flattened thickened rim and rounded base. Height

about 13 cm. (borderline case). Decorated graphically. (No. 317, SAM 9025,

Runtu)

Name and use: no record.

Decoration

The decoration of the examples acquired from Runtu and Lupala is

markedly different in style. The Runtu specimens are decorated with grooved

- and incised lines, cross-hatched and hatched, forming a decorative band around

the neck of each vessel and extending in a less concentrated pattern over the

body. The pots from Lupala have a cross-hatched grooved design carried out

on a raised band around the mouth of the vessel and arow of V-shaped stamped

impressions around the base of the neck.

No further information.

3 SECTION II—LITERATURE

No information.

CONCLUSION

Pottery is used among the Kuangari today and is made by both men and

women. Their method of moulding pottery from the lump with the addition

of rings of clay to increase the vessel to the required size was demonstrated by

a male potter.

The range of pottery types seen was very small, consisting only of wide-

KUANGARI

298 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

mouthed bowls with necks and spherical pots with tall, narrow-mouthed necks

and very large wide-mouthed bag-shaped pots. Decoration takes the form of

single stamped impressions and cross-hatched bands at Lupala or all over

incised and grooved patterns at Runtu.

It is interesting to note that some Himba pottery (Estermann, 1962)

resembles the Kuangari pottery from Runtu in shape.

(6) Bunja

No information.

go. AMBO (undifferentiated)

SECTION I—FIELD

Technology

No information.

Pottery forms, names and uses

BowLs

I. WITHOUT NECKS

(i) Open-mouthed

Now 321.0) Ci 205110:

(ii) Incurved

No. 319, SAM 7845; cf. Delachaux (1936); Plate 37 No. 6, from Ondan-

gua); No. 322, HAM 50.48, Lake Otjikoto; cf. Kwanyama and Kualuthi.

Pots

2. WITH NECKS

(i) Upright

No. 320, TVL 3558.

MIscELLANEOUS

A number of clay pipes found in Ovamboland are now in museum

collections:

(i) Modern pipe bowl. Black baked clay, slightly burnished (SAM 4769).

(ii) Black clay head decorated with incised design, with bamboo stem (STUTT

I.C.281409).

(iii) Black clay head decorated with cross-hatched design with iron stem to

which it is fastened by a ring and a band of iron, with a wooden tube for

strength (LEIP S. Afr. 863, Rautanen).

No further information.

SECTION II—LITERATURE

Technology

No information.

BUNJA

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 299

Pottery forms, names and uses

No information.

Decoration

No information.

System of distribution

Hahn (1928) records that not all the Ovambo tribes made pottery and

that those who made none of their own bartered from their neighbours.

Taboos and other practices in connexion with pottery manufacture and use

After the birth of twins the mother has to undergo a cleansing ceremony

during which she causes a pot of water balanced over a grass fire to over-

balance and walks through the smoke which results (Hahn, 1928).

AMBO— DISCUSSION

According to Hahn (1928) not all Ambo tribes made their own pottery;

some of them bought what they needed from pottery specialists among neigh-

bouring tribes. There is evidence that Kwanyama, Kwankwa, Kualuthi,

Kuambi, Mbalantu and Nkolonkathi made pottery, although there is very

little information of a technological nature available.

Potters are specialists, for the most part women but, among the East

Ambo, men as well. In former times pottery making among Kwanyama and

Kuambi was a secret craft. The Kwanyama in the north and the Kuambi in

the south used to be the main producers and the latter had a wide trade.

The Kwanyama, Kualuthi and Kuangari mould their pottery from the

lump, with clay lumps or rings added to build the vessel up to the correct shape.

Some Ambo tribes are known to have specialized in certain aspects of

pottery manufacture more than other Bantu tribes of Southern Africa. For

instance, the Kwanyama, Mbalantu and Kuambi have special, sheltered

workrooms, sometimes underground, in which they build their wares, and

- leave them to dry.

Further, the Kwanyama, Kualuthi, Kuambi and Mbalantu firing

methods, although not exactly alike, are all nearer ‘kiln-firing’ than other

Bantu potters. The fire is generally lit in a deep hole and covered with sand, the

pottery is either buried in the fire or else close to it in small holes in the ground.

Although insufficient pottery from these groups has been seen to form a

definite judgement, it appears that the pottery of the North and South divisions

is the same, although all pottery types are not common to all tribes. The

characteristic feature is the finish, which is generally hard and smooth but

matt, and the colour of the fired clay. No Kuambi or Mbulantu pottery was

seen, but from descriptions in the literature it appears that it is comparable

with that of the Kwanyama.

Very little decoration is found on this ware. Kwanyama pots frequently

have a grooved line at the base of the neck or a number of small ornamental

lugs around the rim of a food bowl. Kwankwa and Kualuthi flasks and some

AMBO

300 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Nkolonkathi pots have grooved line designs in conjunction with small applied

lumps, but undecorated pottery is more usual.

East Ambo ware, as represented by that of the Kuangari, is not of the

same type as that of the other two groups. Characteristic of Kuangari ware are

wide-mouthed bowls with upright or slightly inward-sloping necks, and ‘carafe-

shaped’ pots. The examples of this ware from Lupala and Runtu are differently

decorated.

The different traditions of the Kuangari and other Ambo tribes are shown

not only in the pottery types but by the fact that among the former both men

and women make pottery and among the latter only women. In this respect

and in type of pottery the Kuangari are nearer to the Okavango tribes than

to the Ambo.

According to Schofield (1948) typical Ambo pottery resembles Hottentot

ware more closely than that of any other South African people, in general shape,

neck ornamentation and the use of decorative bosses.

Contact with Europeans does not appear to have greatly influenced either

of the Ambo pottery traditions, except in the making of flat-based flask-shaped

vessels by the Kwankwa and Kualuthi rather than rounded or fairly pointed ones. -

10. OKAVANGO TRIBES

The Mbukushu, Kangara Nyemba and Diriko were visited by South

African Museum staff in 1961 and 1963.

1o1. MBUKUSHU

Mbukushu at Bagani and Andara were visited.

SECTION I—FIELD

Technology

The following information was obtained by Miss Shaw from an informant

at Bagani.

Potters: ‘The potters were men.

Materials : No information.

Tools: No information.

Technique: Pottery was built with clay formed into rolls, but it was not

learnt what technique was used.

Drying: Vessels were dried in the sun for a week before firing.

Firing: Dry wood and dung were used as fuel. The pottery was fired in

about fifteen minutes: it was said to be fired as soon as it became red.

No further information.

Pottery forms, names and uses

BowLs

2. With necks

(ii) Everted

Small, wide-mouthed, spherical bowl (borderline case) with short,

straight, everted neck formed with well-defined point of inflection, rounded

OKAVANGO

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 301

rim and rounded base. Height about 15 cm. Decorated with applied red

colours in ‘stencilled’ designs. (No. 326, SAM 5653, Andara)

Name: kanjungu (museum records).

Use: for relish (ditto).

Pots

2. WITH NECKS

(i) Upright

(a) Large, wide-mouthed pots with tall, upright necks formed with poorly-

defined point of inflection, cut or flattened rims and pointed bases. Height

25-40 cm. Decorated with grooved, cross-hatched and hatched bands around

mouth on raised band, and around base of neck. Thick brown ware. (No. 325,

SAM 5654; No. 328, SAM 5654, Andara; cf. No. 324, COP, no number,

Ghanzi; cf. No. 323, SAM 3254, Otjituo, South West Africa)

Name: kanjungu (SAM records No. 328), oluiju (SAM records No. 323).

Use: no record.

(b) Spherical pot with straight, tall, upright neck formed with well-

defined point of inflection, flattened rim and pointed base. Height about

38 cm. Decorated raised band and graphic design. (Plate XXV No. 81, SAM

go08, Mukundapopo, Okavango)

Name: kandimbe (museum records).

Use: for making and serving beer (ditto).

defined point of inflection, cut rim and slightly pointed base. Height about

28 cm. Decorated with graphic design. (No. 325, SAM 5654, Andara) (border-

line case.

Name: kanjungu (museum records).

Use: no record. |

(ii) Everted

Pot with short, straight, everted neck formed with well-defined point of

inflection, cut rim on tapered wall and pointed base. Height about 25 cm.

Decorated with colour. (No. 327, SAM 5653, Andara)

Name: kanjungu (museum records).

Use: for beer or water.

Decoration

Two types of pottery were studied: the first, a thick, heavy ware, was

decorated with grooved bands of hatching and cross-hatching around rim and

base of neck; the second was a fine, well-finished ware with red design in

applied colour.

No further information.

SECTION II—LITERATURE

Technology

No information.

OKAVANGO

302 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Pottery forms, names and uses

BowLs

I. WITHOUT NECKS

(11) Open-mouthed

Wide-mouthed bowl. Decorated with graphic designs. Heavy brown

ware (Schofield, 1948).

Name and use: no record.

MIscELLANEOUS

Simple pipe head of reddish unglazed clay. May be smoked with or with-

out additional reed stem (Shaw, 1938).

Decoration

The bowl mentioned by Schofield is decorated with a broad belt of incised

designs below the rim. Each section of the belt is decorated with a different

motif of herring-bone, hatching, or triangles (Schofield, 1948).

No further information in this section.

CONCLUSION

The Mbukushu make pottery today; according to informants the |

potters are men specialists. There is no record of their techniques.

Two types of ware have been seen in museum collections: one a heavy

ware, decorated with grooved designs; the other a finer ware decorated with

colour. The first consists of very large wide-mouthed vessels with upright necks,

spherical pots with narrow upright necks, and wide-mouthed bowls; the

second consists of spherical and near-spherical pots and bowls with short

everted necks. Examples of both these wares were collected in the same vicinity.

The narrow-mouthed spherical pots are comparable in both shape and

decoration with those made by the Kuangari potter at Lupala; further the

term kandimbe is used by both Mbukushu and Kuangari though not to describe

vessels of the same type or those put to the same use. The generic term appeared

to be kanjungu, which is very near to the Herero.

None of the features of the two Mbukushu wares appear to have been

influenced by contact with Europeans.

102. DIRIKO

The Diriko were visited by South African Museum staff in 1963.

SECTION I—FIELD

Technology

Potters: The potters are men specialists (Rudner, verbal information).

No further information.

Pottery forms, names and uses

The following pottery types were collected from a settlement occupied by

both Diriko and Mbukushu families. These specimens were, however, attributed

to Diriko potters.

OKAVANGO

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 303

Pots

2. WITH NECKS

(i) Upright

Large spherical pot with straight, upright neck formed with well-defined

point of inflection, cut rim and slightly pointed base. Height 33 cm. Decorated

with two raised bands of cross-hatching joined by groups of diagonal grooved

lines. (No. 330, SAM 9007, near Ondongo, Okavango) (cf. Plate XXV No. 76,

Mbukushu)

Name: kanjungu (museum records).

Use: for beer, when it was bought it was being used for storing tobacco

seeds.

(i1) Everted

Small, wide-mouthed pot with straight, everted neck formed with poorly-

defined point of inflection, flattened rim and rounded base. Height about

15 cm. Decorated with graphic design. (No. 329, SAM goo6, Ngumbe, Oka-

vango) :

Name: kanjungu (museum records).

Use: for cooking meat (ditto).

A Diriko vessel from the Angolan territory of the Okavango is included

below for comparison.

Pots

WITH NECKS

(ii1) Znward-sloping

Pot with tall, straight, inward-sloping neck, cut rim and dimple base.

Height 22 cm. Decorated with graphic design. (No. 331, PAR 54.56.6,

Nganyelo). |

Name: indeho (museum records).

Use: no record.

Decoration

Both examples of South West African Diriko pottery were decorated with

grooved cross-hatching on raised bands. The Angolan example, although

also decorated with cross-hatching, had no raised bands and had an incised

triangular design around and below the neck.

No further information.

SECTION II—LITERATURE

No information.

CONCLUSION

Pottery is made by Diriko men but it is not known what technique they use.

The pottery of the South West African Diriko which was seen resembled

that of the Mbukushu more closely than that of the Angolan Diriko pot. In

fact, since the vessels were collected at a Diriko-—Mbukushu homestead it seems

OKAVANGO

304 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

likely that either they were actually Mbukushu ware, or else both tribes in

that region were making the same pottery types, probably in the Mbukushu

tradition.

The name given to the two vessels attributed to the Diriko was the same

as that believed to be the generic Mbukushu term (kanjungu).

103. SAMBIU

No information.

104. ANGOLAN IMMIGRANTS

Nyembe

(i) Kangara Nyembe

SECTION I—FIELD

A pottery demonstration was attended at Kuringkuru in July 1961.

Technology

The following information was obtained at the demonstration.

Potters: The men are potters. The potter said that he had a market for all _

the pottery he made, as people liked pottery containers for keeping liquids cool.

Materials: The potter used clay dug from the river bank, it was dark grey

with spots of red brown. According to him the clay improved if he left it outside

for twenty-four hours after digging, before preparing it for use. This was done

by pounding it in a trough, with a pestle which was dipped frequently into

water. The potter added water and pounded the mixture until he was satisfied

with its consistency. If a tall-necked pot is to be made the potter adds ground,

sifted potsherds to the clay in order to strengthen it.

Tools

1. As a support on which to build: a tin basin, formerly a flat stone.

2. As smoothers: a flat piece of wood, a thin, wooden spatula, the blade of

a knife.

3. For decorating: (i) for graphic designs—a steel knife (formerly this was

home-made), wooden stamps (spatulas with carved designs at one end).

Technique: Vessels are built up with rings formed by making a large hole

in flat cakes of clay. The size of the cake depends on the size of the vessel to

be made. After placing three rings of equal size one on top of the other in the

basin and smoothing them together both inside and cut—outside with a piece

of wood and inside with the side of his forefinger—the potter started to bend the

clay inwards to shape the neck, making ‘tucks’ in it, as it were, so that a smaller

ring could be added. The fifth and final ring was even smaller and was smoothed

upwards to form the neck itself. The entire outer surface of the pot was then

smoothed with wet hands.

The rim was formed as follows: a ring of clay was cut off around the top

of the neck, and the wall termination flattened. A line was then drawn around

the neck below the edge and the rim was moulded by indenting the clay at

KANGARA NYEMBE

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 305

this point with a wooden tool. The entire vessel was smoothed again and again

until the potter was satisfied. Water was then poured into the pot through the

mouth to keep the base wet while the upper section dried in the sun for half an

hour. After this the pot was removed from the basin with the aid of the knife

and the inner surface smoothed. Excess clay was cut away with the knife and

the walls were beaten inwards. The clay which had been cut off was formed

into a smooth flat cake which was then fitted over the hole. An alternative

method was to leave sufficient clay to close the hole when the walls were

beaten inwards. The outer surface was then smoothed, flattened and indented

to form a concave base.

Decoration: Decoration was carried out after shaping the upper section.

Drying: Pots were dried overnight before firing.

Firing: A hole 6 to 7 inches deeper than the tallest pot was dug and lined

with grass and millet stalks and pats of dung. Bark of the mangetti tree is also

sometimes used. Burning pats of dung were then put bit by bit into each vessel.

This preparation takes place in the afternoon and at sundown the pots are put

into the prepared hearth. When the fire is burning nicely, grass and dung are

packed into the hole. The firing is usually completed by midnight. The fired

pottery is removed from the hole with a stick and left to cool off at the side of

the hearth. Cracking during firing is caused by processing vessels which are

either too dry or not dry enough.

Sealing| Testing: No information.

Mending: No information.

Pottery forms, names and uses

BowLs

2. WITH NECKS

(ii) Jnward-sloping

Wide-mouthed, slightly incurved bowl with inward sloping neck formed

with well-defined point of inflection, thickened rim and rounded base. Undeco-

rated.

Ports

Name and use: no record.

2. WITH NECKS

(i) Upright

Spherical pots with tall, straight, upright necks and rounded or dimple

bases. Varying in size. Decorated with incised design around neck.

Name: no record.

Use: for storing liquids (Lupala).

No further information.

SECTION II—LITERATURE

No information.

KANGARA NYEMBE

306 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

(ii) Masaka Nyembe

This group of the Nyembe were not visited.

SECTION I—FIELD

Technolog

Potters: ‘The potters are women (Hellberg, zn lit. 5/11/61).

No further information.

SECTION II—LITERATURE

No information.

CONCLUSION

The Nyembe immigrants in the Okavango territory make and use pottery

today. Among the Kangara group the men make the pottery, using rings of

clay formed by making large holes in flattened rounded shapes.

Decoration was seen only on pots and consisted of grooved triangle

designs on the neck.

The vessel made at the demonstration was more like the example of —

Angolan Diriko ware (No. 318) than the pottery of the Ambo or other Okavango

tribes, both in shape and decoration.

The only other type of vessel seen was a small necked bowl.

OKAVANGO TRIBES—-DISCUSSION

The Sambiu are not included in this discussion.

No information concerning the method of pottery manufacture was ob-

tained from either the Diriko or the Mbukushu, but it was learned that among

both these tribes the potters are men.

Pottery belonging to two different traditions is attributed to the Mbuku-

shu, a fine ware with painted designs and a thick heavy ware with grooved and

incised decoration. The examples of pottery attributed to the Diriko were in

the same type of ware as the latter and may be of Mbukushu manufacture, or

made in imitation of Mbukushu ware. Spherical necked pots in a style similar

to the thick Mbukushu ware are made by Kuangari (East Ambo) at Lupala,

and it seems likely that there is a relationship between the two groups, par-

ticularly as the Kuangari include the term kandimbe, also used by the Mbukushu,

in their pottery vocabulary.

The Kuangari have women as well as men potters.

Among the Kangara tribe of the Nyembe all potters are men, and among

the Masaka of the same subdivision all potters are women. The men use a ring

technique quite unlike that of any of the Bantu tribes of Southern Africa, but

it is not known whether the women use the same method. The Kangara potter

at Kuringkuru made a carafe-shaped vessel which is the only example of

Nyembe pottery described for the survey, and which is quite unlike the wares

of the other Okavango tribes which have been studied.

MASAKA NYEMBE

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 307

PART VI: DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

It was said in the introduction that the main reason for undertaking this

survey was to record, as far as possible, the techniques and pottery forms being

made by the Bantu of Southern Africa, and where possible to correlate this

with historical information in the literature and museum collections, because

of the changes which are taking place in this art. It was also hoped that a survey

of this nature could be used as a basis for cultural classifications and comparisons

with a view to tracing trade and cultural contact between tribal groups.

In order to compare the pottery of different groups it was necessary to

draw up a system of description and classification. This was done in some

detail, and has been used throughout the work.

Although it was not possible to make a complete survey by visiting all

tribes and localities, the following observations can be made from the informa-

tion which has been recorded.

Potters are women, except in the Okavango region of South West Africa,

where, among the Mbukushu and Diriko in the east, potters are men, and

among Kuangari and Nyembe in the west, potters of both sexes are found.

This argues a basic difference in tradition with the Kuangari as the point of

overlap.

Potters are specialists who make both for sale and for their own use.

Whatever may have been the rule in the past, today there is no secrecy in

regard to their methods and no taboos on who may learn the art. Potters are

well known in the districts in which they live but with the exception of the

Kwanyama and Pedi there was no indication that they are exceptionally

respected members of the community.

Most of the potters observed were skilled workers and gave the impression

that they had through trial and error developed their own set of rules within

- the framework of what they had been taught. A great number of them had been

taught by their mothers, but many had learnt at schools or from watching

others. |

There seemed to be no set rules followed within the tribal or divisional

groups as to.where and at what time of day or year a potter worked, except

among the Kwanyama where potters are said to work at new moon only and

in a specially constructed underground room. All Ambo are said to work in

special workrooms. Elsewhere potters were only concerned to be out of the

draught or the direct rays of the sun, so that the clay retained its plasticity.

Most potters made pottery at times when they were free from domestic and

agricultural work. Other limits were imposed by inclination, weather and

availability of fuel. Although some potters worked at any time of year, some of

them did so only in dry windless periods, as they found that pottery made

during wet weather was not successful. This was, however, purely a matter of

personal preference.

208 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Clay suitable for pottery manufacture was available among all tribes

visited except the T'swa living in the Funhalouro—Mabote district. It was found

that most potters had experimented with the materials in the district until

they had found the most suitable. Most common sources were river banks,

anthills, vleis and swamps. A filler was used if necessary; most frequently used

were finely ground potsherds, asbestos ore and anthill material. The method of

preparing the clay for use appeared to be a matter of personal preference based

on the type of clay, the climate and the amount needed for the size of the

potter’s trade.

There are deposits of ochre in many places, of graphite in some, and it

was found that in regard to these decorative materials, there was a flourishing

trade between hawkers, sometimes from far afield, and potters, in the areas

where there was no local deposit. ‘This seems to indicate that the decoration of

pottery with these materials is a tribal tradition and not only a matter of

availability.

The wheel is not used in the area under discussion, but it was found that,

with the exception of the Ronga, and of the Tswana and Shona tribes when

building very large pots, all potters build on a support which can be easily

turned as they work. There appears to be some indication of tribal preference

for the type of support used, but this has become obscured to some extent

throughout the area by the availability of metal plates and bowls. It was found

that potsherds were generally used by the Swazi, Tsonga (except Ronga),

Venda/Lemba, Chopi and Ambo, flat stones by the Nguni (except Swazi) and

the South Sotho, and wooden plates by the Shona and North Sotho. Baskets

were used in isolated instances among the Kalanga of Bechuanaland, South

Sotho in Basutoland, and the Manyika of Penhalonga. The use of a grass ring

is also found occasionally among Natal Nguni, Swazi and Venda.

A very wide range of tools for use as smoothers was recorded; these, too,

showed the adoption of European trade goods, particularly knives, forks and

spoons. The use of pieces of calabash rind is practically universal, and in

addition the BiTonga and Tsonga (excluding the Tswa but including those in

the Transvaal) use bi-valve mollusc shells. ‘The bean pod of the Bauhinia is also

used by all potters in the northern Transvaal. The choice of these tools appears

to be on availability. The use of a piece of wet skin or cloth for smoothing a

vessel and for shaping the rim is more suggestive of some sort of tribal signi-

ficance, because although available to all it is used only by the Transvaal

Sotho, the Swazi of Sekhukuneland, Chopi, Shona and Venda/Lemba.

As regards building techniques, it is suggested that, as moulding from the

lump is the most primitive method, the others recorded in the region of survey

are most probably developments of this basic technique, which have taken

place slowly in different directions and in varying degrees. It is not necessarily

suggested that this development took place in this region. The possible paths of

development are set out below:

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 309

Moulding from the lump entirely

Addition of clay to moulded lump (which in some Entire hollowing of lump with

cases became modified to flattened pad) in: completion of base last.

| |

rough lumps and coiled rolls Building Building with

poorly-defined from widest well-defined rings;

rings diameter base completed

last

The simplest form of moulding from the lump is used to the greatest extent

by the Tsonga, Chopi, some Natal Nguni, Ambo, some South Sotho and the

Venda/Lemba. Small vessels can be made entirely by hollowing a lump of

clay, but additional clay in roughly kneaded lumps or rolls joined in rings is

necessary for large sizes. A vessel started with a base moulded from the lump or

made by flattening a piece of clay, with the walls formed by the addition of

clay in lumps or rings, even for small sizes, is made by Cape and Immigrant .

Cape Neguni (not Mpondo), some Natal Nguni and some South Sotho potters.

Building on to a base by coiling rolls of clay is characteristic of the Swazi and

Mpondo technique and has also been recorded among Lobedu and Teve. The

building of the body of a vessel with thick well-defined rings made up of short

lengths of rolled clay, with the completion of the base last, is used by most

Shona tribes, particularly for large pots. Building from the widest diameter is

characteristic of the Tswana technique. The method of hollowing the lump

entirely to form the walls of a vessel, with or without additional clay, and the

completion of the base last is used by Karanga of Belingwe for small pots and

some Kalanga of Serowe and also by the Xananwa and Tlokwa of the North

Sotho. It is interesting to note that the main regions where moulding from the

_lump and the primitive methods derived from it occur, are, with the exception

of Vendaland, in the southern part of the region under discussion; the more

evolved methods are found farther north. The use of a variation of the well-

defined ring technique by the Nkuna potter of Tzaneen may possibly be due

to the fact that Letswalo people, also of Tzaneen, are of Karanga origin and

may therefore also use this typical Shona method, which may have been

adopted by the potter’s mother.

There appears to be no relationship between the building technique and

the shape of vessels made. Specific tribal methods of making pottery may have

been more marked in the past than they are today, but this is difficult to judge

from the records available. Schools are, however, likely to have had a good

deal of influence.

All Bantu potters recognize the importance of drying pottery evenly and

thoroughly before firing, but with the exception of the Ambo they have no

310 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

particular place for drying them. Among most groups they are dried indoors

and are sometimes covered with cloths during this period. Among the Nguni

a number of potters dried them in the sun during the day for a number of days

before firing. The length of the drying period was found to vary considerably

from twenty-four hours to four or five weeks. Although climatic conditions,

type of clay, size and thickness of vessel governed the length of the period to

some extent, it was found that very often potters preferred to make as many

pots as possible before firing, particularly where they had a large trade and

fuels were scarce. This was definitely a matter of personal preference.

Firing takes place out of doors in a slight hollow, a deep hole, on a stretch

of level ground or in a rudimentary stone kiln. Fuels most commonly used are

dried dung, wood and the bark of particular trees said to give a very hot fire.

Too few potters from any one tribe were interviewed during this survey to

ascertain whether the use of a particular type of hearth was tribal. Among the

South Sotho, however, most potters use a stone kiln. This is such an unusual

form of hearth that it makes one wonder whether it is indigenous. Choice of

fuels depends on availability to a large extent, but among some Swazi a prefer-

ence for dung when a particularly hot fire was required was recorded. Some

potters preferred to fire slowly over a long period rather than quickly for a

short time. A Ronga potter stated that a quick hot firing produced a better

quality pottery but that it usually resulted in a higher percentage of breakages

during firing.

Not all potters seal their pottery before use; from some it was learnt that

it was not considered necessary, as well-fired pottery was watertight, whereas

others had apparently never thought of doing so. Various methods of sealing

pottery were recorded—among the Nguni smearing coarse ware with dung;

among the Tswana, the Lenge and the Ronga, the most common ‘was smearing

with porridge; among some Shona hot beer was generally poured into new pots;

among the South Sotho beer-scum was smeared on to the surface; among the

Tonga and Manyika tribes of the Shona a bark decoction was used. There is

a very interesting resemblance in the treatment of fired vessels formerly

practised by the Venda/Lemba and by the Ronga of the Tsonga group. Not

only are the methods and treatment similar, but the terms hangula and khangula,

respectively, suggest a close connexion or shared contact between these groups.

Pottery cracked during drying was sometimes wetted and resmoothed, but

this was not considered very successful. The mending of pottery cracked in

firing was recorded among South Sotho and Tswana, and also among the

Nhlanganu of Pilgrim’s Rest. This is very likely a modern activity which

indicates degeneration of the quality of pottery made and also of potters’

standards. Elsewhere potters were shocked at the suggestion.

In addition to their use as a filler, broken pieces were used by a number of

potters (listed above) as a support on which to build, by South Sotho in Mount

Ayliff to keep the fuel off the pots in firing, and by all for odd dishes if large

enough. The use of a sherd as pumice stone was also seen in Mozambique.

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 3II

The most common method of testing the quality of pottery was to tap it

and judge by the reverberation. This test was used by both potters and their

customers. Further, among the Koni, customers tested cooking-pots by heating

them over the fire and then filling them with cold water which was then brought

to the boil.

Among Venda/Lemba, Natal Nguni, Ronga and Chopi, the standard of

pottery manufacture. is now very high. Among the Swazi it seems to have

improved according to Schofield’s description of it fifteen to twenty years ago.

Although it appeared from a study of literature and pottery collections in

museums that most peoples had made the same range of types in the past, this

has decreased, probably due to the availability of cheap, durable, mass-

produced factory-made utensils. Potters make only the types of vessel which

sell well or which are ordered, so that the market calls for the quantity and

type of pottery required.

Pottery is still preferred to trade goods for the storage of liquids and

porridge because of its property of keeping these foods sweet and fresh. Thus

most peoples still make pottery for storing beer and water, though open-

mouthed food- and wash-bowls and cooking-pots are no longer universal. The

former are still found among Venda/Lemba, Lobedu, North Sotho, Chopi and

Tsonga groups and the latter particularly among the peoples of Mozambique

and South West Africa, in areas where trade goods are not so readily available.

The use of pottery for ritual purposes is decreasing, probably due to the

change in attitude of the people to traditional customs, brought about by the

teachings of missionaries and contact with European and other tribal customs

in industry and mining.

Zoomorphic and multi-mouthed vessels were not apparently universal, the

former appearing to have been characteristic of Zezuru pottery, where they had

definite ritual significance. The South Sotho also used to make zoomorphic

pots, but it is not known whether these had the same significance. If so, they

~have now degenerated into pure ornaments. The significance of the multi-

mouthed vessels is not yet understood. These are recorded from Natal Nguni,

Venda/Lemba and Manyika sources, and very small multi-mouthed pots were

seen in the field at Zezuru and Rozwi homesteads at Mrewa and Rusape

respectively. Not only are old styles of pottery decreasing, but in Bechuanaland,

particularly, a modern casserole ware is extremely popular.

Although all Southern Bantu people used pottery for the same purposes,

it can be seen from the vessels which they now make that they did not all use

the same shaped vessels, with the possible exception of open-mouthed food-

bowls and basins, which do not vary much in type. Some types of vessel are

characteristic of the wares of certain groups; for instance, very large, wide-

mouthed pots for brewing are common among Cape and Immigrant Cape

Nguni and South Sotho, and spherical ones among Natal Neguni, whereas the

other peoples visited used pots with necks. Carinated and sub-carinated vessels

312 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

are characteristic of Tsonga (Mozambique), Chopi, East Tswana and Tonga

of Rhodesia, and are also made in Basutoland (Lesotho) occasionally. Nguni

pots are usually neckless and flat based; those of the Natal subdivision being

mostly spherical, those of the Swazi bag-shaped or spherical and those of the

Cape Neguni tribes barrel-shaped. Spherical, neckless pots with rounded bases

are characteristic of Venda, Lemba and Lobedu pottery and they are also made

and used by the Shona, but to a lesser extent. Most tribes use necked vessels of

some sort, some to a greater extent than others. For example, most Ambo,

Shona and Basuto make tall vessels with necks, and although these were made

by the Natal Nguni in the past they are now rarely seen. Short necks are

characteristic of Sotho ware, with the exception of that of the South Sotho, and

are also a feature of Tsonga pottery.

Within these groups there are, however, other variations, such as type of

neck, shape of body, rim and base, which can be used in conjunction with

finish and decoration as diagnostic characteristics.

Decoration of pottery is more important among some peoples than others,

and is generally confined to wares used in the serving of food and drink and to

bowls for washing. There is evidence that there have been changes in decoration,

particularly among the Sotho, Natal Nguni and some Shona.

Natal and Immigrant Cape Nguni and Swazi decorate their pottery by

smoking and burnishing with a shiny black finish. A burnished red finish is

characteristic of Tswana, Tsonga (Mozambique), some Tonga (Rhodesia) and

some Chopi ware, but different methods of colouring are used and the finish

is different in appearance. Among the South Sotho, graphic designs and colour

are seldom seen, although used in the past, and a high burnish is the main form

of decoration.

Various types of polychrome pottery are made by Sotho (other than the

South Sotho), Venda, Lemba and Shona. These wares are generally dis-

tinguishable from each other by the graphic designs within which colour is

applied, and by the amount of decoration on the vessel, if not by its shape.

The three main types of colour decoration used today have been mapped

and show a fairly marked distributional pattern. It is of interest that the more

complicated methods are found in the north-east region.

The use of raised lumps of clay for the decoration of pottery is found

among Tonga, Zezuru and Budjga (Shona), and to a lesser extent in Mozam-

bique, Natal and some Cape Nguni. Goodall suggested that among the Shona

tribes this ‘moulded’ decoration originally had an anthropomorphic signifi-

cance which has been lost. The Natal Nguni, who made raised designs, said to

be an imitation of those on their wooden utensils, use graphic techniques more

frequently today, and modern designs are popular.

Although not a great deal of information has been collected in connexion

with taboos, it was found that, although most potters have a scientific approach

to their art, that they do not like strangers or men to be present while they

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 313

work for fear that this will have a detrimental effect on their pottery. There are

a number of instances of individual taboos, mostly connected with the welfare

of the pottery.

An interesting custom common to the Lemba and the Basia of Basutoland

was the sighting of the new moon in a bowl of water during the day. When the

moon was seen there was a feast and the observer became leader of ceremonies.

Potters seem to be conservative in keeping to their methods of building —

for example, the Swazi of Sekhukhuneland used the Swazi technique to make

Sotho style pottery. To use the same example, the fact that they make

Sotho style pottery indicates that they are catering to the conservatism of their

customers. Similarly, in Mozambique, Portuguese factories sell traditional-

style pottery. On the other hand, Cape and Immigrant Cape Nguni tribes buy

a great deal of their pottery from South Sotho potters who make a variety of

wares, mainly in their own tradition. Apparently neither potters nor their

- customers object to the use of modern rather than traditional decorative

materials and shapes, and, in fact, in Bechuanaland many people show a

strong preference for modern-style pottery. With the exception of the Venda

and Lemba, no instance was recorded or suspected where immigrant potters

changed the traditions of potters of the group among whom they settled.

Nevertheless the possibility that this has happened in the past must be accepted.

It was learned throughout the area of survey that in the past pottery had

been bartered, usually for the amount of grain that it could hold, although in

Bechuanaland large pots had sometimes been exchanged for cattle, and among

the Xhosa it is recorded that an ox-skin was the rate of exchange for a vessel

with a capacity of three buckets. Although today most potters accept cash

payment, a lot of them still prefer grain. Among some groups, particularly the

Lemba, the Kwanyama, the Kuambi, the Swazi of Sekhukhuneland, the South

Sotho, the BiTonga and the Ronga, pottery is an important trade commodity,

and potters of these groups supply peoples who do not make pottery. The

' reasons why pottery is not made are not always clear; among the Tswa of the

Funhalouro—Mabote district and in some regions of South West Africa there

is no suitable clay, but in the other recorded cases the tribe who provide the

pottery live amongst those who no longer do so and to whom they sell. Among

Lemba, trade with the Venda was of far greater importance in the past than

it is today and it is suggested that one of the reasons for this is that with the

introduction of a monetary system the Lemba could no longer afford to be full-

time manufacturers and traders.

As far as the second major question is concerned, that of the possibility of

using pottery as a basis for cultural classification and tracing of trade contacts,

the only indications of relationship suggested by this survey of pottery are the

following:

That the branches of the Nguni (excluding those in Rhodesia where the

Shona tradition is followed) do form one unit and have themselves had some

314 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

influence on the South Sotho shapes (it should be noted, however, that not

enough is known of the two groups of Ndebele in the Transvaal to include them

in this statement).

That the Tsonga and the Chopi who have been grouped with the Nguni as

South-Eastern Bantu appear to be more nearly related to the South-Central

Bantu, or at least to the Tswana of that group, than they are to the Nguni, and

this despite Nguni invasions. This is shown in shape, decoration, sealing

method, but not in the basic technique, since they mould from the lump,

whereas the Tswana build from the widest diameter. The Tswana method is,

however, individual to themselves and may be a later development (compare

p. 309). The Chopi, the Tsonga of Mozambique, especially the Tswa, have

been living in such close contact for many years that it is not surprising that

their pottery is similar, both in method and outward appearance. A relation-

ship between Chopi and Karanga and Ndau tribes of the Shona is suggested

by the similarity in shape of large brewing vessels.

That the pottery of the Ambo and tribes of the Okavango, who with the

Herero make up the South-Western Bantu, is quite different, both in appear-

ance and in such pottery practices as are known, from that of the other two

Southern Bantu groups, except that some of them are said to mould from the

lump. They still have strong ties north of the Cunene and Okavango rivers.

As regards their internal relationship indications are few—the Herero make no

pottery, the Ambo ware is fairly homogeneous and does not resemble that of the

Okavango tribes where the appearance of men potters indicates a different

tradition.

That in the area of the South-Central Bantu the issues are not clear-cut.

This is in some part due to the fact that it was not possible during the survey to

visit all groups of Sotho and Shona, nor is the information available in the

literature. On the diagnostic characteristics recorded, South Sotho, Tswana

and other Transvaal Sotho appear as three distinct groups with no obvious

relationship to each other. On the other hand, the Transvaal Sotho, especially

in the north, would appear to have been strongly influenced, especially as

regards shape and decoration by the Venda/Lemba whom many of them have as

neighbours. The Venda/Lemba and Shona pottery share the characteristic

of being decorated with graphite, ochre and graphic designs but there are no

further similarities.

To trace cultural and trade contacts between tribal groups thoroughly

one would need more detailed information on all aspects of pottery than it

has been possible to collect for every group during this survey. The present

study can serve only as a guide to the type of research which needs to be under-

taken more fully, the results of which would then have to be linked with other

aspects of material culture and social life, to obtain a true picture of the

relationships between the Bantu peoples of Southern Africa.

This survey deals mainly with modern Bantu pottery, and it is known from

prehistoric finds and from literature that there have been changes in style of

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA By)

decoration and finish in most Bantu pottery traditions. ‘To assess these and their

significance it would be necessary to combine both archaeological and ethno-

graphical information.

SUMMARY

The survey covered the Bantu pottery of Southern Africa. The main

observations and conclusion are summarized below.

POTTERS

Potters are women throughout the area except in the Okavango territory

of South West Africa where among some tribes there are men potters. Potters

are always specialists and some traces were found of former secrecy about

methods.

TIME AND PLACE

With one exception (Kwanyama) the choice of time and place for making

pottery follows no general rule except that of convenience and avoidance of

draught.

MATERIALS

Clay is available in most places except in parts of southern Mozambique,

though potters who always fetch their own clay sometimes have to travel

considerable distances. Some potters mentioned experimenting to find the

most suitable clay. A filler is used if necessary, the most common being ground

potsherds. Ochres are available in many parts and graphite in some parts, but

there is quite a trade by hawkers for these materials which are used for decora-

tion. Enamel paint is being increasingly used in Bechuanaland (Botswana),

Rhodesia and Basutoland (Lesotho), as is boot polish in Natal.

TOOLS

Tools consist of a support on which to build (not universal), smoothers for

both inner and outer surfaces and implements for decoration, and their nature

depends largely on availability.

BUILDING

Five main techniques were found, each with variations: moulding from

the lump with base completed first or last; building from the base with addi-

tional lumps, rolls or rings; building from the base with vertical coiling;

building from either the widest diameter or below with flattened pieces, the

other section being completed last; building the body of the pot with well-

316 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

defined thick rings and completing the base last. The distribution of these

techniques is mapped.

DRYING

There appear to be no fixed rules as to how long or where drying takes

place except that the pot should be completely and evenly dried before firing.

FIRING

Firing takes place out of doors on level ground, in a shallow depression,

in a deep hole or in a stone ‘kiln’ (South Sotho only). The most common fuels

are dried dung, wood and bark, chosen largely on availability. Where a very

hot fire is required, dung or certain barks are chosen if available.

SEALING

Methods of sealing pottery before use with beer, thin porridge, a decoction

of bark or dung were found in some areas.

MENDING

Pottery cracked in the firing is mended by some tribes only. It was recorded

among the southern and western groups of the Sotho and the Nhlanganu of

Bushbuckridge.

FORMS

A wide variety of pots and bowls is made. They range from straight-sided

to spherical and carinated, the latter with or without necks. In addition, some

zoomorphic vessels, multi-mouthed pots and pedestal-based beakers were

recorded. Distribution of some of these forms is mapped.

DECORATION

Decoration is graphic, plastic or by means of colour. In many cases two or

three of these methods are combined. Distribution of types of colour decoration

is mapped.

TRADE

Potters usually make for themselves and to fulfil orders from neighbours.

Many instances were recorded, however, of potters having a flourishing trade,

sometimes amounting to a local industry.

TABOOS

_ Some instances of taboos and social customs in connexion with pottery

manufacture and use were recorded but this aspect was not investigated

thoroughly.

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 317

PRESENT STATE

It is evident that the craft of pottery among the Bantu in Southern Africa

has diminished, both in the quantity that is made and in the variety of uses

to which it is put. There is also evidence in some places of deterioration of the

quality of the ware. The most obvious reason for the decline of the craft is the

increasing availability of cheap, mass-produced utensils. Nevertheless, with the

exception of a few areas, pottery, whether made or imported from neighbouring

tribes is still an important item of material culture, largely because of its

quality of keeping liquids and food cool and therefore fresh.

An understanding of the significance of the study of pottery in tracing

tribal relationships and contacts is limited in the present instance by the fact

that it was not possible to make a complete survey. The Nguni certainly seem

to form one unit, with the exception of the Matabele. Tsonga and Chopi

pottery shows characteristics in common with the Tswana rather than with the

Neguni. The pottery of the three main Sotho groups does not seem to show the

relationship between these groups. That of the Transvaal Sotho shows strong

Venda/Lemba ‘influence. The Venda/Lemba and Shona share only the

characteristic of polychrome decoration. The South-Western Bantu form a

distinct group not related to the others.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This work is based on an M.A. thesis presented to the University of

Cape Town in 1965. It has since been revised and edited by the author and

Miss E. M. Shaw, ethnologist at the South African Museum, to whom the

author was research assistant for three years.

The author wishes to express her indebtedness to Miss Shaw under

whose leadership and guidance the research was undertaken.

The field research was undertaken during 1961, 1962 and 1963. On three

of the expeditions we were accompanied by Mr. B. S. Griffin, Mr. C. Gow or

Mr. F. Gess.

So many people have helped in the preparation of this survey that it is

impossible to mention them all by name. In the course of the collecting expedi-

tions we met with endless kindness from people who gave us accommodation

or allowed us to camp on their grounds, many of whom showed great interest

in our work and subsequently sent us information. To all of them most grateful

thanks are due. Special mention must be made of: the staffs of the Africana

Museum, Johannesburg; Ethnographic Museum, Cambridge; Musée de

?PHomme, Paris; National Museum, Bloemfontein; National Museum, Bula-

wayo; National Museum, Copenhagen; Pitt-Rivers Museum, Oxford; Queen

Victoria Museum, Salisbury; State Museum, Windhoek; State Ethnographic

Museum, Stockholm; Museum fiir Vélkerkunde, Hamburg; Institute for

Scientific Research, Lourengo Marques; Transvaal Museum, Pretoria;

318 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Department of Social Anthropology, University of the Witwatersrand; Johan-

nesburg Public Library; the District Commissioners, Bantu Affairs Commis-

sioners and other officials of many different districts, who arranged for us to

see as much as possible. Interpreters and guides wherever we went were most

helpful; and the following people: Mrs. L. Stork and Mrs. C. D. van Jaarsveld

who helped in the tedious work of checking and typing draft manuscripts of

the thesis; Mr. Gow who helped with the taking of photographs; Dr. N. J.

van Warmelo, Government Ethnologist, for allowing us to include some of his

photographs; the National Botanic Gardens, Kirstenbosch, and the National

Herbarium, Pretoria, for botanical identifications; Mr. H. Krumm for clay

analysis; Mr. James Walton for Meyerowitz MS. and other information;

Caltex (Africa) Limited for financial assistance.

The financial assistance given by the National Council for Social Research,

Department of Education, Arts and Science, both for research in the years

1961, 1962 and 1963, and for the publication of this work, is gratefully acknow-

ledged. Opinions expressed, or conclusions reached, are those of the writer,

and are not to be regarded as representative of those of the National Council

for Social Research, Department of Education, Arts and Science.

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 319

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320 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

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BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 321

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322 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

DESCRIPTIONS OF ILLUSTRATED POTTERY VESSELS

The pottery illustrations have been arranged according to tribal sub-

divisions and within that grouping, as far as possible according to the type of

vessel, depending upon space. Pottery in the Natal Nguni tradition, manu-

factured by potters of another tribal group has been grouped with Natal

Nguni pottery, and pottery in the Pedi tradition made by Swazi potters is

grouped with pottery of Central Sotho manufacture.

In setting out the descriptive data and available information concerning

use and vernacular name of each vessel, the scheme set out below has been

followed. Headings are omitted in cases where no relevant information is

available.

Number of Vessel Illustration.

Museum Number: Tribe, Locality, Date of Collection or Donation, Collector.

Shape: Body, neck, rim, base and height (referred to as H).

Ware: General impression of workmanship, for example, thickness of pottery |

wall and weight of vessel compared with size, degree of skill exercised in

manufacture, natural colour of vessel after firing, degree of firing (the

method of judging this being based upon that used by Bantu potters

themselves, i.e. by tapping the vessel so that it reverberates, the higher

the sound the better fired the pot is believed to be).

Decoration: Graphic, colour and general standard of execution.

Use: (Source of information).

Name: (Source of information).

Where museum records are given as the source of information this refers

to the records of the museum where the vessel is housed and indicates ape it

is not known from whom the information was obtained.

The drawing conventions are as follows:

1. Left-hand side represents cross-section of pot—a broken inner line showing

that no measurement of the wall thickness has been taken.

2. Right-hand side represents outer surface of pot.

(1) Thick black lines indicate grooving.

(ii) Fine black lines indicate incising.

(iii) Broken vertical lines indicate ochre.

(iv) Broken horizontal lines indicate graphite.

(v) Stippling indicates black, burnished, finish.

An ‘x’ beside an illustration denotes use of synthetic decorative materials.

An ‘9’ beside an illustration denotes the drawing of a vessel from measurements

and sketches made during the examination of pottery collections in museums

only briefly visited, and not, as were the other drawings, made with reference

to the specimens themselves.

12.

13.

14.

16.

18.

Qi.

22.

23.

24.

25.

31.

_ Fokeng Nos. 87, 89, 90, 95, 97, 100, 101

32.

33:

34-

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA

1. NGUNI

. CAPE NGUNI:

Mpondo Nos. 1-7

IMMIGRANT CAPE NGUNI

Bhaca No. 8

NATAL NGUNI

Basuto-made No. 28

Mabaso Nos. I1, 12, 15, 19, 20, 21, 23

? Matshabane No. 29

Undifferentiated Nos. 9, 14, 16, 18, 24, 25-27

? Ximba Nos. 10, 22

Zulu No. 13, 17

SWAZI

Undifferentiated Nos. 30-36

NORTHERN TRANSVAAL NDEBELE

Undifferentiated No. 37

RHODESIAN NDEBELE

Undifferentiated Nos. 38-44

2. TSONGA

SOUTHERN TSONGA (RONGA)

Undifferentiated Nos. 45-51

NHLANGANU

Undifferentiated No. 52

TSHANGANA

Mozambique No. 53

NKUNA AND OTHERS IN TRANSVAAL

Nkuna No. 54

NORTHERN TSONGA

Hlengwe Nos. 55-62

Tswa Nos. 63-65

Undifferentiated (Mozambique) Nos. 66-68

3. SOTHO

SOUTH SOTHO (BASUTO)

Hlakwana No. 94

Kwena Nos. 93, 105

Swazi-made: No. 79

Undifferentiated Nos. 69-78, 80-86, 88, 91, 92, 96, 98, 99, 102-104, 106

WEST TSWANA

Huruthse No. 110

Kalanga Nos. 126-128, ? 129

Kxalaxadi Nos. 124, 125

Mangwato Nos. 117-123

Malete Nos. 136-137

Ngwaketse Nos. 111-116

Thlaping Nos. 107-109

EAST TSWANA

Kgatla Nos. 130-135

Kwena ba Mogopa No. 138

Tlokwa No. 139

TSWANA

Undifferentiated Nos. 140-145

CENTRAL SOTHO

Pedi Nos. 151-155

Pedi made by Swazi Nos. 159-162

Undifferentiated Nos. 146-150, 156, 157, 158

323

324 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

36. NORTH EAST SOTHO

Lobedu Nos. 165-180

37. NORTH SOTHO

Hananwa Nos. 181-186

Koni Nos. 163, 164

Kwena/Moletse Nos. 187, 188

Undifferentiated Nos. 189-200

4- VENDA AND 5. LEMBA

41. WEST VENDA Nos. 202, 203, 206, 207, 212, 214, 217-219, 220, 222-225

44. EAST VENDA Nos. 208, 210, 216

47. SOUTH VENDA No. 205

Undifferentiated Nos. 201, 204, 209, 211, 221

51. LEMBA

In Transvaal: Nos. 213, 215, 227, 228, 232-237

In Rhodesia: Nos. 226, 229, 230, 231

6. CHOPI

61. CHOPI

Lenge Nos. 239, 240

Khokha (BiTonga) Nos. 241-244

Undifferentiated Nos. 238, 239

7. SHONA

71. KARANGA

Barwe No. 296

Budjga No. 261

Karanga Nos. 269, 270, 274, 275

Korekore Nos. 258, 259

Manyika Nos. 255-257

Mari No. 277

Maromo Nos. 250-254

Shawasha No. 249

Tonga Nos. 262-266, 268

Zezuru No. 245-248

Kalanga 271, 273, 276

72. ROZWI

Rozwi Nos. 283, 284

Ndau Nos. 278-282

Undifferentiated Nos. 260, 267, 285-295, 297

8. HERERO

Undifferentiated Nos. 298-300

9. AMBO

g1. NORTHERN AMBO

Kwanyama Nos. 301-306

92. SOUTHERN AMBO

Nkolonkathi Nos. 308, 310, 311

Kualuthi Nos. 307, 309

Kwankwa Nos. 312, 313

93. EASTERN AMBO

Kuangari Nos. 314-318

Undifferentiated Nos. 319-323

10. OKAVANGO TRIBES

1o1. MBUKUSHU

: Nos. 324, 325-328

102. DIRIKO

Nos. ? 329-331

No.

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 325

SAM 6051. MPONDO. Umvume Springs, Pondoland. June 1939. Mrs. Clarke.

Shape: Bag-shaped pot with short, straight everted neck, formed with well-defined point

of inflection, cut rim and flattened base. H 21-3 cm.

Ware: Heavy ware of medium thickness. Roughly formed neck. Very well fired. Natural

colour of the fired clay brown.

Decoration: Band of stamped impressions around neck. Red ochre applied on the outer

surface below neck and on inner surface on neck. Burnished.

Use: ‘A container for small allowances of foodstuffs, like sprouted grain of ‘“‘amarewu”’;

which is used in beermaking’ (Mrs. Clarke).

Name: inkonga (Mrs. Clarke).

UCT 32.37. MPONDO. Holy Cross, Flagstaff, E. Pondoland. June 1932. D. R. Krummeck.

Shape: Barrel-shaped pot with cut rim and flattened base. H 15-5 cm.

Ware: Medium weight pottery, evenly formed but not well fired.

Decoration: Designs of stamped impressions made with the end of a grass stalk. Outer

surface and small area inside mouth of vessel smeared rather unevenly with a dark

reddish ochre and lightly burnished.

Use: Beer-pot (museum records).

Name: ingqayi (museum records).

SAM 6167. MPONDO. Nggeleni District, Transkei. July 1940 (industrial school work).

Shape: Spherical pot with rounded rim and projecting base. H 15:5 cm.

Ware: Very heavy pottery, poorly shaped, with smooth finish. Very well fired.

Decoration: Broken band of impressions stamped with the end of a grass stalk around

neck. Coloured with reddish ochre and lightly burnished.

4 :

UCT 32.37. MPONDO. Holy Cross, Flagstaff, E. Pondoland. June 1932. D. R. Krummeck.

Shape: Barrel-shaped pot with cut rim and flattened base. H 16-2 cm.

Ware: Medium weight pottery, evenly formed but not very well fired.

Decoration: Two bands of moulded decoration, one below the rim and the other half-way

down the vessel. Outer surface and small area inside mouth of vessel smeared rather

unevenly with a dark reddish ochre and lightly burnished.

Use: Beer-pot (museum records).

Name: inggayi (museum records).

SAM 6168. MPONDO. Nggeleni District, Transkei. July 1940 (industrial school work).

Shape: Spherical pot with rounded rim and four rudimentary legs. H 16°75 cm.

Ware: Very thick, heavy ware, well-smoothed surface. Well fired.

Decoration: Designs of stamped impressions made with the end of a grass stalk. Red ochre

applied outside and over small area inside the mouth, lightly burnished.

SAM 6167. MPONDO. Nggeleni District, Transkei. July 1940 (industrial school work).

Shape: Spherical pot with rounded rim and projecting base. H 15:5 cm.

Ware: Very heavy pottery, poorly shaped, with exterior surface well smoothed. Well fired.

Decoration: Bands of slits approximately 1-5 cm. long made with a sharp blade at an acute

angle to the surface. Coloured with reddish ochre and lightly burnished.

SAM 7385. MPONDO. Near Umzamba River Mouth, Bizana District, Transkei. April

1955. Ethnologist, South African Museum.

Shape: Large barrel-shaped pot with rounded rim and flattened base. H 32 cm.

Ware: Well-formed pottery of medium thickness. Surface well smoothed but shows small

irregularities in the clay. Well-fired ware, a reddish brown colour with black base.

. 8

SAM 6986. BHACA. Mount Frere, Transkei. October 1948. Cornner.

Shape: Barrel-shaped pot with upright neck formed with poorly-defined point of inflection,

thickened rim and flattened base. H 23:5 cm.

326

No.

ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Ware: Well-formed, fairly thin ware. Well smoothed both inside and out. Well fired.

Decoration: Five small lumps applied around the base of the neck. Vessel blackened by firing,

probably deliberate, and well burnished.

SAM 8438. ZULU. Table Mountain, Pietermaritzburg, Natal. April 1961. Bought by

South African Museum Expedition at Durban Market.

Shape: Spherical pot with cut rim and flattened base. H 19:5 cm.

Ware: Well-formed, thick heavy ware. Smoothed inside and outside. Fired red with smoky

patches. Well burnished outside.

Decoration: Two designs of three triangles filled with half-moon impressions, probably made

with the fingernail, opposite each other.

Use: Beer-pot (seller).

Name: ukhamba (seller).

SAM 8414. ZULU (XIMBA—Van Warmelo 1935). Mahlabatini, Zululand. April

1961. South African Museum Expedition.

Shape: Small inverted bag-shaped pot with cut rim and flattened base. H 10 cm.

Ware: Thick heavy pottery. Poorly fired.

Decoration: Decorative band patterned with multiple grooves around the upper section of

the vessel. Deliberately blackened by firing and highly burnished.

Use: Drinking beer (seller).

Name: umancishane (seller).

SAM 8425. MABASO. Tugela Ferry, Msinga District, Natal. April 1961. South African

Museum Expedition.

Shape: Spherical pot with rounded rim and flattened base. H 13 cm.

Ware: Fairly light ware. Very symmetrical. Well fired.

Decoration: Modern ‘flower’ design in lightly grooved lines. Deliberately blackened in a

reducing atmosphere and well burnished.

Use: Beer-pot (potter).

Name: ukhamba (potter).

SAM 8427. MABASO. Tugela Ferry, Msinga District, Natal. April 1961. South African

Museum Expedition.

Shape: Inverted bag-shaped pot with rounded rim and flattened base. H 16-5 cm.

Ware: Pottery of medium thickness, smoothed inside and out with the exception of the base.

Decoration: Designs grooved with a hairpin. Blackened in a reducing atmosphere and

highly burnished.

Use: Beer-pot (potter).

Name: ukhamba (potter).

SAM 8403. ZULU. Eshowe, Zululand. April 1961. South African Museum Expedition.

Shape: Bag-shaped pot with cut rim and flattened base. H 17 cm. .

Ware: Fairly heavy pottery, evenly formed with a smooth finish.

Decoration: Spaced asymmetrical designs of triangular stamped impressions. Black finish.

Well burnished.

Use: Beer-pot (seller).

Name: ukhamba (seller).

. 14 and frontispiece No. 1

SAM 8803. ZULU. Msinga District, Natal. 1936 Government Ethnologist. Presented to

the South African Museum in September 1962.

Shape: Spherical pot with rounded rim and flattened base. H 14 cm.

Ware: Thin light pottery, very well shaped. Well fired.

Decoration: Two concentric bands of applied rounded lumps. Vessel blackened and

burnished.

Use: Small container for beer (Doke, Malcolm and Sikakana, 1958).

Name: umancishane (Gov. Ethnologist).

No.

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 327

SAM 8426. MABASO. Tugela Ferry, Msinga District, Natal. April 1961. South African

Museum Expedition.

Shape: Sub-spherical pot with rounded rim and flattened base. H 16:5 cm.

Ware: Thin, light-walled ware with heavier base. Well fired.

Decoration: Zigzag designs in shallow grooved lines. Base is cross-hatched with incised lines.

Blackened in reducing atmosphere. Well burnished.

Use: Beer-pot (potter).

Name: ukhamba (potter).

. 16

SAM 8797. ZULU. Msinga, Natal, 1936. Government Ethnologist. Presented to the South

African Museum in September 1962.

Shape: Spherical pot with cut rim and flattened base. H 17 cm.

Ware: Very thin walled light ware. Well formed. Fair firing.

Decoration: Spaced groups of round stamped impressions. Highly burnished black finish.

Use: Family beer-pot for serving beer (Gov. Ethnologist— museum records).

Name: ukhamba (Gov. Ethnologist).

SAM 8396. ZULU. Eshowe, Zululand. April 1961. South African Museum Ex-

pedition.

Shape: Sub-spherical pot with cut rim and flattened base. H 26°75 cm.

Ware: Fairly heavy ware with noticeably heavy base. Well shaped.

Decoration: Decorative band patterned with multiple grooving. Black finish, lightly

burnished.

Use: Beer- or water-pot (potter).

Name: ukhamba (potter).

. 18

UCT 38.16. ZULU. No locality given. Schapera.

Shape: Deep open-mouthed bowl with cut rim and flattened base. H 14 cm.

Ware: Thin light ware. Well shaped. Not very well fired. Interior a reddish black, exterior

black and burnished.

- 19

SAM 8433. MABASO. Tugela Ferry, Msinga District, Natal. April 1961. South African

Museum Expedition.

Shape: Inverted bag-shaped pot with everted neck formed with poorly-defined point of

inflection, rounded rim and flattened base. H 32°3 cm.

Ware: Well-shaped ware of even thickness. Fairly heavy. Very well fired.

Decoration: Modern ‘flower’ design in grooved lines. Black finish, well burnished.

Use: Storing beer or water (potter).

Name: ingcazi (potter).

SAM 8435. MABASO. Tugela Ferry, Msinga District, Natal. April 1961. South African

Museum Expedition.

Shape: Sub-spherical pot with cut rim and flattened base. H 24:25 cm.

Ware: Fine, thin-walled, light-weight ware. Centre of biscuit brown, outside black.

Decoration: Grooved designs. Black burnished finish.

Use: Beer-pot (potter).

Name: ukhamba (potter).

SAM 8434. MABASO. Tugela Ferry, Msinga District, Natal. April 1961. South African

Museum Expedition.

Shape: Wide-mouthed, inverted, bag-shaped pot with cut rim and flattened base. H 18 cm.

Ware: Thin-walled ware with heavy base. Very well shaped. Fair firing.

Decoration: Burnished black finish.

Name: ukhamba (seller).

No. 22

SAM 8415. ZULU (XIMBA— Van Warmelo, 1935). Mahlabatini, Zululand. April 1961.

South African Museum Expedition.

328

No.

ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Shape: Spherical pot with cut rim and flattened base. H 12-3 cm.

Ware: Heavy pottery with thick base. Well formed. Poor firing. Brick red biscuit.

Decoration: Triangular design of raised moulded lumps. Black finish, very well burnished.

Use: Drinking beer (seller).

Name: umancishane (seller).

SAM 8424. MABASO. Tugela Ferry, Msinga District, Natal. April 1961. South African

Museum Expedition.

Shape: Inverted bag-shaped pot with cut rim and flattened base. H 29:5 cm.

Ware: Heavy pottery. Well formed. Fair firing.

Decoration: Grooved designs. Fired in a reducing atmosphere to give a black finish.

Use: Beer-pot (potter).

Name: ukhamba (potter).

AFRIK 58.1648. ZULU.

Shape: Pot with cut rim and flattened base. H 20-1 cm.

Decoration: Stamped arcs of a circle. Black finish.

TVL 8313. ZULU. Msinga District, Natal.

Shape: Bag-shaped pot with flattened base. H 13:5 cm.

Ware: Thin-walled ware.

Decoration: Design in applied lumps around upper section of the vessel. Black finish.

Use: Small beer-pot (museum records).

Name: umancishane (museum records).

TVL 13. ZULU.

Shape: Tall barrel-shaped pot with cut rim and flattened base. H 22 cm.

Decoration: Designs stamped with the head of a nail.

Use: Milking (museum records).

e 27

TVL. 16. ZULU. Purchased from Ivy.

Shape: Tall barrel-shaped pot with cut rim and flattened base. H 24 cm.

Ware: Fired black with orange patches.

Use: Milking and other household purposes (museum records).

SAM 8983. BASUTO in Zulu style. Nqutu, Zululand. 1963. Ethnologist, South African

Museum.

Shape: Spherical pot with cut rim and flattened base. H 17-3 cm.

Ware: Well-formed, heavy-based ware. Fair firing.

Decoration: Design patterned with very fine multiple grooving. Black, burnished finish.

SAM 8642. ZULU. (MATSHABANE— Van Warmelo, 1935). Shongwe Store, Ubombo

District, Natal. April 1961. South African Museum Expedition.

Shape: Sub-spherical pot with rounded rim and rounded base. H 34 cm.

Ware: Thin-walled ware. Well fired.

Decoration: Triangular design in shallow, round, stamped impressions.

Use: Beer- or water-pot (potter).

Name: imbiza (potter).

SAM 8677. SWAZI. Hora Valley, Pigg’s Peak, Swaziland. June 1962. South African

Museum Expedition.

Shape: Open-mouthed bowl with rounded rim and flattened base. H 12 cm.

Ware: Thick red ware, smoothed inside and out. Fair firing.

Decoration: Lightly burnished on the outside.

Use: Food-bowl (potter).

Name: umkhele (potter).

No. 3

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 329

SAM 8646. SWAZI. Hlatikulu District. Swaziland. June 1962, South African Museum

Expedition.

Shape: Spherical pot with cut rim and flattened base. H 18 cm.

Ware: Fairly thin-walled ware. Well fired. Smoothed inside and out.

Decoration: Diamond-shaped designs patterned with stamped impressions made with the

end of a grass stalk. Black finish with patches of red.

Use: Beer container (potter).

Name: lukhamba (potter).

No. 32

SAM 6040. SWAZI. Sekhukhuneland, Transvaal. 1939.

Shape: Small open-mouthed bow! with cut rim and flattened base. H 7:1 cm.

Ware: Thick pottery. Fired to a black/brown colour. Well fired.

Decoration: Burnished on the outside.

Use: Porridge bowl (Venter, zn lit. April 1964).

Name: moruswana wa go jela (museum records).

No. 33

SAM 8647. SWAZI. Hlatikulu, Swaziland. June 1962. South African Museum Expedition.

Shape: Small spherical pot with cut rim and flattened base. H 14:1 cm.

Ware: Well-shaped fairly thin ware. Well fired. Smoothed inside and out.

Decoration: Two wavy lines of stamped impressions made with the end of a grass stem.

Black surface burnished on the outside.

Use: Beer container (seller).

Name: lukhamba (seller).

No. 34

SAM 8652. SWAZI. Hlatikulu District, Swaziland. June 1962. South African Museum,

Expedition.

Shape: Sub-spherical pot with slight inward sloping neck formed with poorly-defined point

of inflection, rounded rim and flattened base. H 18 cm.

Ware: Well-formed medium thick walled ware. Well fired. Black/red colour. Smoothed

inside and outside.

Decoration: Fair burnish on the outside.

Name: ludziwo (seller).

No. 35

SAM 8666. SWAZI. Mbabane Market, Mbabane, Swaziland. June 1962. South African

Museum Expedition.

Shape: Small spherical pot with cut rim and slightly flattened base. H 12 cm.

Ware: Thin-walled, well-shaped, light-weight ware. Light buff inside.

Decoration: Applied lumps. Blackened with smoke.

No. 36

SAM 8665. SWAZI. Mbabane Market, Mbabane, Swaziland. June 1962. South African

Museum Expedition.

Shape: Bag-shaped pot with cut rim and flattened base. H 23 cm.

Ware: Well-formed pot. Medium thick. Very well fired. Black ware with buff patches.

Smoothed inside and outside.

Decoration: Burnished on the outside.

No. 37

TVL 61/160. TVL. NDEBELE. Grasvlei, Potgietersrust, Transvaal.

Shape: Inverted bag-shaped pot with thickened rim and rounded base. H 25 cm.

Decoration: Stamped design filled in with white material. Graphite and red ochre.

Use: Drinking beer and water at home (museum records).

Name: motsegana (museum records).

No. 38

BWYO 2059. NDEBELE. Tjabezi Valley, Matopo Hills, Rhodesia.

Shape: Bag-shaped pot with flattened base and rounded rim. H 25°5 cm.

Use: Old pot, probably last used for storing purposes (museum records).

33°

No.

ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

BWYO 2059. NDEBELE. Tjabezi Valley, Matopo Hills, Rhodesia.

Shape: Pot with upright neck formed with poorly-defined point of inflection, rounded rim

and rounded base. H 16:5 cm.

Decoration: Incised line around the base of the neck.

Use: Old pot, probably last used for storing purposes (museum records).

SAM 1344. MATABELE. Empandeni, near Plumtree, Rhodesia. 1911. O’Neill.

Shape: Spherical pot with upright neck formed with poorly-defined point of inflection,

flattened thickened rim and rounded base. H 15:5 cm.

Ware: Thick heavy ware, smoothed inside and out. Well fired.

Decoration: ‘Two very deep incised lines forming a wide zigzag band. Graphite, red ochre

and a white material used as colour. No burnish.

SAM 1344. MATABELE. Empandeni, near Plumtree, Rhodesia. 1911. O’Neill.

Shape: Spherical pot with upright neck formed with poorly-defined point of inflection,

flattened thickened rim and rounded base. H 16.4 cm.

Ware: Well-shaped ware of medium thickness and weight. Well fired to a brown buff

colour. Smooth unburnished surface.

Decoration: ‘Two bands of incised triangles coloured with white material with band of cross-

hatching between them. Applied red ochre and graphite, lightly burnished.

SAM 1344. MATABELE. Empandeni, near Plumtree, Rhodesia. 1911. O’Neill.

Shape: Spherical pot with upright neck formed with poorly-defined point of inflection,

flattened thickened rim and rounded base. H 21-1 cm.

Ware: Medium heavy ware. Smoothed inside and out.

BWYO 2025. NDEBELE. Bazha, Matopos, Rhodesia.

Shape: Spherical pot with curved everted neck formed with poorly-defined point of inflec-

tion, rounded rim and flattened base. H 15 cm.

Ware: Very roughly finished, poorly formed ware.

Decoration: Application of red ochre, very poor burnish.

BWYO 1996. NDEBELE (made by Kalanga who have been absorbed by the Ndebele in

the Essexvale District). Essexvale, Rhodesia.

Shape: Pot with upright neck formed with poorly-defined point of inflection and flattened

base. H 22 cm.

Ware: Very poorly-formed ware.

Decoration: Incised design patterned with stamped impressions made with a very sharp

stylus. Band of red ochre below the mouth.

SAM 8787. RONGA. Vila Luiza, Lourenco Marques, Sul do Save, Mozambique. Sep-

tember 1962. South African Museum Expedition.

Shape: Wide-mouthed, shallow, carinated bowl with short, straight, everted neck formed

with well-defined point of inflection, flattened rim and rounded base. H 14 cm.

Ware: Well-formed light-weight pottery of medium thickness. Matt finish to both inner

and outer surfaces.

Decoration: Very rough burnish on the outer surface for a short distance above and below

the carination.

Use: Cooking relish (potter).

Name: inhlambeto (potter).

SAM 8788. RONGA. Vila Luiza, Lourengo Marques, Sul do Save, Mozambique. Sep-

tember 1962. South African Museum Expedition.

Shape: Sub-carinated pot with upright neck formed with poorly-defined point of inflection,

- thickened rim and flattened base. H 11-2 cm.

Ware: Thin-walled, light pottery.

No.

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 331

Decoration: Red colour applied to outer surface and lightly burnished.

Use: Used by the man of the house for drinking beer (seller— museum records).

Name: lekhuana (seller).

SAM 8917. RONGA. Vila Luiza, Lourengo Marques, Sul do Save, Mozambique. June

1963. South African Museum Expedition.

Shape: Small, wide-mouthed, sub-carinated bowl with short, curved, everted neck formed

with poorly-defined point of inflection, rounded rim and rounded base. H 12°5 cm.

Ware: Unevenly shaped pottery of medium thickness and weight. Matt finish inside and

out. Well fired to a red buff colour with black patches.

Decoration: Band of stamped rolled impressions done with the edge of a bivalve shell.

SAM 8786. RONGA. Vila Luiza, Lourenco Marques, Sul do Save, Mozambique. Sep-

tember 1962. South African Museum Expedition.

Shape: Wide-mouthed sub-carinated bowl with short, straight, everted neck formed with

a well-defined point of inflection, cut rim and rounded base. H 11-4 cm.

Ware: Unevenly shaped pottery of medium thickness. Very light in weight and very well

fired. Matt finish inside and out.

Use: Cooking relish (potter).

Name: inhlambeto (potter).

SAM 8785. RONGA. Vila Luiza, Lourenco Marques, Sul do Save, Mozambique. Sep-

tember 1962. South African Museum Expedition.

Shape: Deep wide-mouthed bowl with carination at the base of tall, curved, everted neck,

rounded rim and rounded base. H 17 cm.

Ware: Thin, light, well-shaped ware. The area above the carination has been smoothed

more than that below it. Matt surface with small stones visible on the surface of the

fired clay. Very well fired.

Decoration: Band of short lines of stamped impressions around the carination.

Use: Cooking porridge (potter).

Name: inhlambeto (potter).

- 50

SAM 8916. RONGA. Vila Luiza, Lourenco Marques, Sul do Save, Mozambique. June

1963. South African Museum Expedition.

Shape: Deep, wide-mouthed bowl with carination at the base of tall compound everted

neck, rounded rim and rounded base. H 18 cm.

Ware: Evenly shaped pottery of medium thickness and weight. Matt finish inside and out.

Very well fired. Colour buff and black patches.

Decoration: Band of short lines of stamped impressions made with the edge of a bivalve shell

around the carination.

Use: Cooking porridge (potter).

Name: inhlambeto (potter).

WITS 39.523. RONGA. Ricatla, Lourenco Marques, Sul do Save, Mozambique. 1909

(said to belong to Sokis, a witchdoctor).

Shape: Sub-carinated pot with upright neck formed with poorly-defined point of inflection,

rounded rim and rounded base. H 13°75 cm.

Ware: Fired a red-brown colour.

Use: Said to have been on Sokis’s grave. Offerings of beer made to him by his wife. Hole

in the base of the vessel (museum records).

SAM 8906. NHLANGANU. Alexandria Farm, Bushbuckridge, Transvaal. May 1963.

South African Museum Expedition.

Shape: Spherical pot with inward-sloping neck formed with poorly-defined point of inflec-

tion, cut rim and rounded base. H 24:5 cm.

Ware: Thick, heavy pottery, fairly evenly formed. Well fired. Natural colour of the fired

ware buff with black patches.

332 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Decoration: Ochre applied to the outer surface and just inside the neck. Triangles of graphite

decorate the outer surface of the neck. The pot has been burnished but the surface is

uneven.

Name: shikhuwana (seller).

No. 53

SAM 8944. TSHANGANA. Between Manjacaze and Chibuto, Sul do Save, Mozambique.

June 1963. South African Museum Expedition.

Shape: Small bowl with carination at the widest diameter, with short, straight, everted neck

formed with a well-defined point of inflection, rounded rim and rounded base.

H 10-7 cm.

Ware: Well-shaped pottery of even thickness, fairly heavy for size of the vessel. Very well

fired. Light buff colour with black patches.

Name: shimbitana (potter).

No. 54

SAM 8682. NKUNA. Totwana, Tzaneen, Transvaal. June 1962. South African Museum

Expedition.

Shape: Spherical pot with thickened rim and rounded base. H 19 cm.

Ware: Well-shaped, medium thick, fairly heavy ware. Well fired to a red buff with black

patches.

Decoration: Graphite and ochre applied in designs outlined with narrow grooved and incised

lines. Light burnish.

No. 55

SAM 7179. HLENGWE. Sabi-Lundi, Rhodesia. 1952. B. Carp.

Shape: Spherical pot with curved, everted neck formed with poorly-defined point of inflec-

tion, rounded rim and rounded base. H 29 cm.

Ware: Thin, well-formed, light-weight ware. Very well fired.

Decoration: Neatly decorated with triangular design outlined and cross-hatched with

lightly grooved lines. Cross-hatched areas are filled with a white colour. Graphite

and ochre applied.

Name: mbita (museum records).

No. 56

SAM 7191. HLENGWE. Sabi-Lundi, Rhodesia. 1952. B. Carp.

Shape: Small spherical pot with curved everted neck formed with a well-defined point of

inflection, rounded rim and rounded base. H 11-1 cm.

Ware: Light-weight, well-shaped, thin-walled ware. Fair firing.

Decoration: Neatly grooved triangular design patterned with cross-hatching. Hatched areas

filled with white powder. Red ochre and graphite applied and burnished.

Name: mbita (museum records).

No. 57

SAM 7185. HLENGWE. Sabi-Lundi, Rhodesia. 1952. B. Carp.

Shape: Small incurved bowl with cut rim and rounded base. H 7-7 cm.

Ware: Roughly formed ware. Thick walled and heavy for size of vessel.

Name: mbita (museum records).

No. 58

SAM 7182. HLENGWE. Sabi-Lundi, Rhodesia. 1952. B. Carp.

Shape: Smail spherical pot with curved everted neck formed with poorly-defined point of

inflection, rounded rim on tapered wall and rounded base. H 9:5 cm.

Ware: Fairly light-weight, well-shaped ware. Very well fired.

Decoration: Neat triangular design in incised lines, patterned with cross-hatching filled with

white colour. Red ochre and graphite lightly burnished.

Name: mbita (museum records).

No. 59

SAM 7179. HLENGWE. Sabi-Lundi, Rhodesia. 1952. B. Carp.

Shape: Spherical pot with curved everted neck formed with poorly-defined point of inflec-

tion, rounded rim and rounded base. H 26-2 cm.

Ware: Thin-walled, well-formed ware. Light in weight. Very well fired.

No.

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 333

Decoration: Triangular design outlined with incised lines patterned with cross-hatching.

Coloured with red ochre and graphite.

Name: mbita (museum records).

. 6o

SAM 7181. HLENGWE. Sabi-Lundi, Rhodesia. 1952. B. Carp.

Shape: Small spherical pot with curved everted neck, formed with a poorly-defined point

of inflection, rounded rim on tapered wall and rounded base. H 8-25 cm.

Ware: Very light thin-walled ware. Very well fired.

Decoration: Designs neatly carried out with incised lines. Cross-hatched areas filled with

a white material. Red ochre mixed to a very thin consistency. Graphite band around

neck.

Name: mbita (museum records).

SAM 7178. HLENGWE. Sabi-Lundi, Rhodesia. 1952. B. Carp.

Shape: Bowl with curved everted neck formed with poorly-defined point of inflection,

rounded rim, on tapered wall, rounded base and handle. H 10 cm.

Ware: Thin light ware, roughly formed compared to other vessels in this series. Very well

fired.

Decoration: Crudely executed triangular design outlined with incised lines and patterned

with cross-hatching.

Use: Drinking vessel (museum records).

BWYO 6342. HLENGWE. Christa’s kraal, Sabi, Rhodesia.

Shape: Open-mouthed bowl with rounded rim on tapered wall, and rounded base. H 17 cm.

Ware: Evenly formed.

Decoration: Roughly executed cross of orange ochre inside bowl.

SAM 8923. TSWA. Massamane, Panda, Sul do Save, Mozambique. June 1963. South

African Museum Expedition.

Shape: Spherical pot with short, curved, everted neck formed with poorly-defined point of

inflection, rounded rim on tapered wall and rounded base. H 17 cm.

Ware: Medium heavy ware of medium thickness. Very well fired. Black patches on light

buff fired surface.

Decoration: Band of grooved triangles on buff ground. A deep red colour applied over body

surface and burnished.

Use: Water-pot (potter).

Name: khuwana (potter).

SAM 8924. TSWA. Massamane, Panda, Sul do Save, Mozambique. June 1963. South

African Museum Expedition.

Shape: Incurved bowl with everted neck formed with poorly-defined point of inflection,

thickened rim and rounded base. H 17 cm.

Ware: Unevenly formed, roughly finished ware. Very well fired. Irregularities visible in

the clay. Fired a light yellow buff colour with black patches.

Use: Cooking (potter).

Name: galango (potter).

65 .

SAM 8925. TSWA. Massamane, Panda, Sul do Save, Mozambique. June 1963. South

African Museum Expedition.

Shape: Incurved bowl with compound everted neck formed with poorly-defined point of

inflection, rounded rim on tapered wall and rounded base. H 19:25 cm.

Ware: Heavy ware of medium thickness. Very well fired. Buff with black patches.

Decoration: Band of cross-hatched grooved triangles on natural buff background. Remainder

of outer surface and upper half of the inner surface coloured a deep orange/red.

Burnished.

Use: Cooking (potter).

Name: galango (potter).

334 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

No. 66

SAM 8937. TSONGA. Near Morrumbene, Sul do Save, Mozambique. June 1963. South

African Museum Expedition.

Shape: Large pot with carination at the widest diameter, short, straight, everted neck

formed with well-defined point of inflection, cut rim and rounded base. H 31 cm.

Ware: Medium thick and heavy ware. Very well fired. Black patches from firing.

Decoration: Stamped decoration made with rounded stylus. Red/orange colour applied

outside and inside in a very liquid form. Burnished surface.

No. 67

SAM 8939. TSONGA. Near Morrumbene, Sul do Save, Mozambique. June 1963. South

African Museum Expedition.

Shape: Small sub-carinated bowl with short, straight, everted neck formed with well-

defined point of inflection, rounded rim on tapered wall and rounded base. H 8 cm.

Ware: Light-weight, fairly thin-walled ware. Well fired. An orange buff with black patches.

Decoration: Red colour applied unevenly over both inner and outer surfaces. Notched rim.

No. 63 and frontispiece No. 2

SAM 8938. TSONGA. Near Morrumbene, Sul do Save, Mozambique. June 1963. South

African Museum Expedition.

Shape: Small bowl with carination at widest diameter with short, straight-everted neck

formed with well-defined point of inflection, cut rim on tapered wall and rounded

base. H 10°25 cm.

Ware: Pottery of medium thickness and weight. Fair firing. A light buff colour with black

patches.

Decoration: Red/orange colour applied on upper section of bowl both inside and outside.

The entire vessel is roughly burnished.

No. 69

PAR» B.3, BASU LO:

Shape: Sub-carinated pot with thickened rim and flattened base. H 18 cm.

Decoration: Band of crenulate grooved lines below mouth, giving the impression of a plait.

Ochre applied and burnished.

No. 70

PAR 94.683. BASUTO. Lesotho. September 1894. Holub.

Shape: Small pot with everted neck formed with poorly-defined point of inflection, cut rim

and dimple base, with two vertically pierced lugs. H 9°5 cm.

Decoration: Ochre applied on outer surface, burnished.

Use: Food or water (museum records).

Name: pitsalsekhiso[nkho (museum records).

No. 71

CAM 33.820. BASUTO. Herschel District, Cape.

Shape: Sub-carinated pot with thickened rim and projecting base. H 15 cm.

Decoration: Band of stamped triangular impressions along raised crenulate section of vessel.

Outer surface said to be coloured with burnished graphite.

No. 72

SAM 982. BASUTO. Herschel District, Cape. 1905. Rev. E. J. Edney.

Shape: Pot with thickened rim and flattened base. H 28-2 cm.

Ware: Well-shaped, very heavy ware. Medium-well fired. Smooth regular surface with

vertical burnish strokes.

Decoration: Triangular design patterned with grooved lines of irregular length. Application

of red ochre.

No. 73

WITS 40.24. BASUTO. Basutoland.

Shape: Pot with carination at widest diameter, thickened rim and flattened base. H 20°5 cm.

Ware: Medium thick ware.

Decoration: Ochre coloured outer surface with black rim (not graphite). Burnished.

Use: Cooking-pot (museum records).

Name: mopotshane|pitsa/nkho (museum records).

No.

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 335

SAM 982. BASUTO. Herschel District, Cape. 1905. Rev. E. J. Edney.

Shape: Beaker with thickened rim and flattened base. H 17-5 cm.

Ware: Well-shaped ware of medium thickness and weight. Smooth surface with vertical

lines of burnish.

Decoration: Red ochre applied on rim. Very high burnish on outer surface.

Use: Cooking (museum records). This is unlikely, it is more probable that it was used for

drinking.

AFRIK 4107. BASUTO.

Shape: Spherical pot with tall upright neck formed with poorly-defined point of inflection,

thickened rim and rounded base. H 24 cm.

Ware: Very well-burnished, buff ware.

SAM 8563. BASUTO. Mdlokovana, Herschel District, Cape. November 1961. South

African Museum Expedition.

Shape: Small sub-carinated pot with thickened rim and flattened base. H 11-6 cm.

Ware: Well-shaped, well-finished ware of medium thickness and weight. Well fired. Natural

colour of pot buff with black patches.

Decoration: Stamped design on a very smooth surface. Polished with boot black.

Use: Made for sale in Johannesburg and other large centres.

No. 77

No.

SAM 8564. BASUTO. Tjyindini, Herschel District, Cape. November 1961. South African

Museum Expedition.

Shape: Beaker with pedestal base and cut rim. H 21 cm.

Ware: Heavy, thick-walled ware. Poorly shaped. Very well fired.

Decoration: Application of orange ochre in a very liquid form.

Use: Drinking (seller).

Name: mokirane (seller).

SAM 8638. BASUTO. Basutoland. 1933. Mrs. Lazarus. Presented to museum in 1962.

Shape: Beaker on pedestal base with thickened rim. H 19:75 cm.

Ware: Pottery is thin, light, and well fired. Poorly shaped. Fired an orange buff with

black patches.

Decoration: Very crude and rough designs in enamel paint—black, blue, red and pink, on

lightly burnished clay surface. i

Use: Drinking beer (museum records).

SAM 8589. BASUTO. Made by Swazi. Near Butha Buthe, Basutoland. February 1962.

South African Museum Expedition.

Shape: Beaker with pedestal base and rounded rim. H 19 cm.

Ware: Roughly made, poorly-shaped ware of medium thickness and weight. Well fired.

Light brown.

Decoration: Decorated with a band of V’s in black, green, red and deep brown enamel

paint. Slight burnish of clay surface inside and out.

80 and frontispiece No. 4

SAM 8o10. BASUTO. Leribe, Basutoland. 1958. South African Museum Expedition.

Shape: Beaker with pedestal foot and thickened rim. H 17 cm.

Ware: Poorly-shaped ware with thick walls. Well fired. A deep red/orange.

Decoration: Rim and foot coloured with a black material (? clay). Slight burnish both

inside and out.

SAM 7440. BASUTO. 1956. McFarlane.

Shape: Beaker with cut-away pedestal base and thickened rim. H 17 cm.

Ware: Medium thickness and weight. Well fired. Light buff colour with smoky patches on

the outer surface, inside black.

Decoration: Raised, moulded designs coloured with red ochre. Stamped designs— triangular

stylus. Extremely smooth, well-burnished surface.

336

No.

ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

SAM 8533. BASUTO. Basuto Hill, Herschel District, Cape. December 1961. South

African Museum Expedition.

Shape: Sub-carinated pot or beaker, with short pedestal base and rounded rim. H 17°5 cm.

Ware: Thick, heavy ware, poorly formed and well fired. Light buff colour.

Decoration: Designs of round stamped impressions. Red ochre applied and burnished on

outer surface except on designs.

Use: Drinking beer (seller).

Name: mpotjwana (seller).

SAM 8573. BASUTO. Mohales Hoek, Basutoland. December 1961. District Commissioner,

Mohales Hoek.

Shape: Beaker with projecting base and cut rim. H 15 cm.

Ware: Light-weight ware of medium thickness. Very well fired. Brown buff with patches of

black and bright orange streaks. Red ochre appears to have been applied inside. Light

burnishing inside and outside.

SAM 8562. BASUTO. Mdlokovana, Herschel District, Cape. December 1961. South

African Museum Expedition.

Shape: Beaker with cut-away pedestal base and thickened rim. H 15-8 cm.

Ware: Very well fired and formed. Medium thickness and weight. Very smooth, even

surface.

Decoration: Stamped design. Boot polish applied and well rubbed to give excellent finish.

Use: Made for sale in large centres. Drinking (potter— museum records).

SAM. 8525. BASUTO. Basuto Hill, Herschel District, Cape. December 1961. South

African Museum Expedition.

Shape: Small pot with short pedestal base and cut rim. H 14°5 cm.

Ware: Thick, heavy ware, roughly shaped.

Decoration: Two lightly grooved designs. Red ochre patchily applied and lightly burnished.

Use: Drinking vessel (seller).

Name : mpotjwana|mkirane (Basuto/Hlubi) (seller).

SAM 7437. BASUTO? 1956. McFarlane.

Shape: Sub-carinated pot with protruding base, short upright neck formed with poorly-

defined point of inflection, and thickened rim. H 14°5 cm.

Ware: Well-shaped, medium-thick, fairly heavy ware. Medium firing. Black inside.

Decoration: Four rows impressions with triangular stylus along raised crenulate line. Very

shiny black finish.

. 87

SAM 8522. BAFOKENG. Basuto Hill, Herschel District, Cape. December 1961. South

African Museum Expedition.

Shape: Pot with upright neck formed with poorly-defined point of inflection, cut rim and

flattened base. H 23°5 cm.

Ware: Thick-walled, very heavy ware. Very poorly shaped.

Decoration: None—smeared with scum of beer both inside and outside.

Name: nkhwana (Basuto) ingcazana (Xhosa) (seller).

SAM 1796 (i). BASUTO. Butha Buthe, Basutoland. 1914. H. Ashton.

Shape: Small bag-shaped pot with rounded rim and rounded base. H 14°5 cm.

Ware: Very roughly finished, heavy pottery. Blackened by use. Medium firing.

SAM 8549. BAFOKENG. Mafeteng, Basutoland. 1959. Bought Rev. P. Ellenberger,

November 1961. South African Museum Expedition.

Shape: Pot with sub-carination at widest diameter, thickened rim and flattened base.

H. 18-3 cm.

na a

i ag 8 ls sees

No.

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 337

Ware: Heavy ware of medium thickness. Well fired. Well formed with very smooth outer

surface and roughly finished inner surface.

Decoration: Rim coloured blue. Slight burnish on outer surface.

SAM 8571. FOKENG. Basuto Hill, Herschel District, Cape. November 1961. South

African Museum Expedition.

Shape: Barrel-shaped pot with cut rim and flattened base. H 20 cm.

Ware: Very heavy thick ware. Poorly formed.

Decoration: Black with very slight burnish.

Name: nkhwana (potter).

SAM 8453. BASUTO. Mount Ayliff, Transkei. April 1961. South African Museum

Expedition.

Shape: Barrel-shaped pot with slightly thickened rim and flattened base. H 19:8 cm.

Ware: Fairly evenly formed ware of medium thickness. Very well fired.

Decoration: Incised triangles patterned with hatching alternating with graphite coloured

triangles. Lightly burnished outside and well smoothed inside.

Use: Small beer-pot (potter).

Name: mapotjwana (potter).

- 92

UCT E50. ? BASUTO.

Shape: Sub-carinated bowl with thickened rim and flattened base. H 13-5 cm.

Ware: Evenly formed vessel of medium thickness and weight. Well smoothed inside and

out. Fired orange.

Decoration: Rim reddened with applied ochre. Outer surface burnished.

SAM 8590. BAK WENA. Tumane Mathele’s village, Butha Buthe, Basutoland. February

1962. South African Museum Expedition.

Shape: Large, very evenly shaped pot with everted neck formed with poorly-defined point

of inflection, cut rim and flattened base. H 37 cm.

Ware : Evenly formed, light-weight ware. Very well fired. Orange colour with black patches.

Decoration: Rim painted black.

Use: Storing water (potter).

Name: nkho (potter).

SAM 8605. HLAKWANA. Maputhseng, Mohales Hoek, Basutoland. February 1962.

South African Museum Expedition.

Shape: Pot with upright neck formed with poorly-defined point of inflection, thickened

rim and rounded base. H 20 cm.

Ware: Thick, heavy ware. Fairly well fired. Pale buff with black patches.

Use: (i) Being used for storing dry foodstuffs when bought; (ii) Storing water or making

porridge (potter).

- Name: mokkako (potter).

No.

SAM 8586. BAFOKENG. HaTlebere, near Mazenod Mission, Maseru, Basutoland.

February 1962. South African Museum Expedition.

Shape: Barrel-shaped pot with upright neck formed with poorly-defined point of inflection,

thickened rim and dimple base. H 28:5 cm.

Ware: Thin-walled, unevenly shaped vessel of medium weight. Well fired. Cross-section

through biscuit shows black clay in the centre. Fired to a buff orange with black patches

on both inner and outer surfaces.

Name: nkho (potter).

SAM 8o11. BASUTO. Leribe, Basutoland. 1958. South African Museum Expedition.

Shape: Large sub-carinated pot with upright neck formed with poorly-defined point of

inflection, thickened rim and flattened base. H 29°5 cm.

338 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Ware: Well-formed heavy ware. Walls of medium thickness at rim but increasing in thick-

ness towards base. Very well fired. Bright orange red with black patches. Surface of

vessel covered with fine network of shallow cracks.

Decoration: Rim coloured with black paint. Outer surface lightly burnished.

No. 97

SAM 8560. FOKENG. Basuto Hill, Herschel District, Cape. November 1961. South

African Museum Expedition.

Shape: Inverted bag-shaped pot with upright neck formed with poorly-defined point of

inflection, cut rim and flattened base. H 28 cm.

Ware: Heavy, unevenly made ware. Thick walled. Very well fired. Orangy buff colour

with black patches.

Decoration: Very light burnish on outer surface.

Name: nkhwana (seller).

No. 98

SAM 7072. BASUTO. Basutoland. 1949. V. G. Sheddick.

Shape: Large inverted bag-shaped pot with tall, curved, everted neck formed with poorly-

defined point of inflection, rounded rim and flattened base. H 34 cm.

Ware: Fairly well-shaped, thick, heavy ware. Well fired to an orange colour with black

patches.

Decoration: Lightly burnished inside neck.

No. 99 and frontispiece No. 5

SAM 8012. BASUTO. Leribe, Basutoland. 1958. South African Museum Expedition.

Shape: Bag-shaped pot with upright neck formed with poorly-defined point of inflection,

thickened rim and rounded base. H 22 cm.

Ware: Unevenly formed, heavy pottery. Vessel walls decrease in width from base to mouth.

Very well fired. Buff with patches of orange and black.

Decoration: Rim painted black. Lightly burnished.

No. 100

SAM 8521. BAFOKENG. Basuto Hill, Herschel District, Cape. November 1961. South

African Museum Expedition.

Shape: Large open-mouthed bowl with cut rim and flattened base. H 27 cm.

Ware: Thick, heavy ware. Fairly well fired. Light orange with black patches.

Decoration: None. Smeared with the scum off the beer.

No. 101

SAM 8587. BAFOKENG. HaTlebere, near Mazenod Mission, Maseru, Basutoland.

February 1962. South African Museum Expedition.

Shape: Small pot with short upright neck formed with poorly-defined point of inflection,

thickened rim and flattened base. H 17°5 cm.

Ware: Evenly shaped vessel of fairly heavy, medium thick ware. Very well fired to a bright

orange with patches of buff and smoky black.

Decoration: Rim coloured blue. Slight burnish.

Name: nkhwana (seller).

No. 102

SAM 8524. BASUTO. Near Telle Bridge, Herschel District, Cape. November 1961. South

African Museum Expedition.

Shape: Wide-mouthed bag-shaped vessel with thickened rim and flattened base. H 27 cm.

Ware: Very thick heavy ware, very roughly finished. Very well fired. Orange colour with

black patches. Smooth unburnished surface.

Name: nkho (potter).

No. 103

SAM 8536. BASUTO. Majuba’s Nek, Herschel District, Cape. November 1961. South

African Museum expedition.

Shape: Wide-mouthed sub-carinated pot with upright neck formed with poorly-defined point

of inflection, cut rim and flattened base. H 28-24 cm.

Ware: Thick, heavy ware. Symmetrical shape though roughly finished. Medium firing.

Decoration: None. Smeared with beer scum.

Name: ingayt (seller).

No.

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 339

104

SAM 8449. BASUTO. Pontseng, Matatiele. April 1961. South African Museum Expedition.

Shape: Inverted bag-shaped pot with upright neck formed with poorly-defined point of

inflection, rounded rim and flattened base. H 31-2 cm.

Ware: Fairly thick ware. Very well fired. Well burnished. A rich, shiny brown colour from

use.

Use: Beer-pot (seller).

Name : lefiswana (seller).

105

SAM 8599. KWENA. HaPhalwane, near Nazareth Mission, Maseru, Basutoland. Febru-

ary 1962. South African Museum Expedition.

Shape: Sub-carinated pot with upright neck formed with poorly-defined point of inflection,

thickened rim and flattened base. H 29°5 cm.

Ware: Heavy ware of medium thickness. Well shaped and of medium weight. Well fired.

An orange colour with patches of buff and black.

Decoration: Lightly burnished.

Name: nkho (seller).

106

SAM 596. BASUTO. Maseru, Basutoland.

Shape: Wide-mouthed, sub-carinated bowl with curved, everted neck formed with poorly-

defined point of inflection, cut rim and flattened base. H 20 cm.

Ware: Very well-shaped and finished ware. Fired a light orange.

Decoration. Slightly projecting collar around neck coloured with red ochre and burnished.

Use: For beer or water (museum records).

Name: morifi (museum records).

107

PITT R.489. BACHAPIN (Bathlaping) Litakun. Bechuanaland. Burchell.

Shape: Small wide-mouted, incurved bowl with upright neck formed with poorly-defined

point of inflection, flattened rim and rounded base. H 12°5 cm.

Decoration: Red ochre applied and burnished on outer surface. Thong bound round neck

for strengthening and a second thong used as a handle.

108

SAM 1968. THLAPING. Bechuanaland. ? 1906. G. Hunter.

Shape: Spherical pot with short, everted neck formed with well-defined point of inflection,

cut rim on tapered wall and rounded base. H 25 cm.

Ware: Vessel of medium thickness and weight. Fairly well fired.

Decoration: Design outlined with grooved lines. Stamped impressions made with very sharp

stylus on body and on cut surface of rim. The four outer grooved lines of the design

are filled with a white powder. Graphite and red ochre burnished.

Use: Serving beer—ladled into drinking vessels from this (museum records).

Name: nkgwana (museum records).

109

SAM 653. THLAPING (Toto’s people). Langberg, Bechuanaland. 1916. Mrs. Hunter.

Shape: Pot with short, straight, everted neck formed with well-defined point of inflection,

cut rim and rounded base. H 27 cm.

Ware: Very thick heavy ware. Poor firing. Orange buff.

Decoration: Red ochre applied within very roughly incised designs and lightly burnished.

Use: Beer (museum records).

Name: nkgwana (museum records).

110

SAM 8728. HURUTHSE. Zeerust, Transvaal. September 1962. South African Museum

Expedition.

Shape: Spherical pot with short, straight, everted neck formed with well-defined point of

inflection, cut rim on tapered wall and rounded base. H 6-9 cm.

Ware: Very heavy pottery. Well shaped with thick walls. Very well fired. Small irregulari-

ties in fired clay (asbestos).

340

No.

ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Decoration: Poorly executed decoration. Incised bands and geometrical shapes patterned

with stamped impressions made with a square stylus. Application of a black material

and red ochre.

III

SAM 8732. NGWAKETSE. Moswaana Cattle Post, Kanye, Bechuanaland Protectorate.

September 1962. South African Museum Expedition.

Shape: Pot with curved, everted neck formed with well-defined point of inflection, cut rim

on tapered wall and flattened base. H 18-3 cm.

‘are: Very heavy thick-walled ware. Well fired. Buff with smoky patches.

Decoration: Grooved crenulate bands and round stamped impressions. Application of

graphite and red ochre. Well burnished. Something has been applied below the area

of burnished ochre to make the surface shiny.

. 112 and frontispiece No. 3

SAM 1168. NGWAKETSE. Kanye, Bechuanaland Protectorate. 1908. J. Drury.

Shape: Sub-spherical pot with everted neck formed with well-defined point of inflection,

rounded rim on tapered wall and rounded base. H 19 cm.

Ware: Fairly heavy ware. Very evenly shaped.

Decoration: Red ochre applied inside neck and three-quarters of the way down the outside

of the vessel. Burnished.

113

UCT 38.48. N@WAKETSE. Kanye, Bechuanaland Protectorate. I. Schapera.

Shape: Sub-spherical pot with short, straight, everted neck formed with well-defined point

of inflection, rounded rim on tapered wall and rounded base. H 26 cm.

Ware: Well-shaped ware, heavy, fairly thick walled. Medium firing.

Decoration: Band of triangles outlined with lightly-incised lines and coloured blue (? carbon/

ink). Red ochre applied and well burnished.

Use: Beer-pot (museum records).

114

SAM 8731. NGWAKETSE. Lobatsi Station, Bechuanaland Protectorate. September

1962. (Made at Kanye.) South African Museum Expedition.

Shape: Pot with straight everted neck formed with well-defined point of inflection, cut rim

and rounded base. H 30 cm.

Ware: Very heavy ware of medium thickness. Well fired. Well shaped, roughly finished.

Small stones visible in the clay.

Decoration: Roughly executed band of ovals. Application of ochre and manganese.

Burnished. Below ochre, shiny surface possibly due to the application of ox-fat before

firing.

115

UCT 38.49. N@WAKETSE. I. Schapera.

Shape: Pot with short, straight, everted neck formed with well-defined point of: Pafection!

rounded rim and rounded base. H 14 cm.

Ware: Medium thick. Poor firing. Outer surface very smooth, inner surface very rough.

Decoration: Red ochre applied and burnished inside neck and on outer surface. Vessel

burnished except for base.

116

SAM 1168. NGWAKETSE. Kanye, Bechuanaland Protectorate. 1908. J. Drury.

Shape: Spherical pot with straight everted neck formed with well-defined point of inflection,

cut rim on tapered wall and rounded base. H 17 cm.

Ware: Well-formed ware. Thick base decreasing towards mouth.

Decoration: Red ochre applied inside neck and three-quarters down outer surface. Burnished.

117

UCT 36.8. MANGWATO. I. Shapera.

Shape: Shallow incurved bowl with thickened rim and flattened base. H 7-5 cm.

Ware: Very well-shaped pot of medium thickness and weight. Smooth, matt finish. Gritty

clay. Brown with smoky patches.

Decoration: Neat honeycomb pattern stamped along rim and in two places below it.

—_

No.

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 341

118

UCT 35.128. MANGWATO. I. Schapera.

Shape: Narrow-mouthed sub-spherical pot with rounded rim and rounded base. H 20°5 cm.

Ware: Thick heavy ware. Well shaped. Poor firing.

Decoration: Red ochre applied and burnished with vertical strokes.

119

BWYO 2048. MANGWATO. Serowe, Bechuanaland Protectorate. N. Jones, to whom it

was given by the wife of Chief Khama.

Shape: Sub-spherical pot with short, curved, everted neck formed with poorly-defined point

of inflection, rounded rim and rounded base. H 25:5 cm.

Decoration: Incised design. Graphite and ochre applied and burnished.

120

SAM 8757. MANGWATO. Ratholo, Bechuanaland Protectorate. September 1962. South

African Museum Expedition.

Shape: Very large pot with short, curved neck, everted, formed with poorly-defined point

of inflection, rounded rim and rounded base. H 41 cm.

Ware: Very heavy, thick ware. Well formed. Well fired. Buff with smoky patches. Smoothed

inside and outside.

Decoration: Very lightly burnished. Smeared with beer scum inside.

Name: pitsa (seller— museum records).

121

UCT 35.28. MANGWATO. I. Schapera.

Shape: Inverted bag-shaped pot with short, everted (compound) neck formed with poorly-

defined point of inflection, rounded rim and rounded base. H 28 cm.

Ware: Very light, thin-walled ware. Well fired. Deep orange.

Decoration: Poorly executed. Signs of incised lines outlining black design around upper

section of the vessel. .

Use: Carrying water (museum records).

122

UCT 35.25. MANGWATO. I. Schapera.

Shape: Pot with carination at widest diameter, with short, everted neck formed with well-

defined point of inflection, rounded rim and rounded base. H 28 cm.

Ware: Very well-formed, thin-walled, light-weight ware. Very well fired. Dark orange.

Decoration: Poorly executed. Black designs very lightly outlined with incised lines. Ochre

applied and burnished.

Use: Carrying water (museum records).

123

COP G.6523. MANGWATO. Serowe, Bechuanaland Protectorate. Registered after 1961.

Shape: Sub-spherical pot with inward-sloping neck formed with poorly-defined point of

inflection, cut rim and rounded base, with lid (No. 123a) H 17 cm.

Ware: Unevenly formed, poorly-made ware.

Decoration: Raised ribs at irregular intervals around the circumference of the vessel. Red

ochre burnished.

124

SAM. 8734. KXALAXADI. Near Molepolole, Bechuanaland Protectorate. September

1962. South African Museum Expedition.

Shape: Spherical pot with short, straight, everted neck formed with well-defined point of

inflection, rounded rim on tapered walls and rounded base. H 16:5 cm.

Ware: Well-shaped vessel of medium thickness. Fairly heavy ware. Very well fired. Natural

fired colour buff with black patches.

Decoration: Very neatly incised design coloured with coloured enamel paints— yellow,

white, black and red. Red ochre applied inside neck and on body of the vessel outside.

Very well burnished.

Name: sejana (potter).

125

SAM 8735. KXALAXADI. Molepolole, Bechuanaland Protectorate. September 1962.

South African Museum Expedition.

342

No.

ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Shape: Sub-spherical pot with short, straight, everted neck formed with well-defined point

of inflection, rounded rim on tapered wall and rounded base. H 23:5 cm.

Ware: Well-formed, thick, heavy ware. Very well fired. Deep orange colour.

Decoration: Neatly incised design coloured with enamel paints. Red ochre applied and well

burnished.

. 126

SAM 8750. KALANGA. Serowe, Bechuanaland Protectorate. September 1962. South

African Museum Expedition.

Shape: Large sub-spherical pot with short, curved, everted neck formed with well-defined

point of inflection, rounded rim on tapered wall and rounded base. H 38°75 cm.

Ware: Well-shaped vessel of medium thickness and medium weight. Poor firing. Smoky

patches both inside and outside.

Decoration: Red ochre applied and burnished both inside and outside.

127

SAM 967. KALANGA. Serowe, Bechuanaland Protectorate. 1907. Blackbeard Brothers.

Shape: Spherical pot with short, curved, everted neck formed with well-defined point of

inflection, rounded rim and rounded base. H 29°3 cm.

Ware: Well-shaped pottery of medium thickness. Light in weight. Well fired. Natural

colour of fired clay deep orange.

Decoration: Band of finely incised triangles coloured with burnished graphite. Band of

graphite around mouth. Ochre applied and burnished.

128

SAM 8751. KALANGA. Serowe, Bechuanaland Protectorate. September 1962. South

African Museum Expedition.

Shape: Small spherical pot with short, curved, everted neck formed with poorly-defined

point of inflection, rounded rim and rounded base. H 16 cm.

Ware: Well-formed, thick, heavy ware. Very well fired.

Decoration: Two zigzag bands of graphite, lightly burnished on burnished ochre background.

129

SAM 966. TSWANA ?KALANGA. Bechuanaland. 1907. Blackbeard Brothers.

Shape: Sub-spherical pot with everted neck formed with poorly-defined point of inflection,

rounded rim on tapered wall and rounded base. H 27-5 cm.

Ware: Well-shaped, thin-walled, light-weight pottery. Very well fired. Red brown.

Decoration: Band of incised rectangles coloured with burnished graphite on background of

burnished red ochre. Graphite applied both on inner and outer neck surface.

Name: seyana (museum records).

130

SAM 8748. KGATLA. Mochudi, Bechuanaland Protectorate. September 1962. South

African Museum Expedition.

Shape: Sub-carinated bowl with rounded rim thickened by decorative ridge, and flattened

base. H 15:5 cm.

Ware: Well-shaped, thick-walled, heavy ware. Well fired.

Decoration: All-over pattern of raised moulded decorative knobs and ridges. Red/orange

ochre applied inside and outside. Well burnished.

131

UCT 61.35. KGATLA. I. Schapera.

Shape: Sub-carinated bowl with short, straight, everted neck formed with well-defined point

of inflection, rounded rim and flattened base. H 13 cm.

Ware: Well-shaped, thick-walled, heavy ware. Poor firing.

Decoration: Black design (? clay) on red ochre background. Well burnished.

132

UCT 32.28. KGATLA. Mochudi, Bechuanaland Protectorate. I. Schapera.

Shape: Sub-carinated bowl with short, straight, everted neck formed with well-defined

point of inflection, rounded rim on tapered wall and rounded base. H 18 cm.

Ware: Medium thick pottery, fairly heavy in weight. Well shaped. Poor firing. Section of

wall shows gritty clay.

Decoration: Red/orange ochre finish. Good burnish.

No.

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 343

133

UCT 32.29. KGATLA. Mochudi, Bechuanaland Protectorate. I. Schapera.

Shape: Deep incurved bowl with double sub-carination, short everted neck formed with

well-defined point of inflection, rounded rim and flattened base. H 22-2 cm.

Ware: Thick, heavy ware. Well formed. Orange buff.

Decoration: Band of black material in trough between carinations. Burnished red ochre

finish.

134

UCT 61.E36. KGATLA. I. Schapera.

Shape: Shallow open-mouthed bowl with flattened thickened rim and projecting base.

Flin 2-2) cm.

Ware: Thick-walled, heavy ware. Well shaped. Fairly well fired.

Decoration: Design in black material (? clay) on red ochre burnished background.

135

WITS 32.E9. KGATLA. Mochudi, Bechuanaland Protectorate. I. Schapera.

Shape: Pot with carination at widest diameter, which coincides with base of neck, everted

neck, rounded rim and flattened base. H 28-3 cm.

Decoration: Decorative band in black (? clay) on red ochre background.

136

SAM 5532. MALETE/TLOKWA. Ramoutsa, Bechuanaland Protectorate. September

1935. A. J. H. Goodwin.

Shape: Sub-carinated pot with straight everted neck formed with well-defined point of

inflection, rounded rim on tapered wall and flattened base. H 26-8 cm.

Ware: Very well-shaped ware of medium thickness and weight. Well fired.

Decoration: Red oxide very well burnished applied over entire outer surface and inside

neck.

137

UCT 35.191. MALETE. Ramoutsa, Bechuanaland Protectorate. July 1935. Schapera and

Goodwin.

Shape: Sub-carinated pot with everted neck formed with well-defined point of inflection,

rounded rim on tapered wall and slightly flattened base. H 22°5 cm.

Ware: Well-shaped ware of medium thickness. Fairly well fired.

Decoration: Band of white colour applied in a crenulate line around sub-carination outlined ~

with black (? clay). Red ochre applied inside neck and over entire outer surface.

Name: sejana (museum records).

138

SAM 8796. KWENA BA MOGOPA. Bethanie, Rustenburg, Transvaal. 1936. Government

Ethnologist. Presented to museum September 1962. |

Shape: Small bowl with carination at widest diameter, straight everted neck formed with

well-defined point of inflection, rounded rim and flattened base. H 11-8 cm.

Ware: Very well-shaped ware of medium thickness. Heavy ware.

Decoration: Applied brown colour. Very well burnished outer surface.

Name: nkgwana (museum records).

- 139

UCT 35.197. TLOKWA. Gaberones, Bechuanaland Protectorate. I. Schapera and A. J. H.

Goodwin.

Shape: Large sub-carinated pot with short everted neck formed with well-defined point of

inflection, rounded rim on tapered wall and flattened base. H 37-3 cm.

Ware: Thick, heavy ware. Well shaped. Orange with black patches. Gritty clay. Brown

inside cross-section of wall. Well fired.

Decoration: Decorative band in black (? clay) on burnished red ochre background. Thong

around neck.

- 140

SAM 2372. TSWANA. Dr. Way.

Shape: Wide-mouthed incurved bowl with everted neck formed with well-defined point of

inflection, rounded rim and rounded base. H 11°5 cm.

344

No.

ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Ware: Uneven ware of medium thickness. Medium firing.

Decoration: Stamped band and triangle design. Applied graphite and red ochre. Well

burnished.

Use: Cooking (museum records).

Name: pitsa (museum records).

141

SAM 4170. ? TSWANA. Cave at Marulakop, Zeerust, Transvaal. 1923. George Reid.

Shape: Small incurved bowl with short everted neck formed with poorly-defined point of

inflection, cut rim and rounded base. H 12 cm.

Ware: Medium thick and heavy ware. Neatly shaped. Poor firing. Worn by use and

weathering.

Decoration: Three lines of stamped rectangular impressions around upper section of vessel.

Red ochre over three-quarters of outer surface, lightly burnished—now very poor.

142

AFRIK 39.212. Maun, Ngamiland.

Shape: Inverted bag-shaped pot with everted neck formed with poorly-defined point of

inflection, cut rim and rounded base. H 21°5 cm.

Decoration: Red ochre design on buff background, outlined with incised lines.

143

SAM 5055. TSWANA. Ngami, Bechuanaland. 1927. Ross Frames.

Shape: Pot with carination at widest diameter, tall, curved, everted neck formed with well-

defined point of inflection, cut rim and hollow-based pedestal base surrounding

pointed base. H 31-6 cm.

Ware: Well-shaped ware of medium thickness and weight. Well fired. Orange buff.

Decoration: All-over design of incised triangles and bands coloured with red ochre and

lightly burnished.

BWYO 2018. TSWANA. Maun, Bechuanaland.

Shape: Spherical pot with tall, straight, upright neck formed with well-defined point of

inflection, cut rim and rounded base. H 31 cm.

Decoration: Red ochre triangular design on buff ground.

145

BWYO 2017. TSWANA. Maun, Bechuanaland.

Shape: Spherical pot with tall, curved, everted neck formed with well-defined point of

inflection, cut rim and small projecting base. H 29°5 cm.

Decoration: Red ochre triangular design on buff ground.

146

SAM 6159. TRANSVAAL SOTHO. Exchange Wits. 1940. Sekhukhuneland.

Shape: Pot lid with knob handle. H 12:5 cm.

Ware: Thick ware, heavy and poorly made.

Use: Pot lid (museum records).

Name: marosi (museum records).

147

SAM 6589. SOTHO. Boomplaats, Lydenburg, Transvaal. 1946. Per Government Eth-

nologist.

Shape: Small incurved bowl with rounded rim and flattened base. H g cm.

Ware: Well-shaped ware of medium thickness. Heavy. Well fired to a browny buff colour.

Decoration: Design outlined with grooved lines, row of stamped impressions made with

small sharp stylus.

Name: letswanyana (Government Ethnologist).

148

SAM 6587. SOTHO. Boomplaats, Lydenburg, northern Transvaal. 1946. Per Government

Ethnologist.

Shape: Incurved bowl with rounded rim and rounded base. H 17-3 cm.

Ware: Well-shaped ware of medium thickness. Heavy. Well fired to a browny buff colour.

Decoration: Band and triangle design outlined with grooved lines. Well-burnished graphite

and red ochre.

Name: letswana (Government Ethnologist— museum records).

No.

Ne.

No.

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 345

149

B.M. 1933-1-9-3. PEDI. Jane Furze Hospital, Sekhukhuneland, Transvaal.

Shape: Incurved bowl with cut rim and rounded base. H 17-3 cm.

Ware: Well shaped.

Decoration: Incised design of triangles alternately cross-hatched and coloured with graphite.

Red ochre burnished. Hatched areas filled with white material.

150 and frontispiece No. 6

SAM 6578. SOTHO. Boomplaats, Lydenburg, Transvaal. 1946. Per Government Eth-

nologist.

Shape: Inverted bag-shaped bowl with short, curved, everted neck formed with poorly-

defined point of inflection, rounded rim and slightly flattened base. H 20:4 cm.

Ware: Well-shaped ware of medium thickness. Heavy. Well fired to a browny buff colour.

Decoration: Grooved crenulate band and geometrical designs. Oval stamped impressions.

Graphite and red ochre well burnished.

Name: moétana (Government Ethnologist).

- 151

UCT 61.E47. ? PEDI. Transvaal.

Shape: Spherical bow] with short, curved, everted neck formed with poorly-defined point of

inflection, thickened rim and straight projecting base. H 12 cm.

Ware: Heavy, poorly formed ware.

Decoration: Rectangular stamped impressions forming band and triangle design, coloured

with burnished graphite. Red ochre burnished over rest of outer surface.

152

SAM 6576. SOTHO. Boomplaats, Lydenburg, northern Transvaal. 1946. Per Government

Ethnologist.

Shape: Large, narrow-mouthed, bag-shaped pot with rounded rim and slightly flattened

base. H 34°7 cm.

Ware: Well-shaped ware of medium thickness. Heavy. Well fired to a browny buff colour.

Decoration: Grooved band and triangle design. Coloured with well-burnished graphite

and red ochre.

Name: lexopa (Government Ethnologist).

153

B.M. 1933-1-9—-5. PEDI. Jane Furze Hospital, Sekhukhuneland, Transvaal.

Shape: Barrel-shaped pot with cut rim and flattened base. H 17-9 cm.

Decoration: Designs outlined with incised lines coloured with graphite and red ochre.

Very well burnished.

. 154

AFRIK 58.1649. PEDI. Pietersburg, ‘Transvaal.

Shape: Spherical pot with rounded rim and rounded base. H 22 cm.

Decoration: Decorated with triangles and bands outlined with incised lines and coloured

alternately with ochre and graphite.

155

AFRIK 59.2334A. PEDI. Sekhukhuneland, Transvaal.

Shape: Pot with carination at the widest diameter, thickened rim and flattened base.

Fi 21 cm.

Decoration: Grooved bands and triangles. Incised cross-hatching. Coloured graphite and

red ochre and burnished.

Use: Carrying water (museum records).

156

SAM 6577. SOTHO. Boomplaats, Lydenburg, Transvaal. 1946. Per Government Eth-

nologist.

Shape: Large, inverted, bag-shaped pot with curved everted neck formed with poorly-

defined point of inflection, rounded rim and rounded base. H 30-6 cm.

Ware: Well-shaped ware of medium thickness. Heavy. Well fired to a browny buff colour.

Decoration: Crenulate band and geometric designs outlined with wide grooved lines.

Stamped impressions carried out with point of stylus pressed into clay at an angle to

give oval impression deeper at one end than the other.

Name: moéta (Government Ethnologist).

346

No.

ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

157

SAM 6579. SOTHO. Boomplaats, Lydenburg, Transvaal. 1946. Per Government Eth-

nologist.

Shape: Inverted bag-shaped pot with curved everted neck formed with poorly-defined point

of inflection, rounded rim and rounded base. H 21-4 cm.

Ware: Well-shaped ware of medium thickness. Heavy. Well fired to a browny buff colour.

Decoration: Designs outlined with wide grooved lines. Coloured with graphite and red

ochre. Very well burnished.

Name: selepana (Government Ethnologist).

158

SAM 6580. SOTHO. Boomplaats, Lydenburg, Transvaal. 1946. Per Government Eth-

nologist.

Shape: Inverted bag-shaped pot with curved everted neck, formed with poorly-defined

point of inflection, rounded rim and slightly flattened base. H 1975 cm.

Ware: Well-shaped ware of medium thickness. Heavy. Well fired to a browny buff colour.

Decoration: Grooved design. Stamped impressions made with sharp stylus pressed unevenly

into clay to give oval, deeper at one end than the other. Graphite and red ochre

burnished.

Name: sedibélwana (Government Ethnologist).

« E59

SAM 8758. SWAZI made in PEDI tradition. Pokwani, Middleburg, Transvaal. Sep-

tember 1962. South African Museum Expedition.

Shape: Large sub-carinated pot with upright neck formed with poorly-defined point of

inflection, rounded rim and slightly flattened base. H 36 cm.

Ware: Thick, heavy ware. Well formed. Very well fired. Orange buff. Outside surface

smooth and burnished, inside evenly finished but with rough surface.

Decoration: Incised cross-hatching and hatching, and grooved crenulate lines. Graphite

and red ochre applied. Base of vessel smeared with cow-dung.

Use: Carrying water (seller).

Name : moéta (seller).

160

SAM 6036. SWAZI, made in PEDI tradition. Sekhukhuneland, Transvaal. 1939. Per

D.C., Sekhukhuneland.

Shape: Spherical pot with short upright neck formed with poorly-defined point of inflection,

rounded base and rounded rim. H 21°3 cm.

Ware: Very heavy ware with walls of medium thickness. Very well fired. Brown buff.

Decoration: Grooved band and triangles pattern. Stamped band of oval impressions around

neck. Graphite and ochre burnished.

Name: letsowa (museum records).

161

SAM 6138. SWAZI, made in PEDI tradition. Sekhukhuneland, Transvaal. 1939. Per D.C.,

Sekhukhuneland.

Shape: Wide-mouthed incurved bowl with short everted neck formed with poorly-defined

point of inflection, cut rim and rounded base. H 15:9 cm.

Ware: Well-shaped ware of medium thickness and weight.

Decoration: Crenulate band outlined with three grooved lines coloured with burnished

graphite. Band of stamped impressions. Red ochre burnished.

Use: Beer container (Venter, in lit. Sept. 1964).

Name: moruswana (museum records).

162

SAM 8680. SWAZI, made in PEDI tradition. Leolo Mountains, Seknukhuneland. Sep-

tember 1962. South African Museum Expedition.

Shape: Pot with short, curved, everted neck formed with poorly-defined point of inflection,

rounded rim on tapered wall and rounded base. H 17-8 cm.

Ware: Well-shaped ware of medium thickness and weight. Fired buff.

Decoration: Stamped oval impressions and grooved crenulate design. Applied red ochre

and graphite. Burnished.

No.

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 347

Use: Container for water (Venter, in lit. Sept. 1964).

Name: moétana wa meetse (ditto).

163

SAM 8829. BAKONI. Lekgale’s location, Pietersburg. Mr. Velcich.

Shape: Open-mouthed bowl, rounded rim and flattened base. Inside of vessel scored with

grooved and incised lines to give a serrated surface. H 12 cm.

Ware: Heavy, thick-walled ware. Very well fired. Coarse clay. Brick orange biscuit with

slightly grey centre.

Decoration: Graphite applied and lightly burnished around the rim.

Use: Grinding snuff (Mr. Velcich).

164

BAKONI. Lekgale’s location, Pietersburg. Bantu Administration Department Collection,

Pretoria, Mr. Velcich.

Shape: Beaker pot with thickened rim and flattened base. H 19 cm.

Decoration: Decorated with incised lines, graphite and ochre.

Use: Drinking (Mr. Velcich).

Name: tshomela (Mr. Velcich).

165

SAM 8826. LOBEDU. Medingen, Pietersburg, Transvaal. 1936. Government Ethnologist.

Presented to museum September 1962.

Shape: Large spherical pot with short upright: neck formed with well-defined point of

inflection, rounded rim and rounded base. H 26 cm.

Ware: Medium thick-walled pottery. Fairly heavy. Beautifully shaped and finished.

Decoration: Designs outlined with rectangular stamped impressions. Outlines whitened.

Red ochre and graphite, very well burnished.

166

SAM 8796. LOBEDU. Medingen, Pietersburg, Transvaal. 1936. Government Ethnolo-

gist. Presented to museum September 1962.

Shape: Sub-spherical pot with very short upright neck formed with well-defined point of

inflection, thickened rim and flattened base. H 18 cm.

Ware: Beautifully shaped and decorated ware of medium thickness. Heavy. Brown orange

buff.

Decoration: Decorated with designs outlined with rectangular stamped impressions. These

lines are whitened and the designs themselves coloured either with graphite or ochre

and very well burnished.

167 and frontispiece No. 9

SAM 8799. LOBEDU. Medingen, Pietersburg, Transvaal. 1936. Government Ethnologist.

Presented September 1962.

Shape: Pot with carination at the widest diameter, short upright neck formed with well-

defined point of inflection, rounded rim and rounded base. H 14 cm.

Ware: Beautifully formed and decorated ware of medium thickness and weight. Well

fired. Brown orange buff.

Decoration: Designs outlined with stamped rectangular impressions. Graphite, red ochre

and a white material applied. Well burnished.

168

SAM 8800. LOBEDU. Medingen, Pietersburg, Transvaal. 1936. Government Ethnologist.

Presented September 1962.

Shape: Incurved bowl with thickened rim and flattened base. H 12-8 cm. (sub-carinated).

Ware: Beautifully made, medium thick, heavy ware. Clear deep orange red. Fairly well

fired.

Decoration: Neatly decorated with stamped impressions. Red ochre, graphite and white

material applied. Lightly burnished.

UCT. 38.83. LOBEDU. Northern Transvaal Lowveld. Krige.

Shape: Pot with thickened rim and rounded base. H 20 cm.

Ware: Beautifully shaped ware with walls of medium thickness. Light in weight. Medium

firing. Mottled orange, brown and black. Burnished surface.

348

No.

Noe

ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Decoration: Decorated with design outlined with stamped lines, coloured with graphite

and ochre and well burnished. White material rubbed into stamped impressions. Star

design on the base of vessel is said to be modern (No. 16ga).

Use: For serving beer (Krige— museum records).

Name: ledzomelo, letjomelo or thukwana (Krige— museum records).

170

SAM 8684. LOBEDU. Modjadji’s place, Duiwelskloof, Transvaal. September 1962. South

African Museum Expedition.

Shape: Small spherical pot with thickened rim and rounded base. H 8 cm.

Ware: Well-shaped ware of medium thickness. Heavy for size of vessel. Well fired. Browny-

orange buff with smoky patches.

Decoration: Grooved lines. Coloured with graphite and red ochre. Lightly burnished.

171

UCT 38.87. LOBEDU. Northern Transvaal Lowveld. Krige.

Shape: Incurved bowl with thickened rim and small pedestal base. H 12 cm. Grooved lines

criss-crossed inside vessel to give serrated surface.

Ware: Thick-walled, light-weight ware. Poor firing. Light brown buff with smoky patches.

Decoration: Band of burnished graphite on the outer surface round the rim.

Use: Grinding tobacco. The leaves are placed in the pot and a stick about a yard long and

14 inches in diameter is used as a pestle (Krige— museum records).

Name: khitsikiyo (Krige—museum records)

172

UCT 38.88. LOBEDU. Northern Transvaal Lowveld. Krige.

Shape: Small bag-shaped pot with thickened rim and rounded base. H 12-2 cm.

Ware: Well-shaped ware of medium thickness and weight. Well fired.

Decoration: Designs outlined with grooved and incised lines. One band of cross-hatching.

Graphite and red ochre applied and burnished. Ochre appears to be applied inside

vessel.

Use: Serving beer to guests—a Shangaan custom (Krige— museum records).

Name: letjomelo (Krige—museum records).

173

UCT 38.86. LOBEDU. Northern Transvaal Lowveld. Krige.

Shape: Incurved bow] with thickened rim and rounded base. H 15°5 cm.

Ware: Ware of medium thickness and weight. Fair firing. Brown buff with smoky patches

especially inside.

Decoration: Band of roughly executed deeply incised cross-hatching below a band of bur-

nished graphite, 3-5 cm. deep.

Use: Small cooking-pot for porridge etc. (Krige— museum records).

Name: khepitjana (Krige—museum records).

174

UCT 38.82. LOBEDU. Northern Transvaal Lowveld. Krige.

Shape: Spherical pot with thickened rim and rounded base. H 20°5 cm.

Ware: Medium thickness and weight. Well shaped. Well fired. Orange buff.

Decoration: Decorated with band and triangle design with grooved lines and coloured with

graphite and red ochre. Very well burnished.

Use: For serving beer (Krige—museum records).

Name: thukwana (Krige— museum records).

175

TVL 61.141. LOBEDU. Duiwelskloof, northern Transvaal.

Shape: Spherical pot with thickened rim and rounded base. H 17°5 cm.

Decoration: Design outlined with incised lines. Red ochre and graphite coloured. Band of

stamped impressions and band of cross-hatching.

Use: To serve strong beer to guests—also other beer (Krige— museum records).

Name: thukhwana (Krige— museum records).

176

UCT 38.89. LOBEDU. Northern Transvaal Lowveld. Krige.

Shape: Large open-mouthed bowl with rounded rim and rounded base. H 22°5 cm.

No.

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 349

Ware: Very well-formed, evenly finished ware. Medium thickness. Fairly well fired.

Burnished inside and out.

Use: To catch beer when it is squeezed out of beer-strainer (Krige— museum records).

Name : lebéta (Krige— museum records).

177

UCT 38.84. LOBEDU. Northern Transvaal Lowveld. Krige.

Shape: Small open-mouthed bowl with thickened rim and rounded base. H 8°7 cm.

Ware: Thick-walled ware of medium weight. Not very well finished. Medium firing.

Decoration: Poorly applied graphite inside and out. Better burnish inside.

Use: For serving relish—also as a cup for drinking marula cider (Krige— museum records).

Name: khiritswana (Krige— museum records).

178

SAM 8804. LOBEDU. Medingen, Pietersburg, Transvaal. 1936. Government Ethnologist.

Presented September 1962.

Shape: Small open-mouthed bowl, thickened rim and rounded base. H 8-5 cm.

Decoration: Outer surface burnished graphite with band of cross-hatching below band of

burnished red ochre.

Use: Eating relish (Government Ethnologist).

179

UCT 38.80. LOBEDU. Northern Transvaal Lowveld. Krige.

Shape: Open-mouthed bow] with thickened rim and rounded base. H 11 cm. (lid to No. 174).

Ware: Well-shaped ware of medium thickness and weight. Mottled orange, brown and

black.

Decoration: Band of burnished graphite either side of the rim.

Use: Lid, if used for cooking pumpkins or green mealies. Used itself as pot for moroho (relish)

to be eaten with porridge. Mainly nuts and various kinds of edible ants and grass-

hoppers are roasted in this (Krige—museum records).

Name: morifi (Krige— museum records).

180

UCT 38.90. LOBEDU. Northern Transvaal Lowveld. Krige.

Shape: Open-mouthed bowl with thickened rim and rounded base. H 10°5 cm.

Ware: Well-formed, medium thick ware. Light weight. Medium firing. Gritty clay. Deep

red brown.

Decoration: Band of grooved patterning below rim on outer surface. Well-burnished graphite

inside and outside.

Use: Washing (Krige— museum records).

Name: lesabelo (Krige—museum records).

181

SAM 8697. HANANWA. Leipzig, Blauwberg, Transvaal. September 1962. South African

Museum Expedition.

Shape: Large pot with upright neck formed with well-defined point of inflection, rounded

rim and rounded base. H 31 cm.

Ware: Thick-walled, heavy ware. Well fired. Flakes of mica in clay. Light browny orange.

Matt finish except where decorated.

Decoration: Grooved lines outlining design of bands and arcs. Graphite, ochre and white

material.

. 182

SAM 86098. HANANWA. Leipzig, Blauwberg, Transvaal. September 1962. South African

Museum Expedition.

Shape: Open-mouthed bow! with round rim and flattened base. H 12-2 cm.

Ware: Thick-walled, heavy ware. Poorly fired. Mica flakes in clay.

Decoration: Band of cross-hatching on outside filled with white material. Roughly burnished

graphite.

Use: Wash-basin (potter).

Name : lesapélo (potter).

183

TVL 61.96. HANANWA. Blauwberg, Transvaal.

Shape: Open-mouthed bowl with round rim and flattened base. H 7:5 cm.

350 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Ware: Thick-walled ware.

Decoration: Band of incised cross-hatching below rim on outside. Coloured with burnished

graphite.

Use: Serving vegetables and meat (museum records).

Name: thiswana (museum records).

No. 184

TVL 61.95. HANANWA. Blauwberg, Transvaal.

Shape: Open-mouthed bowl with cut rim and rounded base. H 10 cm.

Ware: Fairly thick.

Decoration: Incised cross-hatched band around mouth. Band of ochre. Rest of bowl, inside

and out, coloured with burnished graphite.

Use: Wash-basin (museum records).

Name: lefiso (museum records).

No. 185

TVL 61.97. HANANWA. Blauwberg, Transvaal.

Shape: Incurved bowl with thickened rim and rounded base. H 12:5 cm.

Ware: Blackened by use.

Decoration: One incised line.

Use: Cooking meat and vegetables for six people (museum records).

Name: pitséna (museum records).

No. 186

TVL 61.98. HANANWA. Blauwberg, Transvaal.

Shape: Large, inverted, bag-shaped pot with slight inward-sloping neck formed with poorly-

defined point of inflection, rounded rim and rounded base. H 26°5 cm.

Decoration: Grooved lines in bands, arcs and cross-hatching. Stamped impressions. White

material in lines and stamped impressions.

Use: Beer-pot for storing and serving (museum records).

Name: sehukwana (museum records).

No. 187

SAM 4993. KWENA/MOLETSE. Chief Moloto’s people. Pietersburg, Transvaal. Ross

Frames.

Shape: Spherical pot with upright neck formed with well-defined point of inflection,

rounded rim and rounded base. H 22 cm.

Ware: Heavy-weight, fairly thick-walled ware. Fired brown buff.

Decoration: Band of stamped decoration around neck. Crenulate band of stamped impres-

sions. Application graphite and ochre, burnished.

No. 188

SAM 4993. KWENA/MOLETSE. Chief Moloto, Pietersburg, northern Transvaal. Ross

Frames.

Shape: Inverted bag-shaped pot with upright neck, thickened rim and rounded base.

Es rt5 em:

Ware: Very thick-walled ware. Medium firing. Brownish colour.

Decoration: Grooved bands and arcs. Stamped band below rim filled with white colour.

Graphite and red ochre very lightly burnished.

Use: Beer-pot (museum records).

No. 189

SAM 8132. Location cave, Potgietersrust, Transvaal. 1959. B. Maguire.

Shape: Spherical bowl with curved everted neck formed with well-defined point of inflection,

rounded rim and rounded base. H 16 cm.

Ware: Heavy, thick-walled ware. Walls decrease in thickness from base to rim.

No. 190

SAM 8128. Koppie cave, ‘Holmsleigh’, Potgietersrust. August 1959. J. Rudner.

Shape: Deep open-mouthed bow! with cut rim and rounded base. H 16 cm.

Ware: Very heavy, well-shaped ware. Coarse clay. Very weathered.

No. 191

SAM 8130. Waterfall cave, ‘Amatola’, Potgietersrust. August 1959. J. Rudner.

Shape: Inverted bag-shaped pot with thickened rim and rounded base. H 20-7 cm.

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 351

Ware: Of medium thickness and weight. Section of biscuit shows orange, white and black

clay from outside to inside.

Decoration: Pot is black with very light burnish and a row of notched stamped impressions

below the rim.

No. 192

SAM 8132. Location cave, Potgietersrust. 1959. B. Maguire.

Shape: Incurved bowl with rounded rim on tapered wall, and rounded base. H 16-2 cm.

Ware: Thickness of pottery decreases rapidly above the line of decoration giving impression

of a neck in the drawing, actually this is merely due to decrease in thickness.

Decoration: Line of notched stamped decoration below grooved line.

No. 193

SAM 8135. Location cave, Potgietersrust. 1959. B. Maguire.

Shape: Incurved bowl with rounded rim on tapered wall and rounded base. H 11-2 cm.

Ware: Thick-walled, heavy ware. Very weathered.

Decoration: Zigzag dotted lines.

No. 194

SAM 8133. Location cave, Potgietersrust, Transvaal, 1959. B. Maguire.

Shape: Sherd of pot lid with knob.

Ware: Roughly formed, heavy ware.

No. 195

SAM 8134. Location cave, Potgietersrust, Transvaal. 1959. B. Maguire.

Shape: Very small open-mouthed bowl with rounded rim and rounded base. H 5 cm.

Ware: Very weathered. Heavy for size of vessel. Heavy base, decreasing towards rim.

Decoration: Faint stamped impression in band below rim.

No. 196

SAM 8132. Location cave, Potgietersrust, Transvaal. 1959. B. Maguire.

Shape: Open-mouthed bowl with rounded rim on tapered wall and rounded base. H 9°5 cm.

Ware: Heavy, coarse ware. Thick at base, decreasing towards the rim.

Decoration: Band of stamped decoration leaving a zigzag pattern unstamped.

No. 197

SAM 8131. River bed, Blieden’s Farm, Potgietersrust, Transvaal. Mr. Blieden.

Shape: Open-mouthed bowl with rounded rim and rounded base. H 10-3 cm.

Ware: Thick-walled ware. Thick base, walls decrease in thickness towards the rim.

Decoration: Deep stamped grooves in design below rim. Below this and inside vessel signs

of burnished graphite.

No. 198

SAM 4991. SOTHO. Pietersburg, northern Transvaal.

Shape: Tall bag-shaped beaker with thickened rim and short pedestal base. H 18 cm.

Ware: Thin light-weight ware. Well shaped and fired. Fired a light buff. Section of wall

shows a black centre to biscuit.

Decoration: Band and triangle design outlined with very deeply incised lines which appear

to have been done after firing. Red ochre coloured triangles. Horizontal band coloured

brown.

No. 199

SAM 4994. SOTHO. Pietersburg, northern Transvaal. Ross Frames.

Shape: Wide-mouthed bowl with sub-carination at the widest diameter, which coincides

with base of neck, upright neck, cut rim and rounded base with small hole at the apex

of the base, and four legs. H 15-3 cm.

Ware: Well-shaped ware of medium thickness and light weight. Well fired. Flakes of

muscovite mica in clay.

Decoration: No longer very clear since pot is covered with whitish deposit. Grooved bands

filled with graphite and red ochre, one band stamped impressions and band of triangles

coloured with burnished graphite just visible.

No. 200

SAM 8129. Koppie cave, ‘Holmsleigh’, Potgietersrust, Transvaal. August 1959. J. Rudner.

Shape: Large spherical pot with rounded rim and rounded base. H 31°5 cm.

307

ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Ware: Roughly finished, heavy pottery. Browny red with large area of smoky black.

Decoration: ‘Two rows stamped impressions made with pointed stylus around the mouth.

No. 201

UCT 29.60. VENDA. Northern Transvaal. Stayt Collection.

Shape: Spherical pot with slightly thickened rim and rounded base. H 16-5 cm.

Ware: Medium thick ware of medium weight. Fair firing. Deep orangy red.

Decoration: Grooved line above line of stamped impressions made with the end of a grass

stalk. Graphite lightly burnished. Poorly executed.

Use: Cooking vegetables (Van der Lith, 1960).

Name: tshidudu (ndudu) (Van der Lith, 1960).

No. 202

UCT 37.31. VENDA. Mphefu’s kraal, Nzhelele, Louis Trichardt, Transvaal.

Shape: Spherical pot with thickened rim and rounded base. H 17:5 cm.

Ware: Thick-walled ware. Heavy. Poor firing.

Decoration: Band of arc designs outlined with incised lines. Roughly decorated with graphite

and ochre. Burnished surface.

Name: mvhuvhelo (museum records).

No. 203

SAM 8694. VENDA. Sinthumule’s location, Louis Trichardt, Transvaal. September 1962.

South African Museum Expedition.

Shape: Spherical pot with very short upright neck, rounded rim and slightly flattened base.

H 16-5 cm.

Ware: Well-shaped ware of medium thickness and weight. Very well fired. Browny buff.

Decoration: Neatly decorated with bands and arcs outlined with incised lines and coloured

with graphite, on a red ochre background.

No. 204

SAM 8830. VENDA. Louis Trichardt, Transvaal. Mr. Velcich, Bantu Affairs Department,

Pretoria.

Shape: Sub-spherical pot with thickened rim and rounded base. H 14 cm.

Ware: Medium thick-walled, fairly heavy ware. Poor firing.

Decoration: Grooved and incised lines outlining band and arc design. Maroon colour—

? paint. Band of cross-hatching.

Name : lefhsiswana (Sotho) (Velcich—museum records).

No. 205

SAM 8685. VENDA. Chief Rasengani, Sibasa, Transvaal. September 1962. South African

Museum Expedition.

Shape: Spherical pot with thickened rim and flattened base. H 17 cm.

Ware: Well-shaped ware of medium thickness. Heavy base. Medium firing.

Decoration: Neatly decorated with grooved lines outlining bands and triangles. Ochre and

graphite applied and burnished.

Use: Beer container (Chief Rasengani).

Name: tshibvubelo (Chief Rasengani).

No. 206

UCT 37.32. VENDA. Mphefu’s kraal, Nzhelele, Louis Trichardt, Transvaal.

Shape: Incurved bow] with thickened rim and rounded base. H 13°5 cm.

Ware: Heavy ware. Roughly formed. Poor firing. Orangy buff. Blackened by use on

outside.

Decoration: Five rows of stamped decoration.

Use: ? Cooking vegetables (museum records).

Name: tshidudu (museum records).

No. 207

UCT 37.34. VENDA. Nzhelele, Louis Trichardt, Transvaal.

Shape: Incurved bowl with thickened rim and rounded base. H 15:5 cm.

Ware: Medium thick ware, fairly heavy. Poor firing. Blackened outside by use.

Decoration: Two incised lines around widest diameter.

Use: Pot in which milk is kept to become sour (museum records).

Name : tshingo (museum records).

No.

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 353

208

TVL 35.688. VENDA. Mphaphuli, Sibasa, Transvaal.

Shape: Large pot with two mouths. Thickened rims and rounded base. H approximately

30 cm.

Ware: Fairly thin smooth ware.

Decoration: Band and triangles design outlined with incised lines. Coloured with graphite

and red ochre.

Use: Said to be used as beer-pot by chief so that he does not drink from same place as those

with whom he shares the beer (museum records).

Name: mvhuvhelo (museum records).

209

AFRIK 59.2322A. VENDA. Jacques.

Shape: Open-mouthed bowl with cut rim and rounded base. H 12°5 cm.

Decoration: Band and triangle design outlined with incised lines, filled with white coloured

material. Band of cross-hatching around rim outside. Inside of bowl burnished graphite.

Use: For grinding millet (museum records). This is more likely to be a wash-basin for men—

sambelo.

210

AFRIK 60.1628. VENDA. Phiphidi Falls, Zoutpansberg. 1959. Dr. A. J. Clement.

Shape: Open-mouthed bowl with thickened rim, rounded base and four legs. H 13:3 cm.

Decoration: Both inside and outside decorated with geometric designs coloured with graphite

and ochre. Grooved lines and hatched bands.

211

AFRIK 58.1650B. VENDA. Lent by Mrs. Bubole.

Shape: Open-mouthed bowl with thickened rim and slightly flattened base. H 11 cm.

Decoration: Outside decorated with designs outlined with grooved lines patterned with

cross-hatching over which a white material has been rubbed. Graphite and ochre

colour designs. Inside of bowl well-burnished graphite.

212

TVL 61.172. VENDA. Mphefu’s, Louis Trichardt, Transvaal.

Shape: Bag-shaped sub-carinated pot with everted neck formed with well-defined point of

inflection, rounded rim and rounded base. H 15:5 cm.

Ware: Fairly thick pottery.

Decoration: Arc and triangle design outlined with incised lines and coloured with graphite

and ochre. Surface burnished.

Use: Drinking beer (museum records).

_ Name: dzhomela (museum records).

No.

- 213

BWYO 2032. LEMBA, made for VENDA. Mphefu’s, Zoutpansberg. Collected by N. Jones.

Shape: Large spherical pot with thickened rim and slightly flattened base. H 36 cm.

Decoration: Band and triangle design outlined with incised lines and coloured with graphite

and ochre. Burnished.

- 214

TVL 61.173. VENDA. Mphefu’s, Louis Trichardt.

Shape: Spherical pot with upright neck formed with poorly-defined point of inflection,

rounded rim and rounded base. H 23°5 cm.

Decoration: Band and triangle design outlined with wide grooved lines. Coloured with ochre

and graphite.

Use: Preparing sour porridge before cooking (museum records).

Name: mvouvhelo (mvhuvhelo) (museum records).

215

BWYO 2033. LEMBA. Mphefu’s, Zoutpansberg. Collected by N. Jones.

Shape: Large spherical pot with thickened rim and rounded base. H 32°5 cm.

Decoration: Band and triangle design outlined with grooved lines and coloured with graphite

and ochre.

216

AFRIK 60.1629. VENDA. Phiphidi Falls, Zoutpansberg. 1959.

Shape: Pot with double bowl (‘calabash shaped’) with thickened rim and rounded base.

H 28 cm.

oon

No.

ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Decoration: Band and triangle design outlined with incised lines and coloured with graphite

and ochre.

217

UCT 37.18. VENDA. Mphefu, Nzhelele, Louis Trichardt, Transvaal.

Shape: Open-mouthed bowl with thickened rim and rounded base. H 13 cm.

Ware: Heavy, fairly thick walled ware. Roughly made. Poor firing.

Decoration: Grooved cross-hatched band around the mouth of the bowl. Outer surface

burnished red ochre, also inside mouth of bowl.

Use: Wash-basin (Van Warmelo, 1936).

Name: sambelo (museum records).

218 and frontispiece No. 7

SAM 8695. VENDA. Sinthumule’s location, Louis Trichardt. September 1962. South

African Museum Expedition.

Shape: Beaker with double bowl (‘calabash-shaped’) thickened rim and flattened base.

H 15 cm.

Ware: Fairly well-formed ware of medium thickness. Very well fired. Network of surface

cracking.

Decoration: Coloured with red ochre and graphite and burnished.

Use: Drinking vessel (seller).

Name: dzhomela (seller).

219

UCT 37.33. VENDA. Mphefu, Nzhelele, Louis Trichardt. Lestrade.

Shape: Incurved bowl with short upright neck formed with poorly-defined point of inflec-

tion, rounded rim and rounded base. H 12:5 cm.

Ware: Unfired. Coarse clay of a green/yellow colour. Thick and heavy. Burnished inside

and outside.

Decoration: Band of burnished graphite below rim. Band of incised hatching between two

grooved lines below this.

Name: kududu (museum records).

e 220

UCT 37.30. VENDA. Mphefu, Nzhelele, Louis Trichardt. Lestrade.

Shape: Small spherical pot with thickened rim and rounded base. H 11-7 cm.

Ware: Well-shaped ware of medium thickness and weight. Poor firing.

Decoration: None. Blackened by use.

Use: ‘Earthenware drinking mug of Tonga manufacture’ (Van Warmelo, 1936).

Name: dzhomela (museum records).

221

UCT 29.59. VENDA. Northern Transvaal. Stayt Collection.

Shape: Small open-mouthed bow! with thickened rim and slightly flattened base. H 10-5 cm.

Serrated inner surface made by cross-hatching grooved lines.

Ware: Well-formed, thin-walled, light-weight ware.

Decoration: One lightly grooved line.

222

SAM 8696. VENDA. Sinthumule’s location, Louis Trichardt. September 1962. South

African Museum Expedition. e

Shape: Open-mouthed bowl with flattened base and slightly thickened rim. H 10 cm.

Ware: Very well-shaped ware of medium thickness and weight. Very well fired.

Decoration: Coloured black with graphite inside and outside. Well burnished. Upper rim

coloured with ochre.

223

UCT 37.35. Mphefu, Nzhelele, Louis Trichardt. Lestrade.

Shape: Small open-mouthed bowl with flattened rim on tapered wall and rounded base.

H 8 cm.

Ware: Heavy thick ware. Unfired.

Decoration: Outside burnished graphite. Inside red ochre design on burnished graphite

background.

Use: Serving vegetables to men (Van der Lith, 1960).

Name: ndongwana (museum records).

No.

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 355

224

SAM 8693. VENDA. Sinthumule’s location, Louis Trichardt. September 1962. South

African Museum Expedition.

Shape: Open-mouthed bowl with rounded rim and rounded base. H 12 cm.

Ware: Thick-walled, heavy ware. Fair firing. Orangy brown, even, well-shaped ware.

Decoration: On the outside a band of burnished graphite below the mouth, below which a

second band, roughly the same width of burnished red ochre. Inside an incised asym-

metrical cross coloured with graphite on a burnished ochre background.

» 225

TVL 61.46. VENDA. Mphefu, Nzhelele, Louis Trichardt.

Shape: Small open-mouthed bowl with rounded rim and rounded base. H 7 cm.

Ware: Fairly thick ware.

Decoration: Outside surface coloured with burnished ochre except for a narrow band of

graphite around the mouth. Inside entirely burnished graphite.

Use: For serving meat and vegetables or drinking marula beer (museum records).

Name: seriswana (Sotho) /ishidongo (Venda) (museum records).

226

BWYO 2029. LEMBA. Belingwe, Rhodesia. N. Jones.

Shape: Pot with upright neck formed with poorly defined point of inflection, rounded rim

and dimpie base. H 30 cm.

Decoration: Roughly grooved decoration at base of neck.

227

UCT 37.29. LEMBA. Lemana Mission, Transvaal. Lestrade.

Shape: Sub-carinated pot with thickened rim and rounded base. H 14 cm.

Ware: Well-shaped ware of medium thickness and weight. Very well fired. Orangy brown.

Network of surface cracks. Many irregularities in clay.

Decoration: Grooved and stamped design.

228

BWYO 2047. LEMBA, used by VENDA. Mphephu, Zoutpansberg. N. Jones.

Shape: Pot with upright neck formed with well-defined point of inflection, thickened rim

and slightly flattened base. H 21°5 cm.

Decoration: Grooved and stamped band and triangle design. Application of graphite and

ochre. Burnished.

» 229

BWYO 2029. LEMBA. Belingwe district, Rhodesia. N. Jones.

Shape: Bag-shaped pot with thickened rim and rounded base. H 18-6 cm.

Decoration: Grooved and stamped designs, coloured with burnished graphite and burnished

red ochre.

230

BWYO 2031. LEMBA. Belingwe, Rhodesia. N. Jones.

Shape: Open-mouthed bowl with slightly thickened rim and rounded base. H 9:5 cm.

Decoration: Band of hatched grooved lines coloured with a white material. Red ochre and

graphite applied and burnished. Inside of vessel decorated with burnished ochre band

on a graphite burnished background.

. 231

BWYO 5079. LEMBA. Belingwe Reserve, Rubabvu Mission School, Rhodesia. Von

Sicard, 1949.

Shape: Small incurved bowl with rounded edge and rounded base. H g cm. Inside of bowl

divided into two sections with clay partition.

Decoration: Outer surface decorated with incised triangles and band of widely spaced cross-

hatching. Coloured with graphite and ochre. Burnished.

Use: Relish pot—modern but in traditional design (museum records).

232

SAM 8690. LEMBA. Sibasa, Mphego’s ward, Transvaal. September 1962. South

African Museum Expedition.

Shape: Large open-mouthed bowl, with rounded rim and rounded base. H 21 cm.

Ware: Heavy even-walled ware. Well fired. Deep red with smoky patches. Serrated inner

surface produced by cross-hatching deeply grooved lines.

356

No.

ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Use: For grinding monkey nuts (seller— museum records).

Name: mugurudu (seller— museum records).

233

SAM 8805. LEMBA. Sibasa, Transvaal. 1936 Government Ethnologist. Presented to

museum September 1962.

Shape: Small open-mouthed bowl, rounded rim, slightly thickened inside, and rounded

base. H 8 cm.

Ware: Well-shaped medium-thick pottery. Fairly heavy.

Decoration: Band of grooved cross-hatching filled with white material on outer surface.

Below this band of burnished ochre outlined with incised lines. Burnished graphite over

inside and rest of outer surface.

Name: ndongwana (museum records).

234 ;

UCT 39.1. LEMBA. Lestrade.

Shape: Pot with thickened rim and rounded base. H 19°5 cm.

Ware: Very heavy-weight ware of medium thickness. Poor firing.

Decoration: Incised bands and triangles, the latter being diagonally hatched. Band of

stamped impressions. Pot coloured with burnished graphite and red ochre. Poor

standard of decoration.

235

SAM 8802. LEMBA. Tshimbupfe, Sibasa, Transvaal. Government Ethnologist. Presented

to museum in September 1962.

Shape: Spherical pot with rounded rim and slightly flattened base. H 14 cm.

Ware: Well-shaped, thin-walled, light-weight ware. Very well fired. Deep red orange.

Decoration: Incised designs coloured alternately with graphite and red ochre.

Use: Drinking from (Van Warmelo, 1935).

Name: dzhomela (museum records).

236

SAM 8691. LEMBA. Mphego’s ward, Sibasa, Transvaal. September 1962. South

African Museum Expedition.

Shape: Small spherical pot with upright neck formed with poorly-defined point of inflection,

rounded rim and rounded base. H 13:5 cm.

Ware: Medium heavy ware with walls of medium thickness. Very well fired. Dark brown

buff.

Decoration: Band of burnished graphite below mouth bounded by one incised line and two

rows of stamped impressions.

Name: tshidudu (seller).

- 237 and frontispiece No. 8

SAM 8801. LEMBA. Tshimbupfe, Sibasa, Transvaal. 1936. Government Ethnologist.

Presented September 1962.

Shape: Spherical pot with slightly thickened rim and flattened base. H 19 cm. —

Ware: Beautifully formed, thin-walled, light-weight ware. Very well fired.

Decoration: Neatly decorated with grooved band and triangles design. Coloured with

graphite and ochre and well burnished.

Name: mvuvhelwana (Government Ethnologist).

238

SAM 8942. CHOPI. Makupulane, Sul do Save, Mozambique. June 1963. South African

Museum Expedition.

Shape: Pot with everted neck formed with well-defined point of inflection, rounded rim and

rounded base. H 19:8 cm.

Ware: Crudely shaped, uneven ware. Very well fired. Very light ash colour with light

orange tinge and smoky patches.

Decoration: Crude pattern of short grooved lines below the neck.

Name: shikadjana (seller).

239

TVL 6835. LENGE. Maseyeni, Sul do Save, Mozambique. 1924.

Shape: Pot with upright neck formed with poorly-defined point of inflection, rounded rim

and rounded base. H 15:4 cm.

No.

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 357

Ware: Brown with black patches.

Name: djomeia (museum records).

240

TVL 6898. LENGE. Maseyen1, Sul do Save, Mozambique. 1924.

Shape: Open-mouthed bowl with cut rim and rounded base. H g cm.

Ware: Fairly thick brown ware with good burnish.

Use: Food-bowl (museum records).

- 241

SAM 8768. BITONGA. Inhambane Market, Sul do Save, Mozambique. September 1962.

South African Museum Expedition.

Shape: Large open-mouthed bowl with flattened thickened rim and rounded base.

H. 18-5 cm.

Ware: Roughly finished ware of medium thickness. Fairly heavy. Very well fired.

Decoration: Red colour applied outside and on rim.

Use: Cooking (seller).

Name: tinzalo (seller).

242

SAM 8775. BITONGA. Maxixe Market, Sul do Save, Mozambique. September 1962.

South African Museum Expedition.

Shape: Bowl with carination at widest diameter with everted neck formed with well-defined

point of inflection, cut rim and rounded base. H 12°5 cm.

Ware: Well-shaped, crudely finished ware of medium thickness and weight. Medium well

fired. Deep orange with smoky patches.

Decoration: Red colour applied inside.

Name: gikalango (seller).

243

SAM 8767. BITONGA. Inhambane Market, Sul do Save, Mozambique. September 1962.

South African Museum Expedition.

Shape: Shallow sub-carinated bowl with short, straight, everted neck formed with well-

defined point of inflection, cut rim and rounded base. H 11-25 cm.

Ware: Fairly heavy ware of medium thickness.

Decoration: Red colour applied in very liquid form on inside of neck and upper section of

body.

Name: gikalango (seller).

244

SAM 8766. BITONGA. Inhambane Market; Sul do Save, Mozambique. September 1962.

South African Museum Expedition.

Shape: Large pot with short everted neck formed with well-defined point of inflection, cut

rim and round base. H 32-2 cm.

Ware: Well-shaped, unevenly finished ware. Very well fired. Large smoky areas. Light in

weight.

Decoration: Three-quarters of outer surface coloured red and burnished.

Use: Cooking-pot (seller).

Name: khali (seller).

245

SAM 8976. ZEZURU. Chiweshe, Mangwende Reserve, Mrewa, Rhodesia. June 1963.

South African Museum Expedition.

Shape: Deep incurved bowl with rounded rim and rounded base. H 15:5 cm.

Ware: Well shaped ware of medium weight and thickness. Very well fired. Brown buff

with smoky patches. Burnished surface.

Use: For vegetables (potter).

Name: chikari (potter).

246

BWYO no number. ZEZURU. Chindemora Reserve. Rhodesia. N. Jones.

Shape: Spherical pot with well-developed upright neck formed with well-defined point of

inflection and rounded base. H 24 cm.

Decoration: Design outlined with deep jagged incised lines. Graphite and ochre applied

alternately and burnished.

358 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

No. 247

SAL 6114.1 ZEZURU. Lake MclIlwaine, behind Bushman’s Point, Rhodesia. (Not older

than 100 years— museum records.)

Shape: Spherical pot with tall upright neck formed with well-defined point of inflection,

rounded rim and rounded base. H 19 cm.

Decoration: Deeply stamped line in zigzag round vessel with an incised line either side.

Ochre and graphite coloured.

No. 248

SAM 8975. ZEZURU. Chiweshe, Mangwende Reserve, Mrewa, Rhodesia. June 1963.

South African Museum Expedition.

Shape: Spherical pot with short curved neck formed with poorly-defined point of inflection,

thickened rim and rounded base. H 19:5 cm.

Ware: Well-shaped ware of medium thickness. Heavy. Browny buff with smoky patches.

Decoration: Design outlined with incised lines. Burnished surface.

Use: Drinking beer (seller).

Name: kapfuko (seller).

No. 249

SAL 49.39. SHAWASHA. Chishawasha, Rhodesia.

Shape: Narrow-mouthed barrel-shaped pot with dimple base. H 20:5 cm.

No. 250

BWYO 2053. MAROMO. Dzete tribe, Charter district, Rhodesia. Stead.

Shape: Deep, inverted, bag-shaped bowl with cut rim and flattened base. H 18:7 cm.

Use: ? Cooking (Stead— museum records).

Name: munzira (Stead— museum records).

No. 251

BWYO 2054. MAROMO. Dczete tribe, Charter district, Rhodesia. Stead.

Shape: Small inturned bowl with cut rim and flattened base. H 11-3 cm.

Decoration: Band of graphite around mouth on outer surface.

Name: chikadjana che munzira—‘smallest pot without lip (? neck) —with lip would be called

chimbiya’ (Stead— museum records).

No. 252

BWYO 2057. MAROMO. Dzete tribe, Charter district, Rhodesia. Stead.

Shape: Large spherical pot with straight upright neck formed with poorly-defined point of

inflection, rounded rim and rounded base. H 31°5 cm.

Decoration: Grooved triangular pattern coloured with graphite and ochre.

Use: Cooking-pot for meat or porridge, in large quantities only (museum records).

Name: chikati (Stead— museum records).

No. 253

BWYO 2056. MAROMO. Dzete tribe, Charter district, Rhodesia. Stead.

Shape: Large, inverted, bag-shaped pot with curved, everted neck formed with well-

defined point of inflection and flattened base. H 32-5 cm.

Decoration: Grooved line around base of neck. Incised lines outlining triangular design

coloured with graphite and ochre.

Use: Carrying beer or water (museum records).

Name: chirongo (museum records).

No. 254

BWYO 2052. MAROMO. Dzete tribe, Charter district, Rhodesia. Stead.

Shape: Wide-mouthed spherical pot with short, curved, everted neck formed with well-

defined point of inflection, thickened flattened rim and rounded base. H 20:5 cm.

Decoration: Grooved line at base of neck. Ochre and graphite applied and burnished.

‘se: Small cooking-pot (museum records).

Name: hadjgana (museum records).

No. 255

SAM 7125. MANYIKA. Holdenby, Rhodesia. 1951. B. Carp.

Shape: Open-mouthed bowl with short, everted neck (borderline thickened rim) formed

with well-defined point of inflection, rounded rim and rounded base. H 7°5 cm.

Ware: Very thick-walled, heavy pottery. Well fired. Very bright orange with smoky

patches. Burnished surface.

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 359

Decoration: Cross-design inside bowl, slightly raised, on burnished graphite background.

Use: Food-bowl (museum records).

Name: mbiya (museum records).

No. 256 and frontispiece No. 10

SAM 8970. MANYIKA. Inyanga Reserve (people from Umtasa Reserve, Umtali),

Inyanga, Rhodesia. June 1963. South African Museum Expedition.

Shape: Spherical pot with tall, curved, everted neck formed with well-defined point of

inflection, cut rim and rounded base. H 26-5 cm.

Ware: Fairly thick ware. Poorly fired. Brown.

Decoration: Design outlined with grooved lines. Painted red and black with enamel paint.

Use: Storing beer (potter).

Name: kakaha (potter).

No. 257

SAM 7126. MANYIKA. Holdenby, Inyanga, Rhodesia. 1951. B. Carp.

Shape: Inverted bag-shaped pot with tall, curved, everted neck formed with well-defined

point of inflection, thickened rim and rounded base. H 17:5 cm.

Ware: Well-formed, heavy, thick-walled ware. Well fired. Natural colour light orange.

Decoration: Stamped V-shaped impressions around base of neck. Coloured with red paint,

graphite and ochre.

Use: Water-pot (museum records).

Name: pfuko (museum records).

No. 258

SAL no number. KOREKORE. Lomagundi, Darwin, Rhodesia. 1946.

Shape: Deep incurved bowl with rounded base. H 15°5 cm.

Ware: Blackened from use.

Decoration: Three pairs of bosses spaced on raised band which is cross-hatched, below

mouth.

No. 259

SAL 45.7.1. KOREKORE. Sinoia, Rhodesia.

Shape: Small incurved bowl with curved everted neck formed with poorly-defined point of

inflection, rounded rim and pedestal base. H 10-25 cm.

Decoration : Five pairs of twin lugs at intervals on the outer surface and four pairs of ‘pimples

on the inner side of the neck.

No. 260

CAM 54.37. ?SHONA. 20 miles SE. of Salisbury on Norton-Salisbury Road.

Before 1890.

Shape: Small bowl with short, curved, everted neck formed with poorly-defined point of

inflection, rounded rim and flattened base. H 7-5 cm.

Decoration: Two pairs of applied knobs on outer surface and two sets of three and two sets of

four inside the rim. Grooved lines around base of neck. Black finish.

No. 26:

SAM 8972. BUDJGA. Near Bwonya School, Mtoko Reserve, Mtoko, Rhodesia. June 1963.

South African Museum Expedition.

Shape: Spherical pot with upright neck formed with well-defined point of inflection,

rounded rim and dimple base. H 19-8 cm.

Ware: Beautifully shaped and finished ware. Poor firing. Brown.

Decoration: Grooved at base of neck with thumb when smoothing neck. Coloured with blue

enamel paint.

Name: kapfuko (seller).

No. 262

BWYO 5455. TONGA. Wankie, road beside Falls, 170 miles from Bulawayo, Rhodesia.

Shape: Incurved bowl with cut rim and rounded base. H 16:2 cm.

Ware: Roughly finished. Coarse clay.

Decoration : Incised zigzag bands coloured alternately with graphite and ochre and burnished.

Lines themselves are filled with white material.

No. 263

SAL 46.34.3. TONGA. Mkota, now displaced to Two Tree Hill Compound, Sinoia,

Rhodesia.

360

No.

ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Shape: Small incurved bowl with cut rim and rounded base. H 8 cm.

Decoration: Band of four grooved lines.

. 264

BWYO 5456. TONGA. Wankie, road beside Falls, about 170 miles from Bulawayo,

Rhodesia.

Shape: Carinated pot with carination at widest diameter, short upright neck formed with

poorly-defined point of inflection, rounded rim and rounded base. H 24:2 cm.

Decoration: Grooved design coloured with ochre and graphite. Double row stamped impres-

sions at Ccarination.

265

SAM 6070. SHONA. Sebungwe, Rhodesia. 1939. Exchange National Museum, Bulawayo.

Shape: Sub-carinated pot with inward-sloping neck formed with poorly-defined point of

inflection, thickened rim and rounded base. H 24:8 cm.

Ware: Medium thick and heavy ware. Well fired.

Decoration: Incised design coloured with red ochre and graphite. Band of stamped impres-

sions at base of neck. Faded colours and poor burnish.

Use: Beer- or water-pot (museum records).

266

BWYO 7857. ? VALLEY TONGA. Siachelaba’s kraal, Sebungwe, Rhodesia.

Shape: Large sub-carinated pot with upright neck formed with poorly-defined point of

inflection, and rounded rim and rounded base. H 35:5 cm.

Decoration: Incised triangular design coloured with ochre and graphite. Stamped band

around the base of the neck.

267

SAM 6070. SHONA. Sebungwe, Rhodesia. 1939. Exchange National Museum, Bulawayo.

Shape: Inverted bag-shaped pot with tall, curved everted neck formed with poorly-defined

point of inflection, thickened flattened rim and rounded base. H 21 cm.

Ware: Well-shaped, thick-walled ware. Fairly light in weight. Well fired. Coarse clay with

flakes of mica.

Decoration: Ochre and graphite colour. Grooved and stamped designs.

Use: Beer- or water-pot (museum records).

268

SAM 6070. SHONA/TONGA. Sebungwe, Rhodesia. 1939. Exchanged with National

Museum, Bulawayo (at least fifty years old at time of exchange).

Shape: Pot with inward-sloping neck formed with poorly-defined point of inflection,

thickened flattened rim and rounded base. H 30 cm.

Ware: Well-shaped ware of medium thickness.

Decoration: Colours faded. Graphite and ochre. Designs incised and stamped. Shiny finish

due to some application on outer surface.

269

BWYO 5815, KARANGA. Mashaba, Fort Victoria, Rhodesia.

Shape: Small open-mouthed bowl with cut rim and pedestal base. H 11 cm.

Decoration: Band of graphite around mouth on outer surface. Below this two grooved lines

outline an incised cross-hatched band.

Use: For drinking beer or holding relish (museum records).

Name: cimbia (museum records).

270

BWYO 5814. KARANGA. Mashaba, Zimbabwe, Fort Victoria, Rhodesia.

Shape: Incurved bowl (borderline case) with cut rim and flattened base. H 19 cm.

Decoration: Grooved and incised lines outline design which is patterned with incised cross-

hatching, stamped impressions made with the end of a grass stalk and the application

of graphite and red ochre.

Use: Cooking vegetables (museum records).

Name: ahjana (museum records).

271

BWYO 2050. KALANGA. Bazha, Matopo Hills, Rhodesia. N. Jones.

Shape: Deep spherical bowl with curved everted neck formed with poorly-defined point of

inflection and rounded base. H 16:5 cm.

Decoration: Incised line of vandyk. Graphite, and ochre coloured design.

No.

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 361

272

BWYO 2049. KALANGA. Gwaai Reserve, Rhodesia. N. Jones.

Shape: Spherical pot with rounded rim and slightly flattened base. H 15 cm.

Decoration: Upper section coloured with burnished graphite and ochre in alternate bands.

273

BWYO 2027. KALANGA. Gwaai Reserve, Rhodesia. N. Jones.

Shape: Sub-spherical bowl with everted neck formed with poorly-defined point of inflection,

rounded rim and rounded. base. H 13-4 cm.

Decoration: Design outlined with very faint incised lines which could have been done after

firing. Coloured with graphite and ochre.

274

BWYO 5813. KARANGA. Mashaba, Zimbabwe, Victoria, Rhodesia.

Shape: Spherical pot with tall, upright neck formed with poorly-defined point of inflection,

cut rim and dimple base. Also has handle. H 29:5 cm.

Decoration: Designs outlined with grooved and incised lines. Coloured with graphite and

red ochre. Burnished.

Use: Carrying beer (museum records).

Name: pfuko (museum records).

275

BWYO 5158. SHONA. Jawa’s kraal, Mtilikwe Reserve, Victoria, Rhodesia.

Shape: Wide-mouthed pot with tall straight neck formed with well-defined point of inflec-

tion, and rounded base. H 20°5 cm.

Decoration: Band of incised cross-hatching between two grooved lines below neck.

- 276

BWYO 2028. SHONA? KALANGA. Plumtree, Rhodesia. N. Jones.

Shape: Large spherical pot with curved everted neck formed with poorly-defined point of

inflection, cut rim and rounded base. H 34 cm.

Decoration: Incised designs coloured with red ochre and graphite. Burnished.

Use: Water-pot (museum records).

277

SAM 8956. MARI. Charumbira, Victoria Reserve, Rhodesia. June 1963. South African

Museum Expedition.

Shape: Large spherical pot with tall, slightly everted neck formed with poorly-defined

point of inflection, and cut rim and flattened base. H 40-7 cm.

Ware: Very smooth finish to vessel. Heavy in weight. Light orange buff with smoky patches.

Decoration: Two grooved lines around the base of the neck.

Use: Beer container (potter).

Name: nyenjero (potter).

278

SAM 7218. NDAU. Maringa’s kraal, Sabi-Lundi, Rhodesia.

Shape: Wide-mouthed spherical bowl with short, curved, everted neck formed with poorly-

defined point of inflection, rounded rim on tapered wall and rounded base. H 19°8 cm,

Ware: Roughly shaped, thin-walled, light-weight ware. Well fired. Light orange.

Decoration: Band of incised cross-hatching below neck.

Name: chikari (museum records).

279

BWYO 2064. NDAU. Chikore, Rhodesia.

Shape: Bowl with curved everted neck formed with poorly-defined point of inflection,

rounded rim and rounded base. H 13-1 cm.

Ware: Very light-weight, thin-walled ware.

Decoration: Triangular incised design patterned with cross-hatching.

280

BWYO 2061. NDAU. Chikore, Rhodesia.

Shape: Sub-spherical pot with short upright neck formed with poorly-defined point of

inflection, rounded rim and rounded base. One applied handle. H 21 cm.

Ware: Very thin and light ware.

Decoration: Incised lines outline triangle and band design patterned with cross-hatching.

362

No.

ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

281

SAM 7214. NDAU. Maringua’s kraal, Sabi-Lundi, Rhodesia. 1952. B. Carp.

Shape: Spherical pot with curved upright neck formed with poorly-defined point of inflec-

tion, thickened rim and rounded base. H 17:5 cm.

Ware: Well-shaped, roughly finished ware of medium thickness and weight. Medium

firing.

Decoration: Grooved lines outline band and triangles design patterned with cross-hatching.

White material fills outlines, background coloured with burnished graphite.

Name: dubi/duwi (museum records).

282

SAM 7213. NDAU. Maringua’s kraal, Sabi-Lundi, Rhodesia. 1952. B. Carp.

Shape: Spherical pot with curved everted neck formed with poorly-defined point of inflec-

tion, rounded rim and rounded base. H 20.25 cm.

Ware: Well-shaped ware of medium thickness and weight.

Decoration: Triangular design outlined with lightly grooved lines filled with white material.

Coloured with graphite.

Name: dubi/duwi (museum records).

283

SAM 8977. ROZWI, Near Mafuta, Chiduku Reserve, Rusape, Rhodesia. June 1963.

South African Museum Expedition.

Shape: Large spherical pot with curved everted neck formed with well-defined point of

inflection, flattened thickened rim and rounded base. H 30 cm.

Ware: Well-shaped ware of medium thickness and weight. Very well fired. Brown colour.

Decoration: Design outlined with deeply incised lines. Coloured with red and black enamel

paint.

Use: Fetching water (potter).

Name: chirongo (potter).

284

SAM 8978. ROZWI. Near Mafuta’s kraal, Chiduku Reserve, Rusape, Rhodesia. June

1963. South African Museum Expedition.

Shape: Deep incurved bow! with cut rim and rounded base. H 18-5 cm.

Ware: Lightly burnished without applied colour. Very well fired and evenly formed.

Use: For cooking (seller—museum records).

Name: sawia (Roz.)/mokati (Hung.) (seller— museum records).

285

SAM 1823. SHONA. Salisbury, found on grave. Melle.

Shape: Small wide-mouthed bow] with rounded rim and rounded base, H 10 cm.

Ware: Medium thick-walled, light-weight ware. Fair firing. Brown buff.

Decoration: Band of burnished graphite around mouth.

. 286

From farm in Ayreshire Hills, Rhodesia. Private collection.

Shape: Deep open-mouthed bow! with cut rim on tapered wall and rounded base. H 9 cm.

Decoration: Band of stamped oval impressions inside mouth.

287

SAM 2076. SHONA. Rhodesia. 1916. Dr. Melle.

Shape: Deep bag-shaped bowl with rounded rim and rounded base. H 17-1 cm.

Ware: Evenly formed ware of medium thickness. Fairly heavy pottery. Upper three-

quarters of outside surface blackened by smoke.

Decoration: Raised applied band with cross-hatching around mouth. Ends of band turn at

right angles towards base leaving a gap of about 2°5 cm.

. 288

SAM 1824. SHONA. Found on grave, Rhodesia. 1916. Dr. Melle.

Shape: Spherical bowl with curved everted neck formed with well-defined point of inflec-

tion, rounded rim and rounded base. H 10-8 cm.

Ware: Well-shaped ware of medium thickness and light weight.

Decoration: Grooved line around base of neck. Burnished graphite over outer surface and

inside neck.

No.

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 363

289

SAM 1824. SHONA. Found on grave, Rhodesia, 1916. Dr. Melle.

Shape: Spherical bowl with everted neck formed with well-defined point of inflection,

flattened rim and rounded base. H 10-4 cm.

Decoration: Burnished graphite.

290

SAM 2068. SHONA. Rhodesia. 1916. Dr. Melle.

Shape: Pot with cut rim and rounded base. H 19:7 cm.

Ware: Well-shaped ware with thick walls. Comparatively light. Medium firing. Black

inside and out, except base which is grey buff.

Use: (1) Cooking in small quantities. (2) Serving left-overs. (3) Carrying food to fields.

(4) Can be used as food-bowl when nothing else is available (museum records).

Name: tsaviva (museum records).

291

SAM 1824. SHONA. Salisbury, Rhodesia.

Shape: Inverted bag-shaped pot with tall, curved, everted neck formed with well-defined

point of inflection, and rounded base. H 16-25 cm.

Ware: Medium thick ware, light in weight. Brown/grey.

Decoration: Band of burnished graphite.

292

CAM 1905?. Rhodesia. Haddon.

Shape: Wide-mouthed spherical pot with tall, slightly everted neck formed with well-defined

point of inflection, cut rim and rounded base. H 19 cm.

Decoration: Graphite and ochre applied in designs.

293

SAM 7948. SHONA. Found in tunnel grave, Musikimuembe Farm, Marandellas, Rho-

desia. 1958. J. Read.

Shape: Pot with everted neck formed with poorly defined point of inflection, rounded rim

and rounded base. H 13:2 cm.

Ware: Evenly formed from coarse clay.

Decoration: Band of stamped or incised notched impressions around base of neck, with first

downward stroke deeper than the second. Burnished graphite.

294

SAM 7949. SHONA. Found in tunnel grave, Musikimuembe Farm, 9 miles from Maran-

dellas, Rhodesia. 1958. J. Read.

Shape: Sherd of pot with well-developed straight neck, thickened flattened rim and probably

double carination.

Ware: Well-shaped, thick ware. Section of biscuit shows grey centre with buff either side.

Decoration: Graphite applied and burnished. Grooved line at narrowest diameter of body.

295

CAM E. 1905-497. ? KARANGA. Umtali, Rhodesia. Haddon.

Shape: Inverted bag-shaped bowl with curved everted neck formed with well-defined point

of inflection, rounded rim on tapered wall and rounded base. H 11°5 cm.

Decoration: Grooved design. Coloured with red ochre and graphite.

296

BWYO 58.64. BARWE. Ziwa Farm, Inyanga. Made by potter for Mr. F. O. Bernhard.

Shape: Pot with tall, curved, everted neck formed with poorly-defined point of inflection,

thickened rim and rounded base. H 26 cm.

Decoration: All-over pattern of raised bands. Ribbed ware. Graphite applied round mouth.

297

CAM E. 1905.493. ? KARANGA. Umtali, Rhodesia. Haddon.

Shape: Small bowl with short, curved, everted neck formed with poorly-defined point of

inflection, rounded rim and rounded base. H 9:5 cm.

Decoration: Burnished ochre.

298

HAM. 24.76.11. HERERO.

Shape: Pot with cut rim and rounded base. Four vertically pierced applied lugs, joined by

slight ridge. H 23°5 cm.

364

No. 299

COP G. 1321. HERERO.

Shape: Barrel-shaped pot with thickened rim and rounded base. H 20 cm.

Decoration: Red ochre applied around mouth. Bedy blackened by use.

No. 300

SAM 8639. HIMBA. Ehombo Mountains, Kaokoveld, South West Africa. 1962. Mrs.

Weseman.

Shape: Wide-mouthed spherical bowl with short, straight, everted neck formed with well-

defined point of inflection, cut rim and rounded base. H 17°5 cm.

Ware: Beautifully shaped, medium-thick ware. Very well fired. Brick red inside, gun-metal

grey outside with small area of brick-red. Matt finish.

Decoration: Stamped design made with the end of a grass stalk.

No. 301

SAM 3776. KWANYAMA. Ovamboland. 1921. South African Museum Expedition.

Shape: Spherical pot with curved everted neck formed with well-defined point of inflection,

cut rim and almost pointed base. H 25-7 cm.

Ware: Medium-thick, heavy ware. Poor firing.

No. 302

SAM 3777. KWANYAMA. Ovamboland. 1921. South African Museum Expedition.

Shape: Inverted bag-shaped pot with inturned neck formed with poorly-defined point of

inflection, cut rim and rounded base. H 11-4 cm.

Ware: Well-shaped, thin-walled, fairly light pottery. Medium firing. Smooth, unburnished

finish.

Decoration: Grooved line at base of neck.

Name: ombia (museum records).

No. 303

SAM 8474. KWANYAMA. Nehemiah’s place, near Omafe, Ovamboland. July 1961.

South African Museum Expedition.

Shape: Spherical pot with tall, curved, upright neck formed with well-defined point of

inflection, cut rim and rounded base. H 17-5 cm.

Ware: Well-shaped ware. Thin-walled and light in weight. Poor firing. Matt surface. Grey

with black patches.

No. 304

SAM 3776. KWANYAMA. Ovamboland. 1g21. South African Museum Expedition.

Shape: Inverted bag-shaped pot with short, inward-sloping neck formed with well-defined

point of inflection, cut rim and rounded base. H 31 cm.

Ware: Well-shaped ware of medium thickness and weight. Medium firing. Smooth regular

walls. Unburnished.

Decoration: Grooved line at base of neck.

No. 305

SAM 3777. KWANYAMA. Ovamboland. 1921. South African Museum Expedition.

Shape: Inverted bag-shaped pot with tall upright neck formed with poorly-defined point of

inflection, flattened rim and rounded base H 13:8 cm.

Ware: Well-shaped ware of medium thickness. Matt surface. Well fired. Grey.

Decoration: Grooved lines at base of neck.

No. 306

SAM 8475. KWANYAMA. Nehemiah’s place, near Omafe, Ovamboland. July 1961.

South African Museum Expedition.

Shape: Inverted bag-shaped pot with tall, straight, upright neck formed with well-defined

point of inflection, rounded rim and rounded base. H 17:5 cm.

Ware: Well-shaped, roughly finished, thin-walled ware. Light in weight. Poor firing.

Mottled orange, grey and brown.

Name : ositoo (potter).

No. 307

ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

SAM 4097. KUALUTHI. Ovamboland. 1923. South African Museum Expedition.

Shape: Flask-shaped pot with tall, curved, everted neck formed with poorly-defined point

of inflection, rounded rim and flattened base. H 25°5 cm.

No.

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 365

Ware: Medium thick-walled. Fairly well fired. Burnished surface.

Decoration: Band of short horizontal grooved lines around neck. Applied lumps.

Name: ositoo (museum records).

308 |

SAM 4107. NKOLONKATHI. Ovamboland. 1923. South African Museum Expedition.

Shape : Spherical pot with short, upright neck formed with poorly-defined point of inflection,

flattened thickened rim and rounded base. H 17°5 cm.

Ware: Well-shaped ware of medium thickness. Light in weight. Matt surface finish. Grey

with orange patches.

Name: ombia (museum records).

309 and frontispiece No. 11

SAM 4098. KUALUTHI. Ovamboland. 1923. South African Museum Expedition.

Shape: Flask-shaped pot with tall, curved, everted neck formed with poorly-defined point

of inflection, rounded rim and flattened base. H 27-7 cm.

Ware: Well-shaped, evenly finished ware. Thin-walled.

Name: ositoo (museum records).

310

SAM 4104. NRKOLONKATHI. Ovamboland. 1923. South African Museum Expedition.

Shape: Spherical pot with short upright neck formed with well-defined point of inflection,

flattened rim and rounded base. H 17°5 cm.

Ware: Thick, heavy-weight ware. Well formed. Roughly finished.

Decoration: Fibre bound round neck.

Name: ombia (museum records).

311

SAM 4105. NROLONKATHI. Ovamboland. 1923. South African Museum Expedition.

Shape: Inverted bag-shaped pot with short upright neck formed with poorly-defined point

of inflection, slightly thickened rim and rounded base. H 14°75 cm.

Ware: Fairly thick-walled medium heavy ware. Poor firing. Well shaped.

Decoration: Band of grooved patterning below rim.

Name: ombia (museum records).

312

SAM 4100. KWANKWA. South West Africa. 1923. South African Museum Expedition.

Shape: Beaker with flattened rim and flattened base. H 15-9 cm.

Ware: Poorly shaped ware of medium thickness and weight.

Decoration: Raised applied lumps.

Name: ositoo (museum records).

313

SAM 4099. KWANKWA. Ovamboland. 1923. South African Museum Expedition.

Shape: Flask-shaped pot with tall, curved, everted neck formed with poorly-defined point

of inflection, slightly thickened rim and pointed base. H 22°5 cm.

Ware: Light-weight ware of medium thickness. Medium firing. Roughly finished.

Decoration: Applied lumps around base of neck. Grooved line design. No colour or burnish.

Name: ositoo (museum records).

314

SAM 8484. KUANGARI. Lupala, Okavango, South West Africa. July 1961. South

African Museum Expedition.

Shape: Wide-mouthed incurved bowl with upright neck formed with well-defined point of

inflection, cut rim and rounded base. H 11°6 cm.

| Ware: Crudely finished ware of medium thickness and weight. Very well fired. Light pinky

No.

buff with large black patches.

Decoration: Raised band of cross-hatched grooving. Stamped impressions around base of

neck.

Use: For beer and sauce. Beer made first in kandimbe then put to ferment in calabash

(seller).

Name: kandimbe (seller).

315

SAM 8486. KUANGARI. Lupala, Okavango, South West Africa. July 1961. South

African Museum Expedition.

366

ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Shape: Spherical pot with tall, straight, upright neck formed with well-defined point of

inflection, cut rim and rounded base. H 19:4 cm.

Ware: Crudely finished ware of medium thickness and weight. Cracked in firing. Light

pinky buff with black patches. Section across biscuit shows clay to be black in centre.

Decoration: Grooved cross-hatching on raised band around mouth. Stamped impressions

at base of neck.

Use: Beer- or water-pot (potter).

Name: kavaza (potter).

No. 316

SAM 9025. KUANGARI. Runtu district, South West Africa. 1963. Mrs. Maree.

Shape: Wide-mouthed incurved bowl with tall, straight, slightly inward-sloping neck

formed with well-defined point of inflection, flattened thickened rim and rounded base.

H 14 cm.

Ware: As No. 318.

Decoration: As No. 318.

No. 317

SAM 9025. KUANGARI. Runtu district, South West Africa. 1963. Mrs. Maree.

Shape: Wide-mouthed pot with tall upright neck formed with well-defined point of inflec-

tion, flattened thickened rim and rounded base. H 12 cm.

Ware: As No. 318.

Decoration: As No. 318.

No. 318

SAM 9025. KUANGARI. Runtu district, South West Africa. 1963. Mrs. Maree.

Shape: Wide-mouthed incurved bowl with tall, straight, slightly inward-sloping neck

formed with well-defined point of inflection, flattened thickened rim and rounded

base. H 13 cm.

_ Ware: Thin-walled, light-weight ware. Very well fired. Mottled grey, orange and black.

Decoration: Poorly executed incised and grooved design.

No. 319

SAM 7845. AMBO. Ovamboland, South West Africa. 1958. J. Rudner (cf. Delachaux,

1936, Ondonga).

Shape: Incurved bow! with cut rim and rounded base. H 13 cm. Horizontally flattened lugs.

Ware: Thin-walled, light-weight ware. Well shaped. Section across biscuit shows brick

orange firing towards outer surface, black in the centre and white on inner surface.

Smooth matt finish.

No. 320

TVL 3558. ? AMBO.

Shape: Spherical pot with tall, straight, upright neck formed with poorly-defined point of

inflection, rounded rim and rounded base. H 17-5 cm. é

Decoration: Stamped impressions at base of neck. Shiny surface due to an application of

some substance. _

No. 321

UCT 29.119. Ovamboland. Hahn.

Shape: Very small oval bowl with cut rim and rounded base. H 3°5 cm.

Ware: Beautifully shaped and finished ware. Heavy for size.

No. 322

HAM 50.48.1. AMBO. Lake Otjikoto, South West Africa. 1927.

Shape: Small incurved bowl with cut rim and rounded base. H 10:5 cm.

Decoration: Four applied bosses.

No. 323

SAM 3254. (? Mbukushu, cf. No. 328). Otjituo, South West Africa. 1919. J. Drury.

Shape: Large spherical pot with tall everted neck (compound) formed with poorly-defined

point of inflection, cut rim and rounded base. H 32 cm.

Ware: Medium thick-walled, heavy ware. Medium firing.

Decoration: Grooved cross-hatched band below mouth. Below neck, a band of ‘slits’. Surface

blackened by use.

Name: oluiju (museum records).

No.

‘BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 367

324

COP no number. (? Mbukushu, cf. No. 328). Ghanzi, Bechuanaland. Probably made

about the turn of the century. Obtained from Bushman woman. 1961.

Shape: Large wide-mouthed pot with upright neck formed with poorly-defined point of

inflection, flattened rim and slightly pointed base. H 30 cm.

Decoration: Rather obscure. Appears to be a band of grooved cross-hatching around raised

band at mouth. Band of triangles on incised background at base of neck.

325

SAM 5654. MBUKUSHU. Andara, Okavango, South West Africa. 1936. Father Frohlich.

Shape: Wide-mouthed pot with tall, curved, upright neck formed with poorly-defined

point of inflection, cut rim and almost pointed base. H 28-7 cm.

Ware: Thick-walled heavy ware. Very well fired. Good smooth finish. Blackened by use.

Decoration: Band of grooved decoration on neck.

Name: kanjungu (museum records)

326

SAM 5653 MBUKUSHU. Andara, Okavango, South West Africa. 1936. Father Frohlich.

Shape: Spherical bowl with short everted neck formed with well-defined point of inflection,

rounded rim on tapered wall and rounded base. H 14°4 cm.

Ware: Medium thick-walled ware. Fairly well fired. Light buff with smoky patches.

Smooth finish.

Decoration: Pattern of red ochre on buff background.

Use: Relish pot (museum records).

Name: kanjungu (museum records).

327

SAM 5653. MBUKUSHU. Andara, Okavango, South West Africa. 1936. Father Frohlich.

Shape: Pot with short, straight, everted neck formed with well-defined point of inflection,

cut rim on tapered wall and pointed base. H 25°5 cm. ;

Ware: Well-formed pottery of medium thickness and weight. Well fired. Burnished surface.

Decoration: Red ochre designs on buff background. Thong around neck.

Use: For beer or water (museum records).

Name: kanjungu (museum records).

328

SAM 5654. MBUKUSHU. Andara, Okavango, South West Africa 1936. Father Frohlich.

Shape: Large wide-mouthed pot with tall, curved, everted neck formed with poorly-defined

point of inflection, cut rim and pointed base. H 41 cm.

Ware: Thick-walled, heavy ware. Well fired.

Decoration: Raised band decorated with cross-hatched grooving around the mouth. Wide

band incised hatching around base of neck.

Name: kanjungu (museum records).

329

SAM go06. DIRIKO. Ngumbe, Okavango, South West Africa. 1963. F. Taylor Expedition.

Shape: Wide-mouthed pot with everted neck formed with poorly-defined point of inflection,

flattened rim and rounded base. H 15:8 cm.

Ware: Roughly made, thick ware. Blackened by use.

Decoration: Two raised bands patterned with grooved cross-hatching.

Use: For cooking meat (seller).

Name: kanjungu (seller).

330 ;

SAM go007. DIRIKO. Near Ondongo, Omavamba Omatako, Okavango, South West

Africa. 1963. F. Taylor Expedition.

Shape: Pot with straight upright neck formed with well-defined point of inflection, cut rim

and slightly pointed base, H 33 cm.

Ware: Smooth, evenly formed ware of medium thickness and weight.

Decoration: Two raised bands patterned with grooved cross-hatching on neck. Second

series of diagonals stressed. Light hatching inside neck.

Use: Bought when cracked; being used as store for tobacco seeds.

Name: kanjungu (seller).

368 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

No. 331

PAR 54.56.6. ? DIRIKO. Nganyela (Capico, Baixo, Cubango).

Shape: Inverted bag-shaped pot with tall, slightly inward-sloping neck formed with poorly-

defined point of inflection, cut rim and slightly dimpled base. H 22 cm.

Decoration: Incised designs patterned with cross-hatching.

Name: indeho (museum records).

370 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

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II-IV

V-VI

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X-XI

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XIV

XVI

XVII

XVITI-XIX

XXI

XXI-XXIT

XXIII

XXITI

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ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

List oF PLATES

Bomvana pottery

Mpondo pottery

Xesibe pottery

Mabaso pottery

Swazi pottery

Swazi; Spiral technique

Ronga; Moulding from the lump

Nkuna; Ring technique

Tswa; Potter at work

BiTonga pot used by Tswa

South Sotho pottery

South Sotho; Potter at work

South Sotho firing

Mangwato pot

Kalanga pot, Bechuanaland

Kgatla pottery

Tlokwa; Building from the widest diameter

Kgatla pottery

Pedi pottery made by Swazi potters

Swazi, Sekhukhuneland. Position of pots for firing

Lemba pot

Venda pottery

Lemba; Moulding from the lump

BiTonga pottery

Manyika pottery

Rozwi pottery

Zezuru pottery

Teve pottery

Mari: Potter at work

Karanga pot, Rhodesia

Ndau: Starting a pot in ring technique

Kwanyama: Underground workroom

Mpukushu pot

—_—-

Ann. S. Afr. Mus., Vol. XLIX Plate I

BOMVANA

No. 2. BOMVANA. 1. T.M. 35/380, H. 32 cm. umphanda wodongwe. r. T.M. 35/359, H. 40 cm.

Ann. S. Afr. Mis?) Vol XxEDX Plate Il

MPONDO

y :

No. 3. MPONDO. J. T.M. 35/439, Lusikisiki, Transkei, H. 13 cmc. 3M on /Aon Et

18 cm. 7. T.M. 35/428 .Lusikisiki, Transkei, H. 19 cm. All ingcayi.

No. 4. MPONDO. Qawukeni, Transkei. /. H. 62 cm. r. H. 58 cm. Both imbiza.

Ann. S. Afr. Mus., Vol. XLIX Plate [1

MPONDO

No. 5. MPONDO. Lughoghweni, Lusikisiki, Transkei, H.

55 cm. tkhanzi.

No. 6. MPONDO. Lughoghweni, Lusikisiki, Transkei.

Plate IV

Ann. S. Afr. Mus., Vol. XLIX

‘wo 66 ‘Y ‘ghL "THA ‘“OGNOdW ‘8 °°

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Plate V

Ann. 8S. Afr. Mus., Vol. XEEX

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Ann. S. Afr. Mus., Vol. XLIX Plate VI

XESIBE

Hj eee ca = eS = S earS , es = S

No. 11. XESIBE. Elubaleko, Mount Ayliff, Transkei. /. H. 17 cm. ukhamba.

r. H. 25 cm. ingeaza.

Plate VII

Ann. S: Afr: Mus:, Vol. XL1X

“OALUPN) *4 “VYIQUL “7 “PURTIZVMY ‘NINYANLTET "PTZVWVMS “VI ‘ON

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Ann. S. Afr. Mus., Vol. XLIX Plate VIL

SWAZI

No. 15. SWAZI. S.A.M. 8656, Abercorn road, Stegi, Swaziland.

No. 16. SWAZI, Abercorn road, Stegi, Swaziland.

Ann. S. Afr. Mus., Vol. XLIX Plate IX

SWAZI

Spiral technique:

No. 1g. Adding the coil.

Plate X

‘[9SSOA OPISUT GUTYJOOWUS “1G ‘ON

dumy oy} woody

SUIP|NO|y

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Plate XI

n. S. Afr. Mus., Vol. XLIX

‘uN oy} YO surysrury "Gs °

‘TPPYs YM Sunezwosagq “bs °

‘op!

(penunucs) VONOU

url yno surdviog “$s ‘oN

Ann. S. Afr. Mus., Vol. XLIX Plate XII

NKUNA

Ring technique

GPE

No. 28. Smoothing and shaping.

Plate XIII

Anns. Afr: Mus), Vol. X LIX

1y90 SUIpUI

Id) ‘18 “ON

(ponun uo:

‘SsuIyIOOWS *6% “ON

)

) VN

{St N

Ann. S. Afr. Mus., Vol. XLIX Plate XIV

TSWA

No. 32. TSWA. Panda, Mozambique. Potter shaping vessel.

No. 33. BiThonga pot made at Mutamba near Maxixe, Mozambique—

used by TSWA near Funhalouro.

Amn.oS.:Afr. Mus., Vol. XLIX Plate XV

SOUTHS OTHO

‘No. 34. FOKENG. S.A.M. 8526, Basuto Hill, No. 35. FOKENG. S.A.M. 8559, Basuto Hill,

Herschel, Cape, H. 45.7 cm. lefiso. Herschel, Cape, H. 54 cm. Jeritstrwana.

No. 36. KWENA. Chief Tumane Mathele’s village, Butha Buthe,

Basutoland.

AnnsiS: Afr. Muss Voli Plate XVI

OUTH SOTHO-EFOKENG

Firing

sk SS

No. 39. Covering with dry dung. No. 40. Removing fired pots.

‘puyyeurnyoog “Ipnysoyy ‘ueg odviemy WTLVOM PP ON ‘purreurnyoog ‘tpnyooypy ‘ueg odviemy “WT LVWOM “&P CON

Plate XVI

‘uno 66 “PT ‘puryeuenyoog

‘Qmolag ‘0SL9 ‘Pr y's ‘esurreyy Aq spew “VWNVMS.L ‘ZV ‘ON 160 Co a ay

‘puryeuenyoog ‘ojoyjey “LS28 “W'V'S (OLVMONVW *1P (ON

Ann. S. Afr. Mus., Vol. XLIX

VNVMS.L /

Plate XVII

Ann. S. Afr. Mus., Vol. XLIX

‘SuIAIp Joye I9AO pouINy Joss9A “BV “ON

SSeS

Ig}IWIIp J

SOpIM oy} WOd, SUIpPlIng

VMMAO'TLL

‘uonoas-1oddn podeys oy, “LP “oN

Plate XLX

Ann. S. Afr. Mus., Vol. XLIX

‘od pajajduorn *zS ‘oN

{por [euUOTIppe ue SULYRIY ‘oO

i es

(ponuuod) VM MO'TL

"]JOL YIM oseq suUIsoyr) ‘1

‘ON

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-aunyyNyyas ‘sureyuNopy OO] "T[ZVMS Aq apeut ‘Tad 95 ON ‘sulvyUNO|y O[O9"T “6898 "W'W'S "IZVMS Aq opew ‘Tdad ‘SS ON

Plate XX

"[RBASUBL [,

‘uemyog ‘8S48 “‘WW'S ‘IZVMS 4q opew ‘Iddd ‘VS ‘oN

OHLOS PUe VNV MSL

Plate XX7T

ol. XLIX

Ann. S. Afr. Mus., V

"[eVASUBL TY,

‘ABO oy} Suisredoig

UloyyAoU “eseqig ‘prem sosoydp, “VAW AT 09 ON

“pr yam yod-suryoo;)

Usoy ou ‘eseqis ‘prem sosoydw “VANUA ‘8S “ON

VAW

*sar0js nNUvod se

° ~ ¢ ¢ ¢

jevaAsues [, U19YIAIOU “eseqisg gorid s,

posn s1og

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‘uo LE "yy ‘yevasuvsy, Usloy}10U

‘eseqig ‘prem sosaydyy ‘698 “W'V'S “VAINAT “4 ON

WAT pues

Plate XXII

Ann S.Atr. Mius:; Voli XELX

‘ud oy} Suideyg

69 (ON

oy} WOIT SuIppnoyy

VIW al

dun] oy} SuIMOT[OFL

eS)

‘py yam Lg sev oureg ‘visopoyy ‘esurduy "VYMTANVW ‘89 (ON ‘yod-190q ‘eIsopoyy ‘esuvdAuyT "VSM IANVIW °49 ‘ON

VIII

Pigigux

‘oduD]DyIT “WUD 1B“ ‘onbiqurezoyy “nynysu “wo GSE “Fy fonbiqurezoypy

‘ouvquivyuy ‘ouresue[’ “616g "Wy'S “VONOH.LIM “99 ‘ON ‘guequivyuy ‘ouesur{’ ‘0oz6g “W'VW'S ‘VONOHLIG “99 °ON

Ann. 8S. Afr. Mus., Vol. XLIX

VNOHS pu? VONOHLIG

Plate XXIV

Ann. S. Afr. Mus., Vol. XLIX

“eISOpOyY, “VUOPIA WOF “esrquinseys "TAVW “24 “ON

Te ioinaeoti

Pee) eal

‘MOI, ‘dAIaSoI apuamMsuepy ‘oysomiyy) “—QUNZAZ ‘04 ON

VNOEHS

‘onbiquiezoypy ‘Alog PIA SUOISSIP PioIeY “AAAL 14 ON

wtsopetiel

‘odesny ‘oAdasoa nynpryryy ‘ooeTd seInjePL “IMWZOU “69 “ON

Ann. S. Afr. Mus., Vol. XLIX Plate XXV

SHONA, KWANYAMA and MBUKUSHU

No. 73. KARANGA. S.A.M. 8982, Belingwe, No. 74. NDAU. Tanganda Halt, Chipinga,

Rhodesia, H. 46 cm. Rhodesia. Starting a pot.

Ss)

ese

Mee

No. 75. KWANYAMA. Near Saint Mary’s No. 76. MBUKUSHU. S.A.M. 9008, Oka-

Mission, Odibo, South West Africa. Under- vango, South West Africa, H. 38 cm. kandimbe.

ground workroom.

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INDEX

AMBO, 284-300: East, 295-9; North, 284-90;

South, 290-5; Undifferentiated 290; see

also names of individual tribes

ANGOLAN immigrants among Okavango

tribes, 304-6; see also names of individual

tribes

BANTU tribes, classification, 3-4

BASES of pot, classification of types, 21-2;

methods of shaping 11

BASUTO (South Sotho), 103-31; in Basuto-

land 103-19; in East Griqualand 119-21; in

Herschel, 121-8; in North-West Cape,

128-30

BEAKERS, 29: Basuto (Basutoland undiff.),

113, 116-17—(Herschel undiff.), 127—

(N.W. Cape undiff.), 129; Fokeng (Basuto-

land), 104—(Herschel), 124; Hlubi, 44;

Koni, 183; Kwankwa, 289; Kwena (Basuto),

108; Nguni (Natal undiff.), 57, 62; Sotho

(Central), 168—(North undiff.), 191;

Swazi, 67; Tlokwa (N. Sotho), 185-6;

Venda (undiff.), 207; see also POTTERY,

Bantu, forms, names and uses

BELIEFS and superstitions: Fokeng, 124;

Hlubi, 44; Kwanyama, 288; Lemba,

209-10, 215-16; Lenge, 222-3; Mabaso,

52; Mpondo, 39; Ronga, 84-5; Venda,

201-2, 209-10; Zezuru, 236; see also

CUSTOMS, TABOOS

BHACA, 45-6

BIRWA, 184

BITONGA, see KHOKHA (BiTonga)

BLACKENING pottery by firing, 19. Tribal

methods: Basuto (Basutoland undiff.), 115;

Fokeng, 122; Hlubi, 43, 44; Mabaso, 51;

Nguni (Natal undiff.), 60; Swazi, 65;

Xolo, 48; Zulu (Eshowe), 53—(Melmoth),

BOMVANA, 34-5

BOWLS, classification of types, 26-8; see

also POTTERY, Bantu, forms, names and

uses

BREAKAGES in firing, see FIRING

BUDJGA/BUDJA, 252-6

BUILDING methods: building with lumps,

10-113 classification of, 9-12; coiling, 10;

compound methods, 11-12; discussion,

308-9; moulding from the lump, 10; ring,

10. Tribal methods: Basuto (Basutoland

undiff.), 114—(East. Griqualand undiff.),

120— (Herschel undiff.), 125— (North-West

Cape undiff.), 128; Bhaca, 46; Bomvana,

34; Budjga, 253; Chopi, 224; Fokeng

(Basutoland), 103— (Herschel), 122; Hla-

kwana, 109; Hlubi, 42-3; Huruthse, 133-4;

Kalanga (Botswana), 147; Karanga, 260;

BUILDING (cont.)

Kgatla, 152, 155; Khokha, 226; Koni,

180-1; Kualuthi, 290; Kuambi, 291;

Kuangari, 295-6; Kwanyama, 285, 286-7;

Kwena (Basuto), 106—(W. Tswana), 139,

140-1; Kgalagadi, 144; Lemba (Rhodesia),

217— (Transvaal), 212, 215; Lenge, 220-1;

Lobedu, 173; Mabaso, 50-1; Mangwato,

142; Manyika, 242, 246; Mari, 265;

Mbalantu, 293; Mbukushu, 300; Mpondo,

36, 37; Ndau, 272; Nguni (Natal undiff.),

60; Ngwaketse, 136; Nkuna, 92; Nyembe

(Kangara), 304-5; Ronga, 80-1, 83; Rozwi,

276; Sasura, 149; Sotho (N.E. undiff.), 177;

Swazi, 65; Swazi (Sekhukhuneland), 71;

Teve, 250; Tlaung, 111; Tlokwa (E.

Tswana), 161—(N. Sotho), 185; Tshangana

(Mozambique), 88-9; Tswa, 97; Ungwe,

269; Venda (South), 199— (undiff.), 202-3

— (West), 193-4; Xananwa, 186; Xhosa,

g1; Xolo, 48; Zezuru, 231; Zulu, 53; 55

BUNJA, 298

BURNISHING, 1g. Tribal methods: Basuto

(Basutoland —_undiff.), 112— (Herschel

undiff.), 125; Chopi, 224; Hlakwana, 187;

Kalanga, 147; Kwena (Basuto), 107;

Lemba (Rhodesia), 217— (Transvaal), 212;

Lenge, 221; Lobedu, 173; Mabaso, 51;

Manyika, 246; Mari, 266; Nguni (Natal

undiff.), 60; Ngwaketse, 137; Ndau, 273;

Nkuna, 93; Swazi, 65, 71; Teve, 250;

Tlaung, 111; Tlokwa (W. Tswana), 161 —

(N. Sotho), 185; Ungwe, 269; Venda

(South), r99— (undiff.), 203— (West), 194;

Zezuru, 231; Zulu, 53, 55; see also DECO-

RATION tribal techniques, designs and

finishes

BUSTS, modelled, 59

CARINATION, types, 25-6

CENTRAL Sotho, see SOTHO, Central

CHOPI (subdivision), 219-30; (tribal group),

223-6; see also names of individual tribes,

e.g. Lenge

CLAYS, fetching (general), 7, 308: Hlubi 42.

Preparation (general), 7-8: Basuto, 114,

119, 125, 128— (Basutoland undiff.), 114—

(E. Griqualand undiff.), 119— (Herschel

undiff.), 125—(North-west Cape undiff.),

128; Budjga, 252-3; Chopi, 223; Fokeng,

103, 122; Hlakwana, 109; Hlubi, 42;

Huruthse, 133; Kalanga, 146; Karanga,

260; Kgatla, 152, 155; Khokha, 226; Koni,

180; Kuambi, 291; Kuangari, 295; Kwan-

yama, 285; Kwena (Basutoland), 105-6—

(W. Tswana), 138, 140; Kgalagadi, 144;

Lemba (Rhodesia), 216— (Transvaal), 212,

439

436 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

CLAYS (cont.)

215; Lenge, 220; Lobedu, 172; Mabaso, 50;

Manyika, 242, 245; Mari, 265; Mbalantu,

293; Mpondo, 36, 37; Ndau, 272; Nguni

(Natal undiff.), 59; Ngwaketse, 136;

Nhlanganu, 86; Nkuna, 92; Nyembe

(Kangara), 304; Ronga, 80, 83; Rozwi,

2753; Sasura, 149; Sotho (N.E. undiff.), 177;

Swazi, 65, 70; Teve, 250; Thembu, 33-4;

Thlaping, 132; Tlokwa (E. Tswana), 161 —

(N. Sotho), 184; Tshangana (Mozambique),

88; Tswa, 96; Ungwe, 268; Venda

(South), 199— (undiff.), 201 — (West), 193;

Xananwa, 186; Xhosa, 31; Zezuru, 230-1;

Zulu, 53-4

CRACKING of pots in firing, see FIRING

CULTURAL RELATIONSHIPS, 313-14

CUSTOMS: Basuto, 117; Khokha, 229;

Kwanyama, 288; Lemba_ (Transvaal),

215-16; Lenge, 222-3; Lobedu, 176;

Manyika, 248; Phalaborwa, 172; Sotho

(Central), 167, 169; Venda, 209-10;

Zezuru, 236; see also BELIEFS and super-

stitions, TABOOS

DAMARALAND HERERO, see HERERO

(Damaraland)

DECORATION: colour, application of

(general), 18-19, 308, 312; graphic tech-

niques, 17-18; materials, see under tribal

techniques, designs and finishes, plastic

techniques, 18. Tribal techniques, designs

and finishes: Basuto (Basutoland undiff.),

114-15, 117—(E. Griqualand undiff.),

121—(Herschel), 125, 127—(N.W. Cape

undiff.), 128-9; Bhaca, 45-6; Bomvana, 35;

Budjga, 253, 255; Chopi, 224-5; Diriko,

303; Fokeng (Basutoland), 1to4—5—(Her-

schel), 122, 124; Herero (Damaraland),

283, 284—(Kaokoveld), 282; Hlengwe, 95;

Hlubi, 43-4; MHuruthse, 134, 9134-5;

Kalanga, 147-8; Karanga, 260, 261, 262-3;

Kgatla, 152, 154; Khokha, 227, 228; Koni,

181, 183; Korekore, 251; Kualuthi, 291;

Kuambi, 292; Kuangari, 296, 2097;

Kwankwa, 289; Kwanyama, 286, 288;

Kwena (Basuto), 107, 108—(E. Tswana),

157—(W. Tswana), 139, 140, 141—(N.

Sotho), 189; Kgalagadi, 145; Lemba

(Rhodesia), 217, 218—(Transvaal), 212,

214, 215; Lenge, 221, 222; Lobedu, 173,

175-6; Mabaso, 51, 52; Malete, 160;

Mangwato, 143; Manyika, 243, 245, 246,

248; Mari, 266, 267-8; Maromo, 241-2;

Mbalantu, 293; Mbukushu, 301, 302;

Mpondo, 37, 39; Ndau, 272-3, 274, 275;

Ndebele (N. Transvaal), 75, 76—(Rho-

desia), 78; Nguni (Natal undiff.), 58-9, 60,

63; Ngwaketse, 136-7, 137; Nhlanganu,

DECORATION cont.)

86, 87; Nkolonkathi, 294; Nkuna, 92, 93-4;

Pedi style, 73; Phalaborwa, 171-2; Ronga,

81, 82, 83, 84; Rozwi, 276, 277-8, 278;

Sasura, 149; Shawasha, 238, 239; Shona

(undiff.), 280; Sotho (Central), 166, 169—

(N.E. undiff.), 177, 178—(N. undiff.), 191;

Swazi, 65-6, 68, 69—(Sekhukhuneland),

71, 73; Teve, 250; Thembu, 34; Thlaping,

132; Tlokwa, 161, 162; Tonga, 258, 259;

Tshangana (Mozambique), 89, 90; Tswa,

97, 99; Ungwe, 269; Venda (East), 198—

(South), 199, 200—(undiff.), 201, 203,

208-9— (West), 194, 196-7; Xananwa,

187, 188; Xesibe, 47-8; Xhosa, 32; Xolo,

48, 49; Zezuru, 231, 233, 236; Zulu, 53,

54, 55, 56, see also BLACKENING pottery,

BURNISHING, SLIPPING, TOOLS for

decoration

DIRIKO, 302-4

DISTRIBUTION systems 2, 5, 313. Tribal:

Ambo (undiff.), 299; Basuto (Basutoland

undiff.), 117—(E. Griqualand undiff.),

121 — (Herschel undiff.), 127—(N.W. Cape

undiff.), 129; Bhaca, 46; Budjga, 255;

Chopi, 225; Fokeng (Herschel), 124; Herero

(Kaokoveld), 282; Hlakwana, 110; Hlubi,

44; Kalanga, 148; Karanga, 261; Kgatla,

154, 156; Khokha, 229; Koni, 183; Kuambi,

292; Kwanyama, 286, 288; Kwena

(Basuto), 108—(W. Tswana), 140, 141—

(E. Tswana), 158; Kgalagadi, 146; Lemba

(N. Transvaal), 214, 215; Lenge, 222;

Lobedu, 176; Mabaso, 52; Manyika, 248;

Mari, 268; Mbalantu, 293; Mpondo, 39;

Ndebele (Rhodesia), 78; Nguni (Natal

undiff.), 59, 63; Ngwaketse, 137; Nhlan-

ganu, 87; Nkuna, 94; Phalaborwa, 172;

Ronga, 82, 84; Sasura, 149; Sotho

(Central), 166, 169—(N.E. undiff.), 178;

Swazi, 68, 69—(Sekhukhuneland), 73, 74;

Thlaping, 132; Tlokwa, 162; Tswa, 99-100;

Venda (undiff.), 209— (West), 197, Xhosa,

32; Zezuru, 234, 236; Zulu, 56

DRUMS for exorcising spirits, 69

DRYING, general survey, 13, 309-10. Tribal

methods: Basuto (Basutoland undiff.),

114—(E. Griqualand undiff.), 120—(N.W.

Cape undiff.), 128; Budjga, 253; Chopi,

224; Fokeng (Basutoland), 103— (Herschel),

122; Hlakwana, 109; Hlubi, 43; Huruthse,

134; Kalanga, 147; Kgatla, 152; Khokha,

227; Koni, 181; Kuangari, 296; Kwanyama,

285, 287; Kwena (Basuto), 106—7—(W.

Tswana), 139, 141; Kgalagadi, 145; Lemba

(Rhodesia), 217—(Transvaal), 212, 215;

Lenge, 221; Lobedu, 173; Mabaso, 51;

Manyika, 242-3, 246; Mari, 266; Mbuku-

BANTU POTTERY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA

DRYING (cont.)

shu, 300; Mpondo, 36, 37; Ndau, 272;

Nguni (Natal undiff.), 60; Ngwaketse, 136;

Nkuna, 92; Nyembe (Kangara), 305;

Ronga, 81, 83; Rozwi, 276; Sasura, 149;

Sotho (N.E. undiff.), 177; Swazi, 65—

(Sekhukhuneland), 71; Teve, 250; Tlaung,

111; Tlokwa (E. Tswana), 161—(N. Sotho),

185; Tshangana (Mozambique), 89; Tswa,

97; Ungwe, 269; Venda (South), 199—

(undiff.), 203—(West), 194; Xananwa,

186; Xhosa, 31; Xolo, 48; Zezuru, 231;

Zulu, 53, 55

EUNDA, 204

FIGURINES, 59, 104, 113, 117, 1493 See

also ZOOMORPHIC forms

FILLERS, 8; see also CLAYS, preparation

FINGO, 41

FINISHES for pottery, se DECORATION,

designs and finishes

FIRING: decorative techniques, 19; manu-

facturing techniques (general), 14-15, 310.

Tribal methods: Basuto (Basutoland

undiff.), 115—(E. Griqualand undiff.),

120— (Herschel undiff.), 125—(N.W. Cape

undiff.), 128; Budjga, 253; Chopi, 224;

Fokeng (Basutoland), 103 — (Herschel), 122;

Herero (Damaraland), 283; Hlakwana,

110; Hlubi, 43; Huruthse, 134; Kalanga,

147; Karanga, 260; Kgatla, 153; Khokha,

227; Koni, 181; Kualuthi, 290; Kuambi,

292; Kuangari, 296; Kwanyama, 285, 287;

Kwena (Basuto), 107—(W. Tswana), 139,

141; Kgalagadi, 145; Lemba (Rhodesia),

217—(Transvaal), 212, 215; Lenge, 221;

Lobedu, 173; Mabaso, 51; Mangwato,

142; Manyika, 243, 246; Mari, 266;

Mbalantu, 293; Mbukushu, 300; Mpondo,

36, 37; Ndau, 273; Nguni (Natal undiff.),

60; Ngwaketse, 137; Nhlanganu, 86;

Nkuna, 93; Nyembe (Kangara), 305;

Ronga, 81, 83; Rozwi, 276; Sasura, 149;

Sotho (N.E. undiff.), 177-8; Swazi, 65—

(Sekhukhuneland), 71; Thlaping, 132;

Tlaung, 111; Tlokwa (E. Tswana), 161—

(N. Sotho), 185; Tonga, 259; Tshangana

(Mozambique), 89; Tswa, 97; Ungwe, 269;

Venda (South), t199—(undiff.), 203—

(West), 194; Xananwa, 187; Xhosa, 31;

Xolo, 48; Zezuru, 231; Zulu, 53, 55

FOKENG, in Basutoland, 103-5; in Herschel,

I2I-5

FORMS of pottery, see POTTERY, Bantu,

forms, names and uses

FUELS for firing, 14-15; see also FIRING

GRANARIES: Basuto (Basutoland undiff.),

117; Huruthse, 134; Kalanga (Botswana),

437

GRANARIES (cont.)

148; Kgatla, 154, 155; Koni, 183; Tlokwa

(E. Tswana), 162

HANANWA, see XANANWA (Hananwa)

HERERO, 281-4; Bechuanaland, 284;

Damaraland, 282-4; Kaokoveld, 281-2

HLAKWANA, 109-12

HLALERWA, 159

HLENGWE, 94-6

HLUBI, 41-5

HURUTHSE, 133-6

IMMIGRANT Cape Neguni, see NGUNI,

Cape Immigrant

KALANGA (in Botswana),

Rhodesia), 263-4

KANGARA Nyembe, see NYEMBE (Kan-

gara)

KAOKOVELD Herero, see HERERO (Kao-

koveld)

KARANGA (tribal group), 259-63

KARANGA/TONGA (subdivision), 230-72;

see also BEAKERS, FIGURINES, GRA-

NARIES, PIPES, tobacco, MULTI-

MOUTHED POTS, SPOONS, ZOO-

MORPHIC forms, WESTERNIZED pot-

tery forms. Historical survey, 5; mending

see MENDING pottery; time and place

of making 6-7; types, classification of 21-9

POTTERY, history of, archaeological evi-

dence, 5

POTTERY names and terms see POTTERY,

Bantu, forms, names and uses

RIMS: classification of types, 22-3; shaping,

12-13; tools for, see TOOLS for making

pottery; types, 22-3

ROLONG, 133

RONGA, 80-6

ROZWI (subdivision), 272-9; (tribal group),

a27509

SAMBIU, 304

SASURA, 149-50

SEALING and testing pottery, general survey

of methods, 15-16, 310. Tribal methods:

Basuto (Basutoland undiff.), 115; (Herschel

undiff.), 125-6; Budjga, 254; Chopi, 224;

Fokeng . (Basutoland), 104— (Herschel),

123; Hlakwana, 110; Hlubi, 43; Huruthse,

134; Kalanga, 147; Karanga, 260; Kgatla,

153; Khokha, 227; Koni, 181; Kuangari,

296; Kwanyama, 287; Kwena (Basuto),

107—(W. Tswana), 139; Kgalagadi, 145;

Lemba (Rhodesia), 217— (Transvaal), 215;

Lenge, 221; Mabaso, 51; Manyika, 243;

Mari, 266; Ndau, 273; Ngwaketse, 137;

Nkuna, 93; Ronga, 81, 83; Rozwi, 276;

Sasura, 149; Swazi, 66—(Sekhukhuneland),

72; Teve, 250; Tlokwa (N. Sotho), 185;

Tonga, 258; Tswa, 97; Ungwe, 269;

Venda (South), 199—(undiff.), 203—

(West), 1094; Xhosa, 31; Zezura, 231;

Zulu, 55

SOUTHERN AFRICA

439

SELLING of pottery, see DISTRIBUTION

systems

SHANGAAN, see TSHANGANA

SHAPING: body,, 12-195) rims,7 12—13'5, ‘see

also BUILDING methods

SHAWASHA, 237-40

SHONA, 230-81: undifferentiated, 279-80;

see also names of subdivisions and tribal

groups

SLIPPING, 19-20

SOTHO, 102-93: Central, 164-70; East, 170;

North-East, 170-80 — undifferentiated,

177-9; North, 180-92—undifferentiated,

190-1; South (Basuto), see BASUTO; see

also names of individual tribes

SPOONS, Basuto undiff., 117

SUPERSTITIONS, see BELIEFS and super-

stitions ,

SWAZI, 64-75: in Swaziland, 64-70; in

Sekhukhuneland, 70-5

TABOOS, general, 312-13: Basuto (Basuto-

land undiff.), 117-18; Fokeng, 124;

Hlakwana, 110; Hlubi, 44; Kwanyama,

288; Lenge, 222-3; Mabaso, 52; Mpondo,

39; Nkuna, 94; Ronga, 84-5; Swazi, 68-9;

Venda (undiff.), 209; see also CUSTOMS,

BELIEFS and superstitions

TAUNG, 158-9

TECHNIQUES, see BUILDING methods,

tribal methods and DECORATION, tribal

techniques, designs and finishes

TERMINOLOGY, see POTTERY, Bantu,

forms, names and uses

TESTING, pottery, 15-16; see also SEALING

and testing pottery

TEVE, 249-51

THEMBU, 33-4

THLAPING, 131-3

TIME of day (pottery making), 7; see also

BUILDING methods, tribal methods

TLAUNG, 111-12

TLOKWA: N. Sotho, 184-6; E. Tswana,

160-3

TOOLS: For decorating, 9g: Basuto (Basuto-

land undiff.), 114—(E. Griqualand undiff.),

114-15—(N.W. Cape undiff.), 128; Budjga,

253; Chopi, 224; Fokeng (Basutoland),

103— (Herschel), 122; Herero (Damara-

land), 283; Hlakwana, 109; Hlubi, 42;

Huruthse, 133; Kalanga (Botswana), 147;

Karanga, 260; Kgatla, 152; Khokha, 226;

Koni, 180; Kwena (Basuto), 106—(W.

Tswana), 139, 140; Kgalagadi, 144; Lemba

(Rhodesia), 217—(Transvaal), 212, 215;

Lenge, 220; Lobedu, 172; Mabaso, 50;

Manyika, 242, 245; Mari, 265; Ndau, 272;

Nguni (Natal undiff.), 60; Ngwaketse,

440

TOOLS (cont.)

136; Nkuna, 92; Nyembe (Kangara), 304;

Ronga, 80, 83; Sotho (N.E. undiff.), 177;

Swazi, 65—(Sekhukhuneland), 71; Tlokwa

(E. Tswana), 161—(N. Sotho), 185;

Tshangana (Mozambique), 88; Tswa, 97;

Ungwe, 269; Venda (South), 199—

(undiff.), 202— (West), 193; Xananwa, 186;

Xolo, 48; Zezuru, 231; Zulu, 53, 55. For

making, 8-9, 308; Basuto (Basutoland

undiff.), 3114—(E. Griqualand undiff.),

119—(N.W. Cape undiff.), 128; Budjga,

253; Chopi, 223; Fokeng (Basutoland),

103— (Herschel), 122; Herero (Damara-

land), 283; Hlakwana, 109; Hlubi, 42;

Huruthse, 133; Kalanga (Botswana), 147;

Karanga, 260; Kgatla, 152, 155; Khokha,

226; Koni, 180; Kualuthi, 290; Kuangari,

295; Kwanyama, 285, 286; Kwena

(Basuto), 106—(W. Tswana), 138, 140;

Kgalagadi, 144; Lemba (Rhodesia), 216-17

—(Transvaal), 212, 215; Lenge, 220;

Lobedu, 172; Mabaso, 50; Mangwato,

142; Manyika, 242, 245; Mari, 265;

Mpondo, 36, 37; Ndau, 272; Nguni (Natal

undiff.), 59; Ngwaketse, 136; Nhlanganu,

172; Nkuna, 92; Nyembe (Kangara), 304;

Ronga, 80; Rozwi, 276; Sasura, 149;

Sotho (N.E. undiff.), 177; Swazi, 65—

(Sekhukhuneland), 71; Teve, 250; Tlaung,

111; Tlokwa (E. Tswana), 161—(N. Sotho),

185; Tshangana (Mozambique), 88; Tswa,

96-7; Ungwe, 268; Venda (South), 199—

(undiff.), 202—(West), 193; Xananwa,

196; Xhosa, 31; Xolo, 48; Zezuru, 231;

Zulu, 53, 55

TONGA (subdivision), see KARANGA/

TONGA; (tribal group), 256-9

TRADE, see DISTRIBUTION

TRANSVAAL Ndebele, see NDEBELE

(Northern Transvaal), NDEBELE (South-

ern Transvaal)

ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

TRIBES, Bantu, classification, 3-4

TSHANGANA, 87-91: Eastern Transvaal,

91; Mozambique, 88-91; Northern Trans-

vaal, g1

TSHONGONONO, 229

TSONGA, 80-102; see also names of individual

tribes

TSONGA, North, see names of individual

tribes

TSONGA, South, see RONGA

TSWA, 96-100

TSWANA, Eastern, 151-64; see also names

of individual tribes

TSWANA, Western, 131-513; see also names

of individual tribes

UNGWE, 268-70

USES of pottery, 311, see POTTERY, Bantu,

forms, names and uses

VENDA, 193-211: East, 197-8; South,

199-200; Undifferentiated, 200-10; West,

WESTERNIZED pottery forms: Basuto

(Basutoland undiff.), 113; Budjga, 254;

Fokeng (Herschel), 124; Huruthse, 134;

Kwena (W. Tswana), 140; Malete, 160

WHEEL, 308

WORKING conditions and places (potters),

6-7; see also BUILDING techniques

XANANWA (Hananwa), 186-9

XESIBE, 47-8

XHOSA, 30-3

XOLO, 48-9

ZEZURU, 230-7

ZOOMORPHIC forms, 29, 311: Basuto

(Basutoland undiff.), 117; Shawasha, 239;

Zezuru, 233, 235-6

ZULU, 53-4, 54-6

INSTRUCTIONS TO AUTHORS

MANUSCRIPTS

In duplicate (one set of illustrations), type-written, double spaced with good margins,

including TABLE OF CONTENTs and SumMARyY. Position of text-figures and tables must be

ndicated.

ILLUSTRATIONS

So proportioned that when reduced they will occupy not more than 43 in. = 7 in. (73 in.

including the caption). A scale (metric) must appear with all photographs.

REFERENCES

Authors’ names and dates of publication given in text; full references at end of paper in

alphabetical order of authors’ names (Harvard system). References at end of paper must be

given in this order:

Name of author, in capitals, followed by initials; names of joint authors connected by &,

not ‘and’. Year of publication; several papers by the same author in one year designated by

suffixes a, b, etc. Full title of paper; initial capital letters only for first word and for proper

names (except in German). Title of journal, abbreviated according to World list of scientific

periodicals and underlined (italics). Series number, if any, in parenthesis, e.g. (3), (n.s.), (B.).

Volume number in arabic numerals (without prefix ‘vol.’), with wavy underlining (bold type).

Part number, only if separate parts of one volume are independently numbered. Page numbers,

first and last, preceded by a colon (without prefix ‘p’). Thus:

SmitH, A. B. 1956. New Plonia species from South Africa. Ann. Mag. nat. Hist. (12) 9: 937-945.

When reference is made to a separate book, give in this order: Author’s name; his initials;

date of publication; title, underlined; edition, if any; volume number, if any, in arabic numerals,

with wavy underlining; place of publication; name of publisher. Thus:

Brown, X. Y. 1953. Marine faunas. 2nd ed. 2. London: Green.

When reference is made to a paper forming a distinct part of another book, give: Name of

author of paper, his initials; date of publication; title of paper; ‘In’, underlined; name of

author of book; his initials; title of book, underlined; edition, if any; volume number, if any,

in arabic numerals, with wavy underlining; pagination of paper; place of publication; name

of publisher. Thus:

SmiTH, C. D. 1954. South African Plonias. Jn Brown, X. Y. Marine faunas. and ed. 3: 63-95.

London: Green.

SYNONYMY

Arranged according to chronology of names. Published scientific names by which a species

has been previously designated (subsequent to 1758) are listed in chronological order, with

abbreviated bibliographic references to descriptions or citations following in chronological

order after each name. Full references must be given at the end of the paper. Articles and

recommendations of the International code of zoological nomenclature adopted by the XV International

congress of zoology, London, Fuly 1958, are to be observed (particularly articles 22 and 51).

Examples: Plonia capensis Smith, 1954: 86, pl. 27, fig. 3. Green, 1955: 23, fig. 2.

When transferred to another genus:

Euplonia capensis (Smith) Brown, 1955: 259.

When misidentified as another species:

Plonia natalensis (non West), Jones, 1956: 18.

When another species has been called by the same name:

[non] Plonia capensis: Jones, 1957: 27 ( = natalensis West).

WH | JALMAR RUDNER |

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND

~ SOUTH WEST AFRICA

i A

March 1968 Maart

—

Volume 49 Band

Part 2 Deel

nm ORR a,

ATHSONTE

K JUN 1G 4 TBR

~ ys. jp

ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

ANNALE VAN DIE SUID-AFRIKAANSE MUSEUM

Cape Town Kaapstad

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STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND

SOUTH WEST AFRICA

JALMAR RUDNER

South African Museum, Cape Town

(With 34 figures)

CONTENTS

PAGE

1. Introduction. . 44!

2. Materials and Methods used by the Potter 442

3. Definition of Types and Features . . . 444

4. Analysis of Type Schedules. . . . . 451

5. Analysis of Feature Schedule . . . . 455

6. Analysis of Decoration . . 4p te. YOO

7. Inventory of Sites and Pottery . oe he AOA

8. Historical Evidence . . ee fe 504

Q:iReview of Earlier Reports ~° :). ‘=. «5690

10. Characteristics of Sites and Areas . . . 577

11. Discussion. bea hc ovo token OY

12. Summary and @paclteions A Ee hae aie OLE

193 Acknowledgements: (4) 2:09.) 02) 4 618

Arp CLErences hi Mss) oy lise air cont tage ee VOTS

a DlesHeu tk tM Reet tp 7 era 3. OI

PAGULCSMe Lee eke ret nl at. Ue OSG

I. INTRODUCTION

Between 1950 and 1963 the author and his wife collected Strandloper

material along the coasts of the Cape and South West Africa. The pottery from

this fieldwork is described in this report, while the remaining cultural material

will be described in later reports. In addition Strandloper pottery from the

collections of the South African Museum in Cape Town (SAM), Port Elizabeth

Museum (PEM), Albany Museum in Grahamstown (AM), East London

Museum (ELM), State Museum in Windhoek (SMW), Liideritz Museum

(LM), MacGregor Museum in Kimberley (MMK), National Museum in

Bloemfontein (NMB), University of Stellenbosch (US), University of Cape

Town (UCT), the Archaeological Research Unit, Witwatersrand University

in Johannesburg, earlier the Archaeological Survey (AS) and from the private

collections of Mr. J. Dekenah in Riversdale, Mr. W. Gess in Port Elizabeth,

Mr. F. Malan in Wellington, Mr. B. Hendey in Cape Town, Mr. P. Grattan-

Bellew in Ireland, and others, has also been included in this survey.

The survey covers the coast from Swakopmund in South West Africa

past Gape Agulhas on the southern extremity of Africa to M’bolompo Point

on the coast of the Transkei, a distance by sea of approximately 2500 km.

(1,550 miles). These coasts vary from the barren sand-dune coast of the Namib

Desert in South West Africa with an average annual rainfall at Swakopmund

of 15 mm. (0°6 inches) to the Machia-covered coast of the south-western Cape

and the often rocky coasts of the southern and eastern Cape with tropical

441

Ann. S. Afr. Mus. 49 (2), 1968: 441-663, 34 figs.

442 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

coastal forest in many places and with a rainfall of more than 500 mm. (20

inches).

Practically all the sites between Swakopmund in South West Africa and

Jeffreys Bay on the Cape south coast have been visited by the author, but only

some of the sites east of Jeffreys Bay. The information about the sites not

visited was obtained from the records of the Port Elizabeth Museum, Albany

Museum and East London Museum and from the notes of Mr. W. Gess, Port

Elizabeth.

The pottery was found on open sites on or close to shell middens along

the coast or up to 19 km. (12 miles) inland, and also in coastal caves with

shell midden deposits. These shell middens are the refuse heaps of beach-

combing people or peoples, in South Africa referred to as Strandlopers. It

has been assumed that some of these Strandlopers were the makers of most of

the pottery described in this report, while some of it may have belonged to

pastoral Hottentots who sometimes camped along the coast.

2. MATERIALS AND METHODS USED BY THE POTTER

We have no certain first-hand reports on the materials and methods used

by the Strandlopers and pastoral Hottentots at the time of their first contact

with the Europeans, only a few second-hand accounts by early travellers

referring to Hottentots in general (see Historical Evidence). The following are

the general methods of fabrication for pottery that is not turned on wheel or

fired in a kiln, quoted mainly from Hawkes (1963) and Schofield (1948). Some

of these methods are still used by Bantu tribes in South and South West Africa.

The Hottentots no longer fabricate pottery.

The raw material, clay, for the making of pots is found throughout the

area covered by this survey. Clay is the product of the decomposition of feld-

spar, which is the mineral most commonly present in granite and gneiss. Apart

from feldspar, these rocks also contain quartz and mica. Carbonic acid and

water acting on such rock surfaces, when air is excluded through natural

blankets, results in the formation of clay, which chemically consists of hydrated

aluminium silicates with small admixtures of impurities such as iron com-

pounds. This raw kaolin also contains undecomposed feldspar and quartz

grains of various sizes and some mica. If this primary clay is carried away from

its original bed by water and redeposited, mixed with various impurities,

among them organic matter, in river beds, vleis and pans, it is called secondary

clay. It was the secondary clays that were generally collected by the potter.

Natural clay is very plastic when worked with water, but it may become

too sticky to shape. To counteract this and also to obtain a greater porosity

which prevents cracking and warping when the pot is being dried and fired,

the clay may be tempered with sand of different coarseness (unless it already

contains it naturally in the right proportion), with pounded quartz, pounded

old potsherds, or even chopped grass or straw. Grass also helps to make badly

worked clay more plastic. The work of mixing and working the clay is heavy

and requires a certain skill.

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 443

Once the clay has been prepared, there are different ways in which the

potter may build up the vessel. All the pottery referred to in this report is

hand-raised, either from a lump, with slabs added to each other, in rings or in

a coil, or by using a combination of these methods. When raising a pot from a

lump a ball of clay is hollowed out with the thumbs and the walls are worked

up with the fingers. Generally only small vessels are produced by this method.

For a larger vessel flattened slabs of clay can be added to a base raised from a

lump and worked together. A more effective method is to roll the clay into

pencil-thin rolls which are then added to each other into a long spiral coil or

into simple rings placed on top of each other to form the wall on a base which is

generally raised from a lump. When the pot has been put together by any of

these methods, the wall has to be worked together, thinned, scraped and

smoothed till the shape is complete. This can be done simply by pinching and

patting with the hand while turning the pot around, but more effectively by

scraping with a tool usually made from wood, bone, horn or shell. The final

smoothing can be done with a wetted hand or a smooth pebble. Patterns,

especially stamped ones, may be added at this stage and are then generally

very bold.

Large pots and vessels with pointed bases are generally constructed in two

sections or even in three or four parts. The upper part is first constructed from

the waist upwards to the neck. After this half-pot has dried somewhat it is

turned upside down and the lower part is built on to it, the pointed base being

added last as a separate part. The waist joint is a line of weakness and can often

be discovered among the sherds. Often the neck is also added separately and

marked by a neck-body junction step.

The finally shaped pot has to dry in a sheltered and shady place. When the

water content is reduced to about 8-15% it is ‘leather hard’ and is ready for

the final burnishing, generally with a smooth pebble, for colouring (staining)

with ochres and for decorating with impressed, grooved or incised patterns.

The colouring may have been made before the burnishing, either painted on in

a water solution or rubbed on as a powder, which is then rubbed in by the

smooth pebble in the burnishing. The pot is finally further air-dried until the

water content is down to about 3°% and it is then ready for firing.

The firing needs a temperature of between 450° and 700°C., depending

upon the sort of clay, in order to expel the chemically combined water in the

clay. The dried pots are often placed in a hollow in the ground and surrounded

with brushwood, dry grass or leaves, dry dung, etc. The fire has to be kept

going for some time, depending upon the thickness of the pot and other factors.

The cooling off also has to be gradual to prevent cracking.

Conditions of clay and firing affect the colour of the finished pot. The

factors involved are complex, but the general rule is that if the firing is accom-

plished with a high temperature and with a good oxygen supply the clay will

fire red if it has a high iron content, cream if there is not so much iron, while if

the oxygen supply is poor the colour will be dark grey if there is much iron and

light grey if there is little. A dark core indicates that the pot has been fired

444 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

insufficiently with respect to both temperature and firing time. If the pots are

placed base down in the fire the upper part of the pot is better oxidized and

brighter in colour than the base.

After the firing and cooling the pots may be used as they are, but they

may also be further coloured by rubbing fat mixed with ochre into them or

they may be treated in other ways to make them more waterproof.

3. DEFINITION OF ‘TYPES AND FEATURES (Table 1)

Pottery can be classified according to its use or its shape. As we know little

about the use of the different Strandloper vessels, the obvious classification is

according to its shape, i.e. the pottery must be subdivided into types. A type

can be described as a consistent association or pattern of features. A scientific

way to differentiate the types is by checking the frequency correlations of

features with the help of a computer. A simpler way to find the types is to use

the visual method and sort the drawings of complete pots into types. To check

what groups of features were common for the different types sorted in this way,

feature schedules for the different groups were set up and analysed (see section

4). Using this method the author arrived at four main types, which can again

be subdivided into a number of subtypes. There are, however, intermediate

gradations between these types and subtypes, sometimes making it difficult to

place a vessel in one certain type. It has therefore been necessary to stipulate

certain features and proportions, as ratios between measurements, for the

suggested types. The choice of types and especially of proportions is obviously

a subjective matter open to discussion.

In describing the Strandloper pottery four main types have been dis-

tinguished: Bowls, Bagshaped Pots, Necked Pots and Spouted Pots. The further

subdivisions of these types are described in section 4.

In all, 96 features were studied covering General Shape, Rim, Neck,

Decoration, Lugs and Bosses, Base, Colour of Material, Surface, Thickness,

Bored Holes, Proportions and Measurements. In the case of complete vessels

most of these features could be studied, but even the smallest sherd provided a

few features.

A. General Shape

1. Bowls. According to the definition arrived at in the type analysis (see

section 4) a bowl is a vessel where the maximum height of the pot (H) is

smaller than the maximum diameter of the body (D) in the proportion H/D=

0:89 or less. In addition the rim diameter (R) should be the same or only

slightly smaller than the maximum diameter of the body in the proportion

D/R=1°39 or less. The choice of these proportions as limits is an empiric one

based on the sorting of vessel types.

1A. Bagshaped Pots. There is a group of Strandloper vessels which typo-

logically falls between the bowls and the necked pots. They can be described

as large beakers or high bowls with walls approaching the vertical. As beakers

refer to small drinking-vessels it was decided to call this type Bagshaped Pots.

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 445

The proportions defining this type are H/D=o0-90 or more and D/R=1-39 or

less, i.e. the former proportion is the same as for necked pots while the latter

one is the same as for bowls.

3. Necked Pots. This type comprises pots with shoulders and necks but no

spouts (see next type) and the proportions H/D=o-90 or more and D/R=1-40

or more. This is the most common type of Strandloper pottery.

4. Spouted Pots. In all the cases found, spouts were associated with necked

pots, but a spout could be applied to any type of vessel. It is possible that the

doubtful odd lip spouts which were found belong to bowls or bagshaped pots.

The common spout is tubular.

5. Elliptical Pots. In a few cases, mostly in association with spouts, the

horizontal section and/or the opening of the pot may be elliptical with the long

axis running through the spout.

B. Rim

6. Plain Rounded. The rim is not overturned or thickened, but merely

rounded off.

7. Plain Tapered. The rim is merely tapered off either to a thin rounded

or sharp edge. This group also includes rims which have been bevelled out-

wards or inwards. This is the most common finish to a rim.

8. Plain Squared. The rim is merely squared off, occasionally as a natural

result of the pot being built upside down with the rim resting on a flat surface.

g. Plain Everted. A plain rounded or tapered rim, generally the former,

may be turned outwards about 45° and is then referred to as everted.

10. Plain Half Overturned. As g but turned over to go°.

11. Overturned Rounded, Thick. The rim thickness is 12 mm. or more. A

plain, generally tapered, rim may be turned over outwards completely to form

a rolled rim or else incorporated with the wall to form a smooth transition

between rim and neck.

12. Overturned Rounded, Thin. The rim thickness is less than 12 mm.,

otherwise as II.

12A. Overturned Squared. As 12 but the top of the rim is squared (see 8).

13. Overturned Tapered. As 12 but the rim is tapered slightly or sharply.

It can also be bevelled (see 7).

C. Neck

The neck is either sharply defined, joining the body at an angle, with a

step or with a groove, or it runs smoothly into the shoulder, in which case the

neck is measured from the common tangent point between the neck and body

curves, referred to as the body-neck junction. The sharply defined neck was

built as a separate part and joined to the body when the parts had dried

somewhat.

14. Straight Vertical. This is a vertical or practically vertical neck, i.e. a

neck where the rim diameter and body-neck junction diameter are approxi-

446 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

mately the same, with straight or almost straight sides. The joint with the

shoulder may be rounded.

15. Concave Vertical. A vertical neck with concave sides.

17. Straight Contracted. A contracted neck, i.e. a neck with the rim diameter

smaller than the body-neck junction diamater, with straight or almost straight

sides. The joint with the shoulder may be rounded.

18. Concave Contracted. A contracted neck with concave sides. This type

and the concave vertical (15) run into each other.

19. Convex Contracted. A contracted neck with convex sides.

20. Straight Flared. A flared neck, i.e. a neck with the rim diameter larger

than the body-neck junction diameter, with straight or almost straight sides.

The joint with the shoulder may be rounded.

21. Concave Flared. A flared neck with concave sides.

22. Convex Flared. A flared neck with convex sides.

D. Decoration

Certain constructional details were emphasized and used as decoration,

but there is also often special decoration of the neck and occasionally of other

parts of the vessel, such as the rims, shoulder, lugs, bosses or spouts.

23. Rim Trimming Step or Groove. The overturned rim was often trimmed

with a cutting tool, leaving a step below the lip, or the end of the rim was

merely marked by a grooved or incised line.

24. Rim Trimming Ridge. The overturned and incorporated rim was

occasionally finished off with a ridge on the outside.

25. Body-Neck Function Step or Groove. When the neck and body were built

separately the base of the neck was inserted into the body opening. The joint

was then finished off on the outside with a step or groove, on the inside some-

times with a reinforcement. In one case at Port Nolloth the neck was applied

to the outside of the body and the step was reversed to the common.

25A. Carination. In Strandloper pottery the body-neck junction is very

rarely marked by carination, i.e. the neck joining the body with a salient ridge.

26. Notched Rim. It sometimes occurs that the rim of a bagshaped pot is

decorated with notches or it is scalloped.

27. Grooved Lines. Necks are often, and rims, shoulders and lugs occasion-

ally, decorated with horizontal, diagonal or vertical lines which are grooved

(or channelled), i.e. made with a flat or rounded stylus giving a rounded or

rectangular section to the groove. It is possible that the grooved lines were

originally made by wrapping a thong or fibre string around the neck (for

carrying).

28. Incised Lines. Occasionally the lines of the decoration are incised, i.e.

engraved with a pointed stylus giving a triangular section to the line. In

Strandloper pottery the grooved and incised lines were made in the leather-

hard pot, wherefore the patterns do not stand out as boldly as on some pottery

from the eastern coast, where the patterns were made in the plastic clay. This

latter pottery is of Bantu origin.

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 447

29. String Patterns on Rims. The outwards bevelled part of a plain or over-

turned rim is sometimes decorated with a string-like, hatched or cross-hatched

pattern made with grooved or incised lines or by stamped impressions. No

string pattern made by actual impression of a string was observed in the survey.

30. Circular or Oval Impressions. Necks and shoulders are sometimes deco-

rated with rows of impressions, ranging in shape from mere dots or pin-pricks

to small circles or ovals and made by impressing a pointed stylus or reed.

31. Drop-shaped Impressions. As 30 but the impressions are drop-shaped,

sometimes made by impressing a pointed stylus obliquely.

32. Triangular Impressions. As 30 but the impressions are triangular,

cuneiform, in shape and made with a triangular stylus or a knife point.

33. Crescent-shaped Impressions. As 30 but the impressions are crescent-

shaped, lenticular or S-shaped. These impressions were often made with the

finger-nails.

34. Comb Impressions. As 30 but the impressions are square and made with

a comb-like tool or a square stylus. In pottery of Bushman type the whole body

may be covered by comb impressions.

35. Oval Shoulder Impressions. Rarely, pots may have fairly large oval or

elliptical impressions on the shoulder, possibly made with the finger tips.

35A. Other Shoulder Decoration. Occasionally pots have other impressed or

grooved designs on the shoulders or lugs.

36. No Decoration. This embraces pots with no decoration of the types

described under 26 to 354.

E. Lugs and Bosses

37. Horizontally Pierced, Internally Reinforced Lugs. These are the typical

-Strandloper and Hottentot lugs. A lug of this type was made by pressing a pad

of clay from the inside of the plastic pot outwards and carefully incorporating

it with the one hand while the other hand formed a boss on the outside, which

was then horizontally pierced with a stick or by using two fingers which met

half-way, leaving a nail mark in the channel. The bridge was then shaped

flat, rounded, vertically ridged, conical or even tip-tilted. The maximum

thickness of the lug is the total distance between the inside of the reinforcement

and the tip of the bridge. The channel may be straight (made with a stick) or

bent (made with the fingers) and is in the best samples burnished. The apertures

are circular or oval and their diameter is measured vertically.

374. Horizontally Pierced, Internally Reinforced Disc Lugs. This is a rare

variation of 37, where the bridge is disc-shaped or ring-shaped.

38. Horizontally Pierced, External Lugs. This is a generally conical lug

applied externally without any internal reinforcement. Its external appearance

is the same as 37 and it can be regarded as an inferior variation of 37.

39. Horizontally Pierced, External Disc Lugs. Externally applied lugs which

are disc-shaped, either semi-disc or semi-shield, or ear-shaped.

40. Unpierced External Disc Lugs. As 39 but not pierced.

448 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

41. Vertically Pierced External Lugs. Externally applied conical or ear lugs

with a vertical hole.

41A. Vertically Pierced, Internally Reinforced Lugs. As 37 but the hole is

vertical. This is a rare variation of 37. ,

42. Pressed-out Conical or Rounded Bosses. Small bosses pressed out from the

inside of the pot and situated on the shoulder between or instead of ordinary

lugs of type 37. The height (h) refers to their approximate maximum height

above the pot surface.

43. Pressed-out Ridged Bosses. As 42 but ridged, generally vertically.

44. Applied Conical or Rounded Bosses. Small bosses applied externally and

situated as 42.

45. Applied Ridged Bosses. As 44 but ridged, generally vertically.

46. No Lugs or Bosses. Sometimes vessels have no lugs or bosses. This is

generally the case with bowls. It may be more common than shown on the

schedule, as it can only be ascertained if the pot, or at least the shoulder, is

complete.

F. Base

47. Conical Base. A pointed base with straight or practically straight sides.

It is generally reinforced (see 53). |

48. Conoid Base. A pointed base with slightly rounded sides like the pointed

end of an egg. It is generally reinforced.

49. Ovoid Base. A rounded, pointed base, like the rounded end of an egg.

It is often thickened or reinforced (see 52 and 53).

50. Globular Base. A round base which is generally not thickened. Flat

bases are not found among Strandloper pottery.

51. Nippled Base. Any of the previous bases may have a pressed-out or

applied nipple (boss), often with a flattened end.

52. Thin Base. The maximum thickness of the base is Io mm.

53. Thick Base. The maximum thickness of the reinforced base is more

than 10 mm.

G. Technique

The study of the interior and exterior surfaces of vessels and of freshly

fractured cross-sections of sherds gives information about the techniques and

materials used by the potters. This study is often difficult with complete pots.

54. Ring Method. If the pot was built up in rings or in a coil it will generally

break along these joints and the sherds will show some of the joint. This is

especially the case if the rings were not well worked together. Only the cases

where the joints are clearly visible have been recorded. Absence of visible

joints may only show that the potter was skilful. The percentage shown is

therefore much lower than the actual one for this technique. An ammonite

spiral on the inside of the base shows that it was built up with rings or a coil,

not from the lump.

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 449

H. Colour of Material

55. Creamy to Salmon and Light Grey Material. This is the colour of well-fired

clay with few impurities (o—-4% iron), i.e. almost pure kaolin.

56. Red to Brown and Grey Material. This embraces all colours between

55 and 57 and includes pottery with a black or grey core. The iron content

exceeds 4%. The black core indicates insufficient firing time and temperature.

57. Black Material. Black or dark grey colour of the material may be caused

by reduced firing, when iron oxides turn into free iron, by insufficient heat,

when vegetable impurities in the clay turn into carbon, or by clay containing

manganese or other blackening impurities.

I, Admixture

58. No or Slight Admixture. Most Strandloper pottery has a mineral admix-

ture acting as an opener and preventing the pot from cracking while drying

or being fired. There are, however, also pots with no or only a very slight

admixture, the latter certainly a natural admixture in the clay. Whether

_ mineral inclusions occur naturally in the clay or were intentionally added

can only be ascertained by a study of the local clays. Sandy clays are common

on river banks.

_ 59. Fine Admixture. This consists of mineral grains, generally quartz, with

a maximum size of 1 mm. This could be a natural admixture.

60. Medium Admixture. As 59 but the grain size is I-2 mm.

61. Coarse Admixture. Material with mineral grains larger than 2 mm.,

generally quartz. It is unlikely that this was a natural admixture.

62. Sand Admixture. If the mineral admixture has rounded grains it is

natural sand. Coarse sand can be obtained from rivers. The sand is generally

quartz, but other sands are also occasionally used, e.g. a coarse black sand

consisting of iron and manganese oxide concretions, found in the eastern areas.

The sand can be added or is naturally present in the clay.

63. Possibly Pounded Admixture. Sometimes an admixture, generally quartz

and usually coarse, has angular grains and was either pounded or else collected

from recently disintegrated rock where the grains had not yet become

worn. :

63a. Grass Admixture. In a few cases pots had an admixture of vegetable

fibres, generally grass, which was mixed into the clay to help bind a badly

prepared clay. The impressions of the fibres can be seen in the fired material.

This was a technique mostly used by the Bushmen. The Bantu in contrast often

used pounded old pottery as a temper. This latter admixture has only been

found in a couple of sherds in the eastern areas.

J. Surface Treatment

64. Burnished Surface. The surface of the pot, both outside and inside (at

least of the neck), is generally burnished, i.e. in the leather-hard stage it was

watered and smoothed with a pebble or other smooth object. At the same time

the pot was stained, i.e. painted over with a mixture of water and a stain such

450 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

as red ochre (red haematite). The burnishing and staining helped to make the

pot waterproof. The burnishing sometimes gives the impression of a slip, but

this is caused by the wet smoothing concentrating the finest clay particles to

the surface. In only one case in the survey does there appear to be a true slip.

Other waterproofing methods may have been used after the firing, such as

rubbing the pot with fat and red ochre, the boiling of blood or milk in the new

pot, the use of euphorbia juice, etc. This is difficult to judge from the sherds,

but it is possible that the presence of much carbon in some of the material

comes from burnishing the pot with fat or else from the use of the pot for

rendering of fat, part of which was absorbed by the walls and carbonized.

65. Crudely Smoothed Surface. Some of the pottery, mostly bowls and bag-

shaped pots of Type Br from the western and eastern areas, was not burnished

but merely crudely smoothed, probably with the wet hand, before the firing.

These vessels could hardly have been used for water storage.

K. Material Thickness

66. Very Thin Material. Less than 6 mm. The thickness refers to the wall of

the belly, not to the base or neck which may have a different thickness. The

wall thickness is measured, preferably on unweathered sherds, in a couple of

places and the average is used. The variation is generally not more than | mm.

67. Thin Material. 6-8 mm. thickness.

68. Thick Material. More than 8 mm. thickness.

L. Bored Holes

69. Bored Holes, Conical. Conical bored holes, made after the firing, are

often found on both sides of cracks and were made to assist in mending the pot.

A fibre or sinew was laced through the opposing holes and after tightening

were covered with wax or resin to prevent the pot from cracking further while

it was still waterproof even if not fireproof. A pot from Swakopmund was

mended with copper clamps through the opposing holes.

70. Bored Holes, Parallel. Occasionally the sides of the holes are parallel,

possibly indicating the use of a metal tool for boring.

M. Proportions and Measuremenis

These figures are only given on the Type Schedules. The proportion

between the tctal height of the vessel and its maximum body diameter H/D

describes the pot as narrow, medium or broad. The last proportion has been

reserved for bowls. This ratio varies between 1-50 and 0-75.

71. Narrow Pot. H/D = 1-30 or more.

72. Medium Pot. H/D = 0:90-1:29.

73. Broad Pot. H/D = 0-89 or less. Reserved for bowls.

_ The proportion between the maximum body diameter and the rim dia-

meter D/R describes the pot as small-mouthed, medium-mouthed or wide-

mouthed. The last proportion has been reserved for bowls and bagshaped pots.

This ratio varies between 4:4 and 1-0.

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 451

74. Small-mouthed Pot. D/R = 2-00 or more.

75. Medium-mouthed Pot D/R = 1+40-1-99.

76. Wide-mouthed Pot. D/R = 1-39 or less. Reserved for bowls and bag-

shaped pots.

The rim diameter (R) is measured across the outside of the rim or with the

help of templets and is described as large, medium or small. It varies between

40:0 cm. and 4:0 cm.

77. Large Rim Diameter. R = 20°0'cm. or more.

78. Medium Rim Diameter. R = 12:0-19°9 cm.

79. Small Rim Diameter. R = 11-9 cm. or less.

The maximum body diameter (D) of the pot is measured across the widest

part of the body (the waist) and is described as large, medium or small. It

varies between 42:0 cm. and 7:0 cm.

80. Large Body Diameter. D = 32:0 cm. or more.

81. Medium Body Diameter. D = 22:0-31-9 cm.

82. Small Body Diameter. D = 21-9 cm. or less.

The maximum height (H) of the pot is measured from the point of the

base to the plane of the opening and is described as high, medium or low. It

varies between 46:0 cm. and 9:0 cm.

83. High Pot. H = 32-0 cm. or more.

84. Medium Height Pot. H = 22:0-31°9 cm.

S53 Low Pot. Fl — 21-9 cm. or less.

The height of the neck (N) is measured from the upper edge of the rim to

the body-neck junction, otherwise to the tangent point between body and neck

curves. In the latter case the measurement is approximate. The neck is described

as tall, medium or short. It varies between 10:0 cm. and 1:0 cm. Bowls have

-no necks and bagshaped pots are only occasionally necked. In the extreme

cases the neck is only an overturned rim.

86. Tall Neck. N = 5:5 cm. or more.

87. Medium Neck. N = 2°5-5°4 cm.

88. Short Neck. N = 2:4 cm. or less.

The proportion between the neck height and the rim diameter (N/R)

describes the general proportion of the neck as slender, medium or squat. It

varies between 1°25 and 0:05.

89. Slender-necked Pot. N/R = 0°51 or more.

90. Medium-necked Pot. N/R = 0°25-0°50.

gi. Squat-necked Pot. N/R = 0:24 or less.

Other proportions were studied but did not appear to be significant.

4. ANALYSIS OF TyPE SCHEDULES (Tables 2—4)

In sorting drawings of 144 more or less complete vessels four main groups

were visually distinguished: bowls, bagshaped pots, necked pots and spouted

pots. Apart from the spouted pots the other types merge gradually into each

other and it was therefore necessary to establish certain ratios as limits between

the different types. Comparing the ratios (see section 3: M) for these types it

452 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

was found that obviously necked pots have an approximate minimum propor-

tion H/D = 0-90, while bowls and bag-shaped pots have a smaller ratio.

Likewise it was found that the visual change in type from the necked pot to the

more wide-mouthed bagshaped pot occurs around the proportion D/R = 1-40,

and this ratio was then also applied as upper limit for bowls. As the number of

complete vessels is small the actual proportions were used to show the occur-

rence of different features not percentages. Only on the General Type Chart

(Table 4) are rough percentages given for the different features.

A. Bowls (Tables 2 and 4)

According to the definition above, bowls are vessels with the proportions

H/D = 0°89 or less and D/R = 1-39 or less.

To study whether there are any other typical features or combinations of

features thirteen more or less complete bowls, according to the definition above,

have been collected in a feature schedule. Analysing this schedule it is found

that Strandloper bowls are approximately hemispherical or more rarely

subspherical vessels without any necks. The rims are plain and only in excep-

tional cases have the bowls any decoration (2/13 or 2 out of 13 pots). One of

these cases is a bowl from Port Elizabeth with grass admixture and decorated

with a stamped pattern over the whole well-burnished surface, certainly a

bowl of Bushman origin (fig. X XVII: 5). Bowls as a rule have no lugs or

bosses, the only exception being a bowl with vertically pierced lugs from Bashee

River in the Transkei (fig. XXX: 2). The bases are always globular and in

two cases in the very west are also provided with nipples (figs. III: 2 and

We Bic 3

The material in bowls is generally black (9/12) and in more than half of

the vessels (7/12) the surface is only crudely smoothed. Half the bowls (6/12)

have no noticeable admixture, while the rest have a medium or coarse stone

admixture. In only one case, already mentioned, there is an admixture of

grass. There is a higher frequency of thick walls and thick bases (5/12 resp. 5/8)

among bowls than among other vessels in spite of their relatively small

s1ze.

The maximum body diameter (D) is generally (11/13) small, i.e. less

than 22:0 cm., and the height (H) is always small, i.e. less than 22-0 cm. The

rim diameter (R), which among Strandloper bowls is generally also the maxi-

mum body diameter (D), is mostly (8/13) of medium size, 1.e. 12-0-19°9 cm.

To summarize, bowls can be described as fairly small hemispherical

vessels with thick crudely smoothed walls and plain rims but no decoration or

lugs. They were generally raised from a lump and were obviously vessels of

little importance which did not receive the same attention in the manufacture

as, for example, the necked pots. Bowls are fairly rare (2:2% of all vessels) and

occur mainly from the Gamtoos River eastwards and also in a small con-

centration at Port Nolloth—-Kleinsee and as odd specimens at Saldanha and

Bokbaai. It is possible that they represent an influence from the inland Bush-

men (see Inland Report). or Ph

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 453

B. Bagshaped Pots (Tables 2 and 4)

According to the definition above, bagshaped pots occupy an intermediate

situation between bowls and necked pots with H/D = 0-90 or more (as for

necked pots), and D/R = 1-39 or less (as for bowls). Twenty-one pots are

described in the schedule. |

Studying the schedule and the drawings of the bagshaped pots, two

subtypes can be distinguished, called Types Bi and Be. Type Bi (8 pots),

which is only found east of Knysna, i.e. the farthest south-west that the Bantu

raids ever reached, can be described as high bowls with almost vertical sides

or as large beakers. They have no necks or decoration. Only two of these pots

have any lugs (fig. XXX:1) and then simple ones. The rims are generally

plain (7/8) and the bases are mostly globular (3/5), all the latter east of East

London. The walls are mostly thick (4/7) and crudely smoothed (4/8), while

the material is black (4/6) or red to brown (2/6) and half of the pots have a

medium admixture (4/8). The body diameter varies, while the height and rim

diameters are large (2/3 resp. 5/8) or medium (1/3 resp. 3/8).

Type Ba (11 pots) has its concentration on the south-western coast. It

has overturned rims (9/10) and generally negligible necks (7/11). One pot has

an elliptical rim, while another has an elliptical body section. The pots are

not decorated but they all have lugs, mostly horizontally pierced and internally

reinforced ones (9/10). The bases are pointed, in two cases west of Agulhas also

nippled, the walls are thin (7/10) or very thin (3/10) and are always burnished.

The material is brown to red (6/10) or black (4/10) and the admixture varies.

The body diameter is medium (7/11) or large (4/11), while the rim diameter

and height vary. |

According to the main feature schedule, bagshaped pots of Type B1 occur

mostly from Port Elizabeth eastwards to reach their maximum numbers in

the Port Alfred and East London areas. A similar type also occurs in South

West Africa. Judging from their distribution at least Type Br represents

a Bantu influence on Strandloper pottery. Type Ba follows the distribution

of Type C2 to which it is closely related. It may be ancestral to the late pottery

of Namaqualand and South West Africa (see Inland Report). Types Br and Ba

are apparently not related to each other.

C. Necked Pots (Tables 3—4)

According to the definition above, necked pots have the proportions

H/D = 0-90 or more and D/R = 1-40 and more. Excluded from the group

are pots with spouts, which constitute a separate type. Included is, on the other

hand, a very small pot from the Tsitsikama Cave (fig. XXIV: 1) which has a

H/D ratio of less than 0-90 (bowl) while the D/R ratio is more than 1-40

(necked pot), i.e. the opposite ratios to bagshaped oe In all one hundred and

five pots are described in the schedule.

Among the necked pots, which constitute the bulk of Strandloper pottery,

there is a remarkable variation in detail, and although numerous subtypes can

454 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

be distinguished there are all gradations between them and numerous individual

offshoots. T'wo main subtypes have however been distinguished, based mainly

on the rim types, but can in their turn be subdivided.

Type C1 (40 pots) has a plain rim, a straight vertical (16/39) or concave

contracted (10/39) neck and generally no decoration (28/37). The lugs are

mostly horizontally pierced, internally reinforced (17/30), but bosses are also

common (10/30); in three of these cases the pots have both lugs and bosses.

The base is mostly ovoid (12/25), not thick (10/17) and often nippled (8/25).

The walls are thin (20/36) or very thin (15/36) and are always burnished. The

material is mostly red to brown (23/38) and the admixture is medium (16/37)

or coarse (16/37). The heights of the pot and the neck are mostly medium

(10/20 resp. 23/38) while the body diameter and the rim diameter are medium

(18/40 resp. 19/37) or small (17/40 resp. 18/37). The main proportion H/D is

medium (15/18) and so is the neck proportion (N/R) (27/38), while the opening

proportion (D/R) is medium (22/39) or small (17/39).

Type C1 is found from Alexander Bay in the west to Port Elizabeth in the

east with a local peak occurrence in the Hangklip—Agulhas areas. It is related

to the beautiful ware from along the Orange River in Gordonia (see Inland

Report).

Type C2 (44 pots) is the most common type of Strandloper pottery and

the best pots of the survey are found in this group. It has an overturned rim

(39/42) and generally a straight or concave contracted neck (35/44). Most of

the pots are not decorated (33/44), but generally have a body-neck junction

step or groove (23/33). The decorated pots (11 pots) comprise the peak of

Strandloper pottery. The lugs are always horizontally pierced, internally

reinforced and bosses are rare (3/44). In at least two cases, both in the Port

Alfred area, there are neither lugs nor bosses. The base is practically always

pointed, conoid being the most common shape (12/26), and it is generally

thick (8/14). Globular bases and nipples occur only in one case each. The walls

are mostly thin (24/38) or very thin (12/38) and are always burnished. The

material is brown to red (27/36) and the admixture is either coarse (15/38) or

there is no admixture (13/38), the latter practically only in the eastern areas.

The maximum body diameter and rim diameter are mostly medium (26/41

resp. 34/43), while the total height and neck height are medium (12/24 resp.

21/43) or tall (9/24 resp. 22/43). The ratio H/D is mostly medium (14/21)

and so is the opening ratio (D/R) (33/40) and the neck ratio (N/R) (34/43).

Type C2 can be subdivided into subtypes. One of these links with Type

Cr while another links with the bagshaped Type Bz. Type C2 is found all

along the coast between Danger Bay and East London but reaches two local

peaks, the one between Saldanha and Hangklip, the other between Fish Bay

and Port Alfred. These are the two main centres of Strandloper pottery.

D. Spouted Pots (Tables 2 and 4)

The only definition for this type is that it has spouts, which in all these

cases are tubular spouts. Fourteen pots are described in the schedule. There

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 455

is a higher percentage of elliptical sections in this type than among other pot

types (5/14). All spouted pots have necks, even if one pot from Kleinsee (fig.

V: 4) has such a low neck that it could not be measured. This pot is the only

almost bagshaped vessel among the spouted pots.

There are two distinct types of spouted pots. The first type D1 (11 pots)

is found at Ysterfontein, Fish Bay, Jeffreys Bay and Kaysers Beach. It generally

has a plain rim (6/9) and often an elliptical section (5/11), a higher incidence

than among any other type of pottery. The neck is vertical or contracted and

is often decorated (4/10). The shoulder is often also decorated (6/10), the

only type of pottery where this occurs so often. There are never any lugs but

in two cases there are pressed-out bosses, both on the south-western coast. The

base varies between pointed (6/7) and globular (1/7). Only in one case is a

base nippled. The walls are thin (8/11) or very thin (3/11), generally with a

burnished surface (10/11). The material is brown to red (7/11) or black (4/11),

while the admixture varies. The pots are generally low (3/4) with a medium

(5/11) to small (6/11) body diameter and a medium (3/10) to small (7/10)

rim diameter. The neck is mostly medium (6/9). The H/D ratio is always

medium, D/R small (7/10) or medium (3/10) while N/R is medium (6/9).

The second type D2 is only represented by one pot from Britannia Point

(fig. VI: 1), but parts of others have been found in the whole Saldanha area.

This pot has an overturned and decorated rim, also on the spout, a straight

vertical neck, no lugs but a pressed-out boss opposite the spout. The base is

conoid and thick and the walls are thin and burnished. The material is red to

brown with a medium admixture. The pot is high with a tall neck, a medium

body diameter and a small rim diameter. The ratio H/D is narrow-bodied,

D/R is small-mouthed and N/R is slender-necked. This is one of the most

beautiful pots of the survey. Similar pots have also been found inland (see

Inland Report).

5. ANALYSIS OF FEATURE SCHEDULE (Tables 5—9)

The feature schedules of complete or near complete pots has provided us

with the typical features or feature combinations for different types of Strand-

loper pottery. The number of complete pots is, however, small for such a vast

area and to give a fuller picture of the distribution of pottery features a schedule

has been compiled comprising all features obtained from pots or pottery sherds,

representing in all some 1452 vessels from 167 sites along the whole coast. To

be able to handle the large number of sites in a schedule it has been necessary

to group together small neighbouring sites, many of which have produced only

a few odd sherds, while the richer sites have received their own columns. These

sites and groups of sites have in their turn been grouped into geographical

areas. .

This schedule not only provides us with the distribution and numbers per

locality of different pottery features but, in the case of the richer sites and

whole areas, also shows the various percentages for comparative purposes. ©

456 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

A. Shape (Tables 5—7)

The occurrence and distribution of different pottery types have already

been mentioned in the previous section but some additional information can

be obtained from the Feature Schedule.

Strandloper vessels are generally necked (84:5°%), but there are also some

bagshaped ones (13°3%) and a few bowls (2:2%). Necked pots occasionally

have spouts (6°4°%), and in such cases the plan section of the vessel may be

elliptical instead of circular (1:1%). A necked pot from Danger Bay has a

pronounced elliptical opening (rim) but has no spout. There are also other

cases where the rims are slightly elliptical.

Studying the distribution of these types we find that the necked type is

concentrated (more than 90% of all pots) in an area from Lambert’s Bay on the

west coast to the Gamtoos River in the Port Elizabeth area. It is less dominating

as a type from Port Elizabeth eastwards where bowls and bagshaped pots

instead reach their maximum occurrence. Bagshaped pots are at a maximum

in the Port Alfred area and bowls in the East London area. Spouted pots occur

sporadically along the whole coast, but have their maximum occurrence

(15:9%) on the south-western coast and their minimum occurrence east of

Jeffreys Bay. Elliptical body sections are common only at Fish Bay (15-8%).

B. Rims (Table 5)

Rims are either plain (59°0%) or overturned (40:9%). The plain rims

may be tapered (31°4°), rounded (10°3%) or squared (8-8%). The rim may

in addition be everted (7-1%) or half overturned (1-4%). The overturned rim

is generally incorporated and tapered (19°3°%), rounded (17:8%) or squared

(2:0%). The overturned and rounded rim can occasionally be very thick, i.e.

more than 12 mm. (1°8%).

Plain rims reach their maximum concentration between the west coast and

Agulhas and again in the East London area, while overturned rims have their

maximum occurrence in South West Africa and on the Cape south coast.

Among the plain rims the rounded ones are found mostly on the south-western

coast and the Peninsula, the tapered ones from Port Nolloth to Agulhas and

again in the East London area, where the squared ones also reach their maxi-

mum. Plain everted rims are common on the Cape south coast and in the Port

Elizabeth area, while the half-overturned ones occur in the Agulhas and south

coast areas. The very thick overturned rims are found almost only on the

south-western coast and Cape Peninsula, while the thinner type is found all

along the coast, except in the East London area. The overturned and squared

rim is a special feature for Walvis Bay and is rare elsewhere, while the over-

turned and tapered rim reaches its maximum between Hangklip and Port

Alfred.

C. Necks (Table 5)

Necks vary much in shape, contracted necks (64:5°%) being most common.

Vertical necks (31-2%%) are also common, while flared necks (4°3%) are rare.

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 457

Among the contracted necks, the straight contracted type (35:9%) and the

concave contracted type (25:1°%) are the usual ones, while the convex con-

tracted type (3°5%) is unusual. Among the vertical necks the straight vertical

(22:4%) is the usual one, followed by the concave vertical (8-8%). Among the

flared necks, the straight flared (3:1°%) is the common type, followed by the

rare concave flared (0-594) and convex flared (0-79). There is no pronounced

regional distribution of the different neck shapes, but they do predominate

at certain sites. Straight vertical necks are specially found at Bokbaai and at

the Hangklip sites, concave vertical necks are common on the south-western

coast, straight contracted necks dominate on the whole coast except the south-

western coast and the Hangklip area, while the concave contracted necks are

more common on the south-western coast, Cape Peninsula and in the Agulhas

area. The rare convex contracted and flared necks are evenly spread along the

coast, except that flared necks do not appear east of Port Elizabeth.

D. Decoration (Tables 5, 6, 9 and 10)

The overturned and incorporated rim is generally finished off with a

trimming groove (74°4% of all overturned rims) or rarely with a trimming

ridge (10°7%). The former feature is spread over the whole area while the

latter feature does not appear in South West Africa and on the west coast.

From Kleinemonde eastwards the edge of the rim of bagshaped pots is sometimes

decorated with notches or scalloping. The junction between neck and body is

sometimes marked by a trimming groove or step (28-0% of all necks). This is

especially the case at Hout Bay and Noordhoek on the Peninsula and also on

the Cape south coast. The neck-body junction may very rarely be carinated

(1:2%), i.e. at Ysterfontein, Kromme Bay, Port Elizabeth and Zwartkop River.

Decoration is mostly confined to the rim and neck of the pot. Rims

decorated with string-like patterns (8-2°% of all decorated necks) have been found

between Liideritz and Port Elizabeth, with a maximum occurrence between

St. Helena Bay and Modderrivier. The necks are generally decorated with

grooved (72:4%) or incised (15:3%) lines or with rows of impressions of

different shapes: points, circles or ovals (18:0%), drop-shapes (8:2%), tri-

angular (1°6%), lenticular, crescent or S-shapes (3°7°%) and squares or comb

(6-1%). In 41 cases shoulders, lugs, bosses or spouts are decorated, generally

with impressed patterns. In 4 cases bowls or bagshaped pots are decorated over

the whole body with comb impressions. These vessels come from Tsitsikama

and Port Elizabeth and are certainly of Bushman manufacture. Of the total

number of neck pieces 578 or 78°% are undecorated. The maximum occurrence

of undecorated ware is found in the Agulhas area and on the south-western

coast, while the highest occurrence of decorated ware is found in South West

Africa, on the west coast and in the Port Alfred, Port Elizabeth and East

London areas. A further discussion on the decoration follows in a separate section.

E. Lugs and Bosses (Tables 5—6)

The majority (765%) of all lugs and bosses found are horizontally

pierced, internally reinforced lugs with conical or rounded bridges and generally

458 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

bent channels. They are found in the whole area except in South West Africa

but are less dominating at both the extremities. In South West Africa, the

Tsitsikama Caves and Port Elizabeth there is a variation of this type with a

disc-shaped bridge (1:1%). The horizontally pierced conical lug may only be

externally applied (3-4°%). This occurs mainly also in the west and in the east.

The horizontally pierced, external lugs may also be disc-shaped with the same

distribution as the previous group. In Walvis Bay they comprise 45°4% of all

lugs. The external disc lug may also be unpierced, but only one such lug

(0-2%) has been found, in Liideritz. There are also a few vertically pierced

lugs, two of them externally applied (0-4°%) and found respectively at Walvis

Bay and in the Transkei, and two others internally reinforced (0-49) and

found at Walvis Bay and Arniston. |

Occasionally, in 30 cases or 6:7°%, the pots have pressed-out conical or

rounded bosses, which may occur instead of or in addition to the ordinary

pierced lugs. These bosses occur mostly west of Agulhas with a maximum in

the Saldanha area (27-69%). Instead of conical bosses they may instead be

pressed-out ridges (2:2%), found mostly on the south-western coast and at

Arniston in the Agulhas area. As rarely, the bosses may be externally applied

(2:2%,) with the same distribution as the pressed-out bosses. Externally applied

ridges are still more rare (0-9°%) and are found on the Peninsula and at Port

Elizabeth and Port Alfred.

There are also vessels without any lugs or bosses at all, but this is difficult

to ascertain in cases where only part of a pot has been restored. Only 17 cases

are certain (3°89) and these include mainly bowls and bagshaped or spouted

pots. The best examples of necked pots without lugs are the beautiful urn-

shaped vessels from Port Alfred and Waterloo Bay, perhaps representing the

peak of pottery-making among the Strandlopers.

F. Bases (Tables 5—6)

The base of the Strandloper pot is generally pointed (81-6%), either

conical (28-5°%), conoid (30:0%) or ovoid (33:1°%). Globular bases are uncom-

mon (8-4%). Pointed bases dominate along the whole coast, except in the

East London area where the globular ones are more common (63:6%). Globular

bases are also fairly common in the Port Alfred, Port Elizabeth and Agulhas

areas. Sometimes the base is nippled (13:9%), mainly west of Agulhas with a

maximum in South West Africa and on the west coast. Almost half (48-9%)

of the bases are thick and reinforced, i.e. thicker than 10 mm., while about a

third (30:2%) are 10 mm. or less. The thickness of the rest is not known.

G. Technique (Table 5)

The ring or coil method is generally observed on the belly or base of the

pot and is only noticeable if the rings are badly worked together. This tech-

nique is found all along the area in consideration. It is very difficult to dis-

tinguish between the two techniques from the sherds. One hundred and

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 459

forty-two cases were observed and this represents an absolute minimum of the

use of this technique.

H. Colour of Material (Table 5)

Strandloper pottery is almost always well fired, the exceptions being

mainly bowls and occasionally bagshaped pots. The material varies much in

colour from a light buff or light grey to deep black. Homogeneous light-

coloured material in light grey, buff or salmon pink is found in 10:6% of the

pottery. It is mainly found between Saldanha and Agulhas and is probably

connected with the occurrence of kaolin near Cape Town. East of Agulhas

light-coloured pottery is rare, mostly because the pottery is not as well fired

and there is often a black core in the material. Completely black material,

which is generally the result of reduced firing, is common in the whole area

(28-7%). It reaches its lowest occurrence from the Strand to Plettenberg Bay,

while the highest occurrence is in the Port Elizabeth area (48-79%). The brown,

red and mixed colour material often with a thin black core comprises 60-7%

and is fairly evenly distributed along the coast.

I. Admixture (Tables 5—6)

In 75°5% of all the pottery the clay has an admixture of fine to coarse

material, consisting mostly of quartz sand. The sand may be a natural com-

ponent of the clay used. Slight or no admixture (24°5°%) is found mainly cn the

west coast and east of Agulhas with a maximum occurrence at Port Elizabeth.

Fine admixture on the other hand is rarely found east of Port Elizabeth.

Medium admixture reaches its maximum in the Saldanha area and on the

south-western coast, while coarse admixture dominates between Saldanha and

Agulhas. In at least 50 cases (3:6°%) the quartz seems to be pounded, while in

at least 64:0°% of the sherds the admixture is sand, i.e. the grains are rounded.

In South West Africa there is sometimes mica in the clay, probably a natural

admixture. In the east there is, apart from quartz, ferricrete, calcrete(?), etc.,

even some ware containing carbonized grass, in all five cases, at Gamtoos River,

Port Elizabeth and East London In two cases, at Perdekloof and Cannon

Rocks, there appears to be an admixture of sand and pounded pottery in the

material. No admixture of shell was found.

J. Surface Treatment (Tables 5—6)

Strandloper pottery is almost always burnished (95:9%), red, brown,

buff or black. The body may often be mottled while the base is generally black.

Only in a few cases, mostly far to the west and east, is the surface only crudely

smoothed. This generally refers to bowls or bagshaped pots.

K. Material Thickness (Tables 5 and 8)

Wall thicknesses of less than 6 mm. comprise 34:1°% and are mainly found

on the west coast and from the south coast to the East London area. Walls

6-8 mm. thick (59:2%) are mostly found South West Africa and the Saldanha

460 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

areas, while thick walls more than 8 mm. thick are mostly found in the Port

Alfred and East London areas.

L. Bored Holes (Tables 5—6)

Bored holes made on the fired pot for repair can be conical or parallel.

The former are more common and are found from South West Africa to

Kleinsee on the west coast and again east of Fish Bay on the Cape south coast.

The more rare parallel holes are found in the same areas plus two occurrences

on the Cape Flats.

6. ANALysIs OF Decoration (Tables 5, 6, 9 and 10)

The decoration of Strandloper pottery has been divided into two main

groups. The first group is directly or indirectly connected with the construction

of the vessel, the second group consists of different patterns, grooved, incised

or impressed into the rim, neck or body of the vessel to beautify it or to mark

the ownership. There are no signs of any painted decoration on Strandloper

pottery, but the vessels were generally burnished with a pigment, as men-

tioned earlier. ‘The decorative patterns were executed on the leather-hard

vessels in contrast to the bold patterns incised on the still plastic material on

some Early Bantu ware (Schofield, 1948, Class NC3) from the coast of Natal

and the Transkei.

The rim trimming step or groove is the commonest way of finishing off an

overturned rim and occurs on almost three-quarters of all such rims. The lowest

occurrences are found in the Saldanha, south-western coast and Hangklip

areas. A trimming ridge is a more unusual way of finishing off the overturned

rim, but it is fairly common in the Saldanha, Hangklip and Agulhas areas where

it competes with the trimming step or line. It does not occur at all in South

West Africa and the west coast areas. Rim trimming steps or grooves also occur

with the overturned rims in the inland part of the Cape coastal belt, along the

Orange River in Gordonia and in the Brandberg, South West Africa (Inland

Report).

The body-neck junction step is the result of applying the separately built

neck to the shoulder of the pot from the inside of the opening and then trimming

the external, overlying edge of the shoulder. In one case from Port Nolloth

(fig. III: 3) and one from near Okiep in northern Namaqualand (Inland

Report) the neck was applied to the outside of the shoulder, resulting in the

step facing the other way from the usual. On pots with decorated necks a

grooved line often replaces the step. This type of decoration reaches its maxi-

mum occurrence on the Cape Peninsula (mostly step) and in the Cape south

coast and Port Alfred areas. It does not occur in South West Africa and is

rare in the west coast and Agulhas areas. It also occurs in the inland area of

the Cape coastal belt (Inland Report).

A carinated body-neck junction is very rare among Strandloper pottery and

only occurs in one case (Ysterfontein) between South West Africa and Kromme

Bay on the Cape south coast. In all there are only five cases. Carination is

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 461

also rare inland and appears to have come to the Hottentots from the recent

Southern Tswana in southern Botswana (Inland Report).

Among true decorations those of the rims will be discussed first. Notched

or scalloped rim edges occur only in the Port Alfred and East London areas

on Type B1 bagshaped pots. This is a Bantu feature found on pottery along the

coasts of the Transkei and Natal (Schofield, 1948, Class NC2) and also on

Early Bantu pottery from the Free State and western Transvaal (Schofield,

1948, Class ST2), probably of the Fokeng tribe (Inland Report).

Decoration sometimes occurs on the outwards bevelled part of a rim,

generally an overturned one. This so-called string pattern consists of horizontal,

diagonal or cross-hatched, full or broken lines and perhaps simulates the

impression of a string. This type of decoration has been found on Hottentot

pottery from along the Orange River, particularly in the Gordonia District

(Inland Report). It appears that the Hottentots took over this type of decoration

from the first Sotho inhabitants in southern Botswana (Schofield, 1948,

Class BP1). From Gordonia this tradition spread through northern Nama-

qualand (Inland Report) to the coast, where we find it along the western coast

from Liideritz in South West Africa to Modderrivier on the south-western

coast, with a maximum concentration in the Saldanha area. From Bokbaai to

the Cape Peninsula there are no such rims, which may indicate that this type

of decoration only reached the coast after the Europeans had settled at Table

Bay. A few odd decorated rims are also known from sites between the Strand

in the Hangklip area and Port Elizabeth, but not beyond, which also supports

_ the theory of the timing, as the Bantu or Gonaqua at that time had reached the

Sundays River just beyond Port Elizabeth. A spout from Kromme Bay in the

Humansdorp District has a string pattern on the rim and grooved horizontal

lines on the rest of the spout. The identical decoration is found on the

beautiful, spouted pot from Grootdrink (Boegoeberg) on the Orange

River and may indicate a direct contact between this part of the coast and the

middle Orange River, very much as Goodwin (1947) suggested in his report

on the bored stones.

At Walvis Bay there occurs another type of decorated rim, not found

anywhere else along the coast. This type has been associated with the Topnaar

Hottentots and has been discussed in the Inland Report.

Among decorations of the neck, horizontally grooved, or occasionally

incised, lines are most common and occur all along the coast. The highest

occurrences are found from the Cape south coast eastwards but also on the

west coast. No such decoration was found in the Agulhas area. This type of

decoration is rare in the inland (Inland Report). It preceded the Europeans

in the Peninsula and the Bantu in the east, but reached its climax in areas

not affected by the first European settlement. This is probably the oldest type

of decoration among the Strandloper pottery and may have originated as

impressions made by wrapping a thong or fibre cord around the neck of the

unfired pot.

Vertical or diagonal lines around the neck occur mainly from the Cape

462 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Peninsula eastwards but also in South West Africa. The maximum occurrence

is on the Cape south coast. This type of decoration is certainly a (later ?)

variant of the previous type. It is not found in the inland with the exception

of the Brandberg in South West Africa. Check and herringbone patterns are

practically non-existent among Strandloper pottery and, with the exception of

one pot from Modderrivier, belong to pots from the Port Alfred and East

London areas which are certainly of Bantu origin, as the patterns are incised

in the plastic clay.

Decoration consisting of rows of short horizontal, vertical or diagonal

lines (dashes), which are generally incised, occurs especially in South West

Africa and on the west coast and in the Port Alfred area, but is rare elsewhere.

This type of decoration is also found along the Orange River in northern

Namaqualand and Gordonia. It also occurs on Early Bantu ware, e.g. from

Buispoort in the western Transvaal (Inland Report).

We now come to the stylus-impressed decorations. Among these are rows

of impressions ranging from mere prick marks to circles, small ovals and drop

shapes. This type of decoration is found all along the coast except in the

Agulhas area, but reaches its highest concentration in South West Africa and

along the west coast. It is also found along the Orange River in Gordonia and

in the Brandberg in South West Africa. It also occurs on Early Bantu ware,

e.g. from Buispoort (Inland Report). More rare are triangular (cuneiform)

impressions, which have only been found at Swakopmund in South West

Africa, on two sites near Knysna on the Cape south coast and at Kayser’s

Beach in the East London area. They also occur along the Orange River and

in the Brandberg (Inland Report). Lenticular, crescentic and S-shaped

impressions follow almost the same distribution, i.e. from one site each in the

South West Africa, west coast, south coast, Port Elizabeth and East London

areas and also along the Orange River (Inland Report).

Among the Strandloper pottery a stamped comb pattern has only been

found on Bushman type vessels at Tsitsikama and Port Elizabeth. It occurs

mainly in the inland Bushman areas of the Free State, eastern Cape and the

Karoo, but in one case each it has also been found along the Orange River in

Gordonia and at Griquatown in Griqualand West. This type of decoration

certainly originated with the first Sotho settlers (Ghoya, etc.) in the Free State

(Inland Report). Other stamp decoration has already been referred to under

string patterns on rims.

Pots are occasionally decorated on the shoulders, bosses and lugs. Among

shoulder decorations are large oval impressions, looking like thumb impressions.

They are found at Danger Bay, Ysterfontein, Sandy Bay and Hout Bay west

of Agulhas and also at three sites on the Cape south coast. This type of decora-

tion is also known from Rhodesia (Goodall, 1946) where the finger indents

signify a vessel used by a married couple.

Lugs and bosses are occasionally decorated and are probably all associated

with decorated necks. Decorated lugs have only been found at Walvis Bay,

Port Nolloth, Blaauwberg, Mossel Bay and Waterloo Bay. Decorated bosses

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 463

are somewhat more common and have been found at Ysterfontein (2), Modder-

rivier, Fish Hoek, Hermanus, Sea View, Port Elizabeth and Port Alfred. In

the inland they occur on the beautifully decorated pots from Fraserburg and

Grootdrink on the Orange River (Inland Report). A nipple-shaped boss

surrounded by circular impressions was found in a cave on the Gamtoos River

(Deacon, 1963), while an almost identical one has been reported by Laidler

(1938, Plate XII: 4) from a midden site at Port Alfred and yet another was

found at Mapungubwe (Schofield, 1937, Plate XXX: 10). This type

of decoration also occurs in Southern Rhodesia (Goodall, 1946).

Looking at combinations of patterns we find that a neck decorated with

lines is often finished off at the body-neck junction with a row of impressions

or short vertical or diagonal lines. This is especially found from Hermanus

eastwards and is probably associated with the artistic climax in that area

referred to earlier. The most beautiful example of combined patterns is found

on a piece of neck from Kromme Bay on the Cape south coast (fig. XXXII:

84). Decorated necks are also sometimes combined with shoulder decorations

consisting of vertical, grooved lines. This is found at Modderrivier on the

south-western coast, Goedgeloof on the south coast and Cove Rock and Kayser’s

Beach in the East London area. A more sophisticated variation of this combina-

tion is represented by two pots from Fraserburg and Grootdrink on the Orange

River (Inland Report). Decorated rims are rarely combined with line-decorated

necks but occur at Kleinsee, Hermanus, Jeffreys Bay and Port Elizabeth along

the coast and also on the two pots mentioned above from Grootdrink and

Fraserburg.

Finally, studying the distribution of pots without any other decoration

than constructional, we find that this group is concentrated around Agulhas

with the maximum occurrence in the Agulhas, south-western coast and

Saldanha areas.

Analysing the decoration and its distribution, it appears that the highest

incidence of decoration is found in the areas which were in contact with the

Bantu, i.e. along the Orange River in Gordonia and in the Brandberg in

South West Africa, and also along the coast of South West Africa and in

the Port Alfred and East London areas. The west coast and Port Elizabeth

area were in indirect contact. The Cape Peninsula has a surprisingly high

incidence of decoration, which may indicate a direct contact with the Orange

River area. Elements of decoration such as decorated rims and impressed

patterns were taken over from the Early Bantu (Sotho) with whom the Hotten-

tots came in contact along the Orange River in Gordonia while the notched

rims were taken over from Early Bantu (Fokeng?) in the Transkei and Natal.

It is also possible that the broad, decorated rims from Walvis Bay originated

from contacts with the Herero although there is no proof for this.

In the areas which were first affected by contact with the Europeans,

especially from 1652 onwards, and where the pottery tradition therefore died

first, i.e. the Saldanha, south-western coast, Cape Peninsula and south-western

Cape inland areas, there is the lowest incidence of decoration pointing to the

464 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

fact that the Strandloper pottery originally was not decorated apart from

structural decoration such as body-neck junction steps and rim trimming steps

or ridges and that any other type of decoration is of a fairly late date. The

grooved line decoration of the neck may on the other hand have originated in

this area and from there spread eastwards to reach its climax in the Port

Elizabeth and Port Alfred areas.

7. INVENTORY OF SITES AND POTTERY

There are in all 167 sites numbered. A site may refer only to an isolated

shell midden, e.g. a cave with a shell midden, or it may refer to a midden area,

i.e. a living area with numerous middens generally among sand dunes. Some-

times more than one midden area has been included under one number, e.g.

No. 12 Port Nolloth, which includes a midden site at Alexander Bay, north of

Port Nolloth, a midden site at North Point and a midden area along McDougal

Bay just south of Port Nolloth. This is for convenience, as after the sites were

originally numbered, some new ones were added and had to be included under

the old number. In the Inventory certain numbers are missing; these are

midden sites without any pottery finds.

For each site the approximate longitude and latitude is given, and also

the magisterial district. The description of the sites is very brief in this pottery

report but will be more detailed in a later report on the other material remains.

Likewise is the reference to associations short and only reports what type or

types of Stone Age industries have been found at the site. This does not neces-

sarily mean that the pottery belongs to any of the industries mentioned.

Where human remains have been discovered on the site, this is also mentioned.

Historical references have been included if they refer to the site and to

the presence of Strandlopers there.

The Inventory also shows in what collection the material is to be found,

its catalogue number, if any, and the name of the collector. The number of

vessels refers to all pots represented from the site, whether complete, wholly

or partially reconstructed or fragments. The more important finds, especially

the complete or reconstructed pots and interesting pieces, are illustrated and

described in detail. Of the remaining material only a summary is given.

There is finally a short account of other reports on the site and its pottery.

AREAS, GROUPS, SITES AND NUMBER OF POTS

Group Area and Sites No. pots Totals

A. SOUTH WEST AFRICA

I I Swakopmund (5) 60755 Wk ete ee ale ee

12 2 Walvis Bay (28) Te ena enn hc BS

3 3 Liideritz (4), 4 Elizabeth Bay (12) ee

4. 5 Claratal (3), 6 Jammer Bay (3), 8 Buntveldschuh

(8), 9 Chameis (1), 11 Oranjemund (1) me 0 65

Group

Area and Sites

B. WEST COAST

Port Nolloth (52) pega?

Kleinsee (13), 14. Grootmist (1)

Rietfontein (5) Sl ee wale, Ce I,

Lambert’s Bay (5), 19 Vanputtensvlei (16) .

Elands Bay (12) See drag Us:

Duinefontein (1), 22 Weldane G (1 ‘. 23 Berg River (5)

Cc. SALDANHA

St. Helena Bay (3), 25 Stompneus Point (12), 26

Britannia Point (11), 27 St. Martin’s Point (1) .

Paternoster (3), 30 West Bay (4)

Kasteelberg (9), 35 Witklip (1)

Danger Bay (22) ERS eRe ee eee ba, aes

Noordbaaikop Cave (6), 34: Noordbaai (3), 37

Saldanha Bay (5), 38 Lynch Point (4) . ;

Die Kraal (2), 41 Schiereiland (15), 42 Jut Bay

(1), 43 Vondeling Bay (4), 44 Abrahamskraal (2)

D. SOUTH-WESTERN COAST

Ysterfontein (81) Skee ar 2

Modderrivier (28), 47 Die Grotto (4)

Bokbaai (25) ily Sn oe re

Melkbosch Strand (8), 50 Blaauwberg Strand (21)

E. CAPE PENINSULA

WAS

Cape Town (2), 52 Llandudno (11)

Sandy Bay (7), 54 Hout Bay (34) .

Noordhoek (26), 56 Kommetjie (12)

Witsands (8), 58 Witsands Cave (7), 59 Satusten’ S

Bay (4), 60 Kromrivier (1), 61 Olifantsbosch (2),

62 Platboom (2), 63 Cape Point (2)

Buffels Bay (25) ete ery st ey wkd. (be 2%,

Smitswinkel Bay Cave (1), 66 Miller’s Point (3),

67 Simonstown (3), 68 Glencairn (1), 69 Fish

Hoek (16) Mee tbe tel lp ace at 74

Strandfontein (3), 71 Cape Flats (6)

F. HANGKLIP

Strand (2), 74 Gordon’s Bay (1), 75 Steenbras

River (2), 76 Kogel = (1), 77 Rooiels (6), 78

Pringle Bay (2) Si emul aut

Hangklip West (43) .

Hangklip East (24) Scr mee eae

Palmiet River (1), 82 Hawston (16), 83 Onrust

(7), 84. Hermanus (4) gre a a ee a

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA

No. pots

465

Totals

III

108

167

176

109

466

Group

ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Area and Sites

G. AGULHAS

Die Kelders (3), 86 Gansbaai (2), 87 ive Point

(9), 88 Pearly Beach (24)

Quoin Point (6), go Asfontein Sor gI Cate

Agulhas (5)

Arniston (5), 93 Ryspunt (6), 94 Skipskop (1 \,

95 De Hoop (2)

H. CAPE SOUTH COAST

IOI

103

105

109

IIO

Tab

II4

118

I20

Brakfontein (9), 98 Blombos (5), 100 Platbos (2)

Still Bay (4), 102 Rietvlei (8) .

Fish Bay (21), 104 Flesh Bay (3)

Mossel Bay (5), 106 Little Brak River (5), 107

Great Brak River (8), 108 Wilderness (2)

Oakhurst Cave (24) ie

Sedgefield (4), 111 Goukamma River (3), 112

Knysna Eastern Head (3)

Robberg (27) : ; :

Matjes River (3), 115 Tsitsikama Caves (20), 116

Van der Walt and Coldstream Caves (9), 117

Klasie’s River Caves (3) :

Slangrivier (10), 119 Gocdncleon (5)

Kromme Bay (76)

121 ase: Bay (25), 122 ibe River (5)

I. PORT ELIZABETH

124 Gamtoos River (28)

125

127

129

131

Van Stadens River (4), 126 Maitland River (8) .

Sea View (21), 128 Sardinia Bay (2).

Cape Recife (2), 130 Port Elizabeth (41)

Zwartkops River (8), 132 St. George’s Strand @.

133 Hougham Park (4), 134 Sundays River (3)

J. PORT ALFRED

135

137

14!

144

147

Congoskraal (13), 136 Springmount (10)

Paardevlei (6), 138 Woody Cape (11), 139 Perdes

kloof (6), 140 Cannon Rocks (5)

Bushman River (1), 142 Kariega River (3), 143

Kasouga River (3) a ie as oe ea

Port Alfred (28), 145 Rufane River (7), 146

‘Bathurst Sea View (1)

Kleinemonde (7), 149 Worsloe Bay ee 3), 150

Umtana River (3) ; ;

No. pots

Totals

289

eG:

Tey

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 467

Group Area and Sites No. pots Totals

K, EAST LONDON AND THE TRANSKEI

56 151 Kaysers Beach (13) ; Ei ath “ohet agk area f

57 152 Qulu River (8), 153 Cove Rock (8) AigT pes

58 154 Blind River (5), 155 Shelly Beach (5), 156 Buffalo

River (37), 157 Eastern Beach (2), 158 Bonza

Bay (1), 159 Gonubie River (1), 160 Krause

Beach (1) =. : ; 2

59 161 Cintza Beach (8), 162 Kefani River (7) ie tee EB

60 163 Kei Mouth (2), 164 Mazeppa Bay (1), 165 Dwessa

(5), 166 Bashee River (1), 167 M’bolompo Point (2) 11 107

Grand total 1452

A. SOUTH WEST AFRICA

1. Swakopmund (14°32’E, 22°42’S)

District: Swakopmund, South West Africa.

Site: Just south of the Swakop River mouth are scattered, flat shell middens

well up among the sand dunes.

Mistorical evidence: In 1793 Swakopmund was visited by the ship Meemin.

A hunter, P. Pienaar, reported that there was a ‘splendid valley’ at the mouth

of the river with fresh water, luxuriant vegetation of camelthorns and ana

trees and a great number of game: such as elephants, rhinoceroses, gemsbuck

and springbuck (Vedder, 1938).

Associations: I visited this site in 1957 but found no cultural material.

These middens are situated next to a popular sea resort and they have been

picked clean. Much pottery is said to have been found here earlier. Some of it is

in the SAM. It is not known what type of stone implements were found here.

Pottery: Remains of 5 pots, none of them whole or reconstructed.

Fig. XX XI: 1 (SAM 4333 Hardy). A piece of neck with a tapered (half-

round) rim and decorated with four deep horizontal grooves. The bottom of

these grooves is stepped, suggesting that they were made with a round, flat-

ended stick which was pushed back, creating this particular pattern, which has

not been found anywhere else. The material is black without any obvious

admixture. Thickness is 6 mm.

Fig. XX XI: 2 (as above). Part of a neck with a squared rim and decorated

with a pattern of an incised zigzag line surrounded by impressed triangular

(cuneiform) dots. The material is dark buff and has a slight sand admixture,

probably natural. The thickness is 7 mm. This pottery is reminiscent of that

found in the Brandberg (Rudner, 1957) and at Walvis Bay.

A third neckpiece is decorated with a grooved zigzag line. A conical,

somewhat flattened and nippled base, almost identical to one from Walvis

Bay (fig. XXXIV: 1), has a maximum thickness of 30 mm. From the same pot

come two sherds fitting together and with drilled parallel holes (diam. = 5 mm.)

on both sides of the joint and actually joined with a copper clamp through two

468 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

of the holes. This is the only case known of copper used for this purpose. The

material is black with a slight admixture of medium quartz and mica sand,

probably natural. The thickness is 8 mm. ;

2. Walvis Bay (14°28’E, 22°59’S)

District: Swakopmund.

Site: Among the sand dunes at the southern end of the lagoon, where

the Kuiseb River has one of its mouths, are numerous shell middens. About

25 km. farther up the dry river bed is a very strong spring at Rooibank. I have

not visited this site.

Historical evidence: Alexander (1838), Chapman (photographs at SAM

with notes), McKiernan (1954), Giirich (1891), Schultze (1907) and others

have described the Topnaar Strandlopers at Walvis Bay, but only wooden pots

are mentioned. A mission was established for the Topnaars at Rooibank in 1845.

Associations: Human skulls and much cultural material has been collected

by the local residents from these middens, but nothing has been described. There

is some material at SMW, mainly pottery, grinding stones, bone tools, etc., but

no stone implements. Some skeletal material is also at SMW. There is also

some pottery at SAM and AS.

Pottery: Remains of 28 pots, 3 of them complete.

Fig. II: 1 (SMW). Complete pot, recorded as Topnaar or Swartbooi pot.

It is bagshaped, with a conoid base and a peculiar handle-spout with a very

small hole. This type of spout was found only at this site. The pot is decorated

with a pattern of grooved U-shaped lines and vertical rows of short vertical,

impressed lines (dashes). Apart from the spout the shape and decoration of this

vessel are similar to the Bergdama ware from the Brandberg (Rudner, 1957).

The material is not known. Dimensions: H = 28 cm., D = 24cm., R = 18cm.

Ratios: 1/1)! 1-16 DIR 38.

Fig. IT: 2 (AS 67/43). Kuiseb River, Walvis Bay. A necked pot, reminiscent

of a bagshaped pot, with a concave, contracted neck and a conoid base.

According to information it has horizontally pierced, internally reinforced (?) disc

lugs of the same external shape as found in the Brandberg. The material is

black with a mica admixture, probably natural. There is no decoration. This is

also a vessel of Bergdama type (Inland Report). Dimensions: H = 31-7 cm.,

D = 21-6 cm., R = 14-0 cm., N = about 7 cm, Ratios; /Di— 1-7 ke

1°54, N/R = 0-50. 3

Fig. II: 3 (AS 18/39/5). Kuiseb River, Walvis Bay. A necked pot of the

same type as the previous one, with a concave contracted neck, an ovoid base,

and lugs as above. The material is black with a mica admixture, probably

natural. The neck is decorated with a band of vertical rows of horizontal lines.

Dimensions: H = 38-1 cm., D = 35°5:cm., R = 21-6 cm, N —Sabpoue oycm.

Ratios: H/D = 1-07, D/R = 1-64, N/R = 0:28.

Fig. XXXI: 3 (SMW). Part of a contracted neck with a twice overturned,

squared and incorporated rim with two trimming grooves (rim maximum

thickness 11 mm.). The overturned, vertical part of the rim is decorated with

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 4.69

two horizontal rows of impressed drop marks. Decoration of the broad, over-

turned rim is a special feature for Walvis Bay, also found in the Brandberg, and

probably associated with the Topnaar Hottentots (Inland Report). The

material is brown, not well fired, and has a rich admixture of medium mixed

sand. Thickness = 7-8 mm. The inside of the pot has a brown burnish.

Dimension: R = 18 cm.

Fig. XXXI: 4 (SMW). Part of a contracted neck with an overturned,

squared and incorporated rim (max. th. = 6-5 mm.) with a trimming groove.

The overturned part is decorated with three horizontal! rows of lightly impressed

circular dots. The material is grey-brown with an admixture of medium sand.

Thickness = 6-5 mm. The walls are built with rings. There is a mottled

burnish on the outside and the inside. Dimension: R = 18 cm.

Fig, XXXII: 5 (SMW). Part of a contracted neck with an overturned,

tapered and incorporated rim (max. th. = 6 mm.) with a slight trimming

groove. The overturned part is decorated with two horizontal rows of impressed,

horizontal drop marks. The material is light brown with a grey core and a fine

to medium quartz sand admixture. Thickness = 5 mm. (worn). Dimension:

Re 10 cm:

Fig. XXXI:6 (SMW). Part of a contracted neck with an overturned,

squared and incorporated rim with a crude trimming groove. The overturned

part is decorated with two horizontal rows of diagonal fingernail impressions.

The material is black with a fine sand admixture, probably natural. Thickness

= 5 mm. There is a black burnish on both outside and inside. Dimension:

1K, == 0) ena,

Fig. XXXI:7 (SMW). Part of a concave, contracted neck with an

overturned, squared and incorporated rim. The neck is very worn and no

decoration can be distinguished. There are signs of a horizontally pierced,

externally applied lug. The material is grey to brown with a coarse quartz

sand admixture. Thickness = 6 mm. Dimensions: R = 16 cm., N = about

5 cm. Ratio: N/R = 0:31.

Fig. XX XI: 8 (SMW). Part of a contracted neck or bagshaped pot with

an overturned, rounded (rolled) and incorporated rim (max. th. = 9 mm.)

with a deep trimming groove. The material is red with a medium mixed sand

admixture. Thickness = 8 mm. Dimension: R = 10 cm.

Fig. XXXI:9 (SMW). Part of a straight, flared neck with a plain,

tapered rim. ‘The neck is very worn so no decoration can be seen. The material

is grey-brown with a rich admixture of fine to coarse sand. Thickness = 6-7 mm.

Dimensions: R = 16 cm., N = 4:5 cm. Ratio: N/R = 0:28. This neck does not

appear to come from a pot of Topnaar type but rather resembles a neck of a pot

of Type Ci from Ysterfontein (fig. X:5). It may have belonged to the Saan

Strandlopers who preceded the Topnaars at Walvis Bay.

Fig. XX XIII: 1 (SAM 1231 Le Sueur). Pot fragment with a short vertical

neck with a worn plain rim and decorated with a meander of short impressed

lines. It has a vertically pierced, internally reinforced lug. The only similar

lug was found at Arniston in the Agulhas Area and on a few pots in the inland

470 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

(Inland Report). The material is brown with a medium to coarse quartz

and mica sand admixture, possibly natural. Thickness = 4 mm. The pot is

built in rings. Dimensions: D = more than 16cm., R = 9:5 cm., N = 2:0-2°5 cm.

Ratio: N/R = 0-21.

Fig. XX XIII: 2 (SAM 1231). A piece of wall with a vertically pierced,

externally applied lug decorated on the applied parts with parallel, vertical,

grooved lines. Only one lug of similar type is known, from the Bashee River in

the Transkei (fig. XXX: 2). The material is dark grey and has a medium quartz

and mica sand admixture, possibly natural. Thickness = 4 mm. The pot is

built up in rings. Dimension: D = 15 cm.

Fig. XX XIII: 3 (SMW). Part of a bagshaped pot, probably of Namaqua

type (Inland Report), with a plain, squared rim and a horizontally pierced,

externally applied hill-shaped lug (max. th. = 33 mm.). The channel is straight

and biconical, aperture diam. = 15 mm., bridge length = 34 mm. The material

is black, uneven in thickness (average th. = 6 mm.), badly fired and has an

admixture of fine to coarse white quartz. It was built up in rings. Dimensions:

1D) '26;em~, Ro 26cm Ration DR —Fi-o7,

Fig. XX XIII: 4 (SAM 1231). Piece of a pot with a horizontally pierced,

externally applied disc lug and part of a pattern consisting of horizontal rows

of impressed oval dots on the shoulder. The material is dark grey with a fine

sand admixture, probably natural. Thickness = 7 mm. This type of lug was

common in the Brandberg (Rudner, 1957).

Fig. XXXIV: 1 (SAM 1231). Conical and nippled base (max. th. = 27

mm.), almost identical with a base from Swakopmund. The material is black

with a slight admixture of fine quartz and mica sand, probably natural. We do

not know to what type of vessel this base belonged.

Fig. XXXIV: 2 (SMW). Globular base with nipple (max. th. = 19 mm.).

The material is grey to black with a fine to coarse quartz sand admixture.

Thickness = 6 mm. Built in rings. The outside is crudely smoothed. There are

conical holes bored round the perimeter from the inside or outside (diam. = 5-9

mm.). This base may come from a pot of Namaqua type (Inland Report).

Fig. XXIV: 3 (SMW). Part of conoid, reinforced base (max. th. = 15

mm.). The material is black with a medium quartz and mica sand admixture.

Thickness = 6 mm. The outside is crudely smoothed.

Report: Laidler (1929) describes the pottery from surface sites in the

Walvis Bay district as of late or degenerated facies.

3. Liideritz (15°11’E, 26°37’S)

District: Liideritz, South West Africa.

Sites: There are several midden sites both on the Diaz Peninsula as well as

along Liideritz Bay opposite the peninsula. These sites have been explored for

many years by Mr. Eberlanz of Liideritz. I visited only one site at Halifax Bay

on the peninsula.

Historical evidence: Angra Pequena (Liideritz Bay) was visited in 1487 by

Dias, who erected a stone cross on the peninsula and set ashore a negress here.

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 471

He met Strandlopers there, but the next visitor in 1670 found the bay uninha-

bited. In 1677 a Dutch ship from Cape Town met Nama-speaking Strandlopers

in a bay south of Liideritz (Vedder, 1938). Schultze (1907) reported as late as

1903 that there were still Saan Strandlopers at Liideritz.

Associations: Liideritz Museum (LM) has pottery and Wilton implements

found by Mr. Eberlanz at different local sites, also some human skeletons, which

he excavated.

Pottery: Remains of 4 pots, 1 of them complete.

Fig. V:1 (LM). A bagshaped pot with almost parallel sides and two

unpierced disc lugs, probably externally applied. This is the only pot with

unpierced lugs found in the survey, but the same type is known from the

Brandberg (Rudner, 1957). The base is conical. The pot is black and covered

with what looks like burnt fat. It was found by Mr. Eberlanz at Smithveldt,

Lideritz Bay. This is a Strandloper living-site with microlithic tools, probably

Wilton. The pot is reproduced from a photograph and no dimensions are

known. The following ratios have been measured. H/D = 1:33, D/R = 1:06.

At Heisterthal, also in Liideritz Bay, is another living-site from where

comes the upper part of a spouted pot with a very short neck consisting only of

an overturned, rounded rim. The rim and the shoulder are decorated with a

cross-hatched pattern of probably grooved lines. Opposite the spout on the

shoulder is a conical boss, probably pressed-out. There are no measurements

available for this pot, only a photograph.

According to Mr. Eberlanz the pots of this area are mostly bagshaped with

externally applied lugs, but there are also internally reinforced lugs. As far

as the author knows, no internally reinforced lugs have been reported from

South West Africa with the exception of the doubtful examples from Walvis

Bay (fig. XX XIII: 1 and ITI: 2-3).

4. Elizabeth Bay (15°13’E, 26°56’S)

District: Liideritz, Diamond Area No. 1, South West Africa.

Sites: On the northern side of the bay on the slope to the little town are

shell middens composed of limpets and mussels and some other shells. On the

southern side of the bay are flat middens just above highwater mark composed

of gapers, limpets and mussels. Both sites were visited in 1960.

Associations: Elizabeth Bay South has a Wilton industry with Magosian

elements, probably very early. Elizabeth Bay North also has some Wilton but

most of the middens have not tools. The former site had practically no pottery,

while some was found at the latter site (Rudner, 1964).

Pottery: Elizabeth Bay North. Remains of 10 pots, none complete or

reconstructed.

Fig. XXXIV: 4 (SAM 6770 Rudner). Conical or nippled base (max. th.

= 16 mm.). The material is dark grey-brown with a slight coarse quartz

admixture. Thickness = 7 mm.

Pieces of two other pointed bases were also found, also a horizontally

pierced lug, probably external (Grattan-Bellew Coll.).

472 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Elizabeth Bay South (SAM 6775 Rudner). Sherds from 2 pots, none

complete or reconstructed.

5. Claratal (15°16’E, 27°03'S)

District: Liideritz, Diamond Area No. 1, South West Africa.

Site: ‘There is a large midden on the southern side of the valley west of the

road from Pomona to Elizabeth Bay and about 1,500 m. (1 mile) inland. It is

composed mainly of limpet and mussel shells. Visited 1960.

Associations: Smithfield-like industry with engraved ostrich eggshell

pieces (Rudner, 1964).

Pottery: Pieces of 3 pots found, none whole or reconstructed.

(SAM 6766 Rudner and Grattan-Bellew Coll.). A pointed, conical or

conoid, base was found here and also a piece of a straight neck with a probably

rounded rim.

6. Jammer Bay (15°16’E, 27°11’S)

District: Liideritz, Diamond Area No. 1, South West Africa.

Site: ‘There are middens on the southern side of the bay composed of fresh-

looking limpet and a few mussel shells. Visited 1960.

Fitstorical evidence: This is possibly the bay where Bode landed in 1677 and

the crew met Strandlopers who were Hottentot-speaking (Vedder, 1938).

Associations: Almost no finished tools found here. This is probably a very

late midden industry associated with the last Strandlopers (Rudner, 1964).

Pottery: Remains of 3 pots, none whole or reconstructed.

(SAM 6768 Rudner and Grattan-Bellew Coll.). A pointed base, conical or

conoid, was found here.

8. Buntveldschuh (15°34’E, 27°36’S)

District: Liideritz, Diamond Area, No. 1, South West Africa.

Site: This midden is situated on both sides of the track leading from the

main road to the spring about 200 m. west of the escarpment and 7 km. from

the sea. The midden is composed mostly of limpet, but there are also some

mussel and other shells. Visited 1960.

Associations: A Wilton industry with engraved ostrich eggshell was found

here. Much pottery has been collected here earlier (Rudner, 1964).

Pottery: Remains of 8 pots, none whole or reconstructed.

(SAM 6765 Rudner and Grattan-Bellew Coll.). Mr. G.-Bellew has reported

a piece of neck decorated with a row of prick marks, another one with only a

trimming groove near the rim and two overturned and rounded rims with

trimming grooves. He also mentions a boss.

g- Chameis (15°44’E, 27°51’S)

District: Liideritz, Diamond Area No. 1, South West Africa.

Site:.There is a midden near the permanent spring on the northern side

of the salt-pan about 8 km. from the sea. It is composed mainly of limpet,

mussel and snail shells. Visited 1960.

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 473

Associations : Probably a late development of the Claratal Smithfield indus-

try. Engraved ostrich eggshell was also found here. Pottery has been collected

here earlier (Rudner, 1964).

Pottery: (SAM 6766 Rudner). Sherds from 1 pot, not whole or reconstructed.

11, Oranjemund (16°26’E, 28°37’S)

District: Liideritz, Diamond Area No. 1, South West Africa.

Site: There were middens on the northern side of the Orange River mouth,

now removed by mining activities. Site not visited.

Historical evidence: Dias landed here in 1487, met Strandlopers and set

ashore a negress (Vedder, 1938). Paterson (1779) met Nama-speaking Strand-

lopers here in 1777.

Associations: Nothing is known of what cultural material was found here.

Pottery: 1 complete pot.

Fig. V:2 (CDM Geol. Off., Oranjemund). A whole pot with an ovoid

base and a concave, vertical neck decorated with a horizontal row of short

almost vertical lines. The pot has two external, horizontally pierced disc lugs.

The well-fired material is grey-brown with a fine quartz sand admixture,

probably natural. Of the complete Strandloper pots this one is the one most

similar to the Namaqua type found in the inland areas of Great Namaland

and Namaqualand (Inland Report). Dimensions: H = 32°8cm., D = 24:6cm.,

ine —_-9-o.cm., N’— about 7 cm. Ratios: H/D = 1-33, D/R = 1-54, N/R = 0-44.

B. WEST COAST

12. Port Nolloth

District: Namaqualand.

Sites: Alexander Bay (16°30'E, 28°40’S). There are middens on the southern

side of the Orange River mouth. This site has not been visited.

Port Nolloth North (16°51'E, 29°14’S). Middens near North Point along

the beach just north of the town. Visited 1954.

McDougall Bay (16°53’E, 29°16’S). There are middens capping the dunes

along the northern half of the bay. Mostly limpet shells. Visited 1960.

Estorical evidence: Sir J. E. Alexander (1838) reported that he met Bush-

man Strandlopers at the mouth of the Orange River in 1836. Martin (1872)

reported that there were still Namaqua Bushmen living as Strandlopers in 1858.

Associations : Wilton tools have been found at McDougall Bay and engraved

ostrich eggshell at Port Nolloth North (Rudner). Much cultural and skeletal

material has been collected here by different people through the years.

Pottery: Remains of 52 pots, 2 of them completely and 3 partly

reconstructed.

Fig. III: 1 (SAM 66 Colson). This pot was found in 1899 buried in a

midden 1 mile (1-6 km.) south of Port Nolloth jetty. It was half full with

specular iron powder. With it was found a bone awl and some ostrich eggshell

beads. The neck is missing. It has a conical base (max. th. = 15 mm.) and

474 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

horizontally pierced, internally reinforced lugs. It is almost identical in shape

to a pot from Blaauwberg Strand (fig. XIII: 2). The material is brown with

no noticeable admixture. Thickness = 6—7 mm. The outside is burnished brown

on the upper part, black on the base, while the inside is brown. The lugs are

very flat (max. th. = 30 mm.) with aperture diam. = 10 mm. Dimension:

Di 29-8;em.

Fig. III: 2 (Rudner). A reconstructed bowl, probably with a nippled

base, found at Port Nolloth North. The rim is plain and tapered and the colour

is dark red-brown. The material is red-brown with a dark grey core and has

an admixture of coarse sand with some quartz. Thickness = 5 mm. There is a

drilled conical hole (max. diam. = 8mm.) near the rim. This bowl is very

similar to a bowl from Kleinsee (fig. V: 3) and to another from Hondeklip

Bay (not in report) which both have nippled bases. Dimensions: H = 12 cm.,

i) — R = 16 cm. Ratios: Hi/D)— 0-75, D/R — 1-00!

Fig. III: 3 (SAM 1606 Good). A completely reconstructed pot with

features both of type C1 and Ca. It has a concave, contracted neck, two flat-

topped externally applied bosses and an ovoid, nippled base (max. th. =

20 mm.). The neck has a wide overturned, tapered and incorporated rim with

a trimming groove. The body-neck junction is stepped the other way to the

common, i.e. the neck has been applied to the outside of the body opening

instead of to the inside. The bosses are the only ones of this type found along

the coast. A crack along the belly and one on the neck are surrounded by

drilled conical holes (max. diam. = 11 mm.). The material is grey-brown with

a slight admixture, probably natural. Thickness = 7 mm. A pot of exactly

the same type has been found at Naip near Okiep (SAM 5348) (Inland Report),

with the same neck and bosses. Dimensions: H = 39 cm., D = 30 cm., R =

12 cm., N = 8-0 cm. Ratios: H/D'= 1-05, D/R =2-500N/ Re one

Fig. XX XI: 10 (F. Taylor). Alexander Bay. Part of a convex, contracted

neck with a plain, tapered rim. The upper vertical part of the neck is decorated

with a horizontal row of impressed oval dots (diam. = 3 mm.). There is a

slight trimming groove. This decoration is similar to ones from Port Nolloth

(fig. XX XI: 20). From the same pot comes an applied conical boss and a

pointed (conical or conoid) base with a very heavy nipple (max. th. = 30 mm.),

see fig. XXXIV: 6. The material is black to grey-brown and has an admixture

of coarse mixed sand. Thickness = 6 mm. The pot is very worn, but it was

burnished. This pot is very similar to one from Kleinsee (fig. IV: 1) and could

have been made by the same potter. Dimensions: D = 24 cm., R = 12 cm.

Ratio: D/R = 2:0. :

Fig. XX XI: 11 (SAM 1314 Biden). Part of neck from a pot with a straight.

vertical neck (or possibly a bagshaped pot) and a plain tapered rim decorated

with a row of short vertical grooved lines just below the edge. The material is

brown with a fine quartz sand admixture. Thickness = 6-7 mm. Both sides are

burnished brown. Dimension: R = 12 cm. This type of decoration has not

been found anywhere else.

Fig. XX XI: 12 (SAM 1314). Part ofa contracted neck with an overturned,

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 475

squared and incorporated broad rim with a trimming groove, similar to rims

from Walvis Bay (fig. XX XI: 3-5). The material is red-brown with a medium

quartz sand admixture. Thickness = 5 mm. The outside is crudely smoothed.

Dimension: R = 8 cm.

Fig. XXXI: 13 (SAM 1314). Part of a straight, almost vertical neck with

a plain, tapered rim and a slight trimming groove. The rim is decorated just

below the groove with a row of impressed circular dots (diam. = 2-3 mm.).

The material is black outside, light brown inside with a slight admixture of

medium quartz sand. Thickness = 5 mm. The outside is burnished black.

Dimension: R = 12 cm.

Fig, XXXI: 14 (SAM 1314). Part of a straight, almost vertical neck with

a plain, squared and slightly tapered rim. It is decorated with a horizontal row

of vertical crescent marks, possibly made with a fingernail. The material is

black with a medium quartz sand admixture. Thickness = 5-6 mm. Both

sides have a dark brown burnish. Dimension: R = 16 cm.

Fig. XXXII: 15 (SAM 5329 Divine). Part of a straight contracted neck

with a plain, tapered rim and decorated with a horizontal row of impressed

drop marks. The material is red-brown with some fine sand admixture, probably

natural. Thickness = 6 mm. Both sides are burnished red-brown. Dimensions:

Re 1o,em., N — 6-0 cm. Ratio: N/R = 0:38.

Fig. XX XI: 16 (SAM 53209). Part of a contracted neck with an overturned,

rounded and consolidated rim with a trimming groove. Below the rim is a row

of small, impressed vertical lines. The material is brown with a slight sand

admixture, probably natural. Thickness = 7 mm. The outside is burnished

grey-brown. There is part of a drilled conical hole near the rim.

Fig. XXXI:17 (SAM 6763 Rudner). McDougall Bay. Piece of a con-

tracted neck with an overturned, rounded and incorporated rim with a

trimming groove (rim. max. th. = 7 mm.). The neck is decorated with hori-

zontally grooved lines, the first of this type, which later becomes common. The

material is brown with a fine sand admixture, probably natural. Thickness =

5 mm. Dimension: R = 12 cm. :

Fig. XX XI: 18 (SAM 6763). McDougall Bay. A piece of thick, overturned,

tapered and incorporated rim (max. th. = 11 mm.) with a trimming groove.

The overturned, external part of the rim is decorated with a grooved herring-

bone pattern. This is the first and possibly the most beautiful of the decorated

rims, which are also popular in the Saldanha area (fig. XXXI: 33 etc.). A

very similar rim comes from Dreyer’s Pan at Kleinsee (fig. XX XI: 21) and

another from Grootdrink (Boegoeberg) on the Orange River (Inland Report).

This type of decoration probably originated with the first Sotho who reached

the Orange River. The material is red with a fine quartz sand admixture,

probably natural. Dimension: R = 16 cm.

Fig. XXXI: 19 (SAM 6763). McDougall Bay. A fragment of an over-

turned, tapered and incorporated rim (max. th. = 8 mm.), with a trimming

groove, decorated on the overturned part with a grooved check pattern. The

material is black with a coarse quartz admixture, possibly pounded. The

476 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

outside has a red burnish, the inside a brown one.

Fig. XXXI: 20 (AM). Coast near Port Nolloth. Piece of a convex, con-

tracted neck with an everted, plain, tapered rim and decorated along the fold

with a row of small drop marks, impressed from below. The material is black

with some coarse quartz admixture. Thickness = 8 mm. The outside has a

black burnish, the inside a light brown one. This neck is probably from a pot

of the same type as the ones from Alexander Bay (fig. XX XI: 10) and Kleinsee

(fig. IV: 1). Dimension: R = 13 cm.

Fig. XX XIII: 5 (SAM 1314). A very large, horizontally pierced, extern-

ally applied conical lug (max. th. = 48 mm.) with a straight channel, aperture

diam. = 10 mm. The material is brown with a grey core and a slight medium

quartz sand admixture, probably natural. Thickness = 6 mm. There is a red

burnish on the outside, light brown on the inside. There is a slight wear on the

upper side of the apertures, indicating that a sling was pulled through it and

used for carrying.

Fig. XX XIII: 6 (SAM 1314). A horizontally pierced, externally applied

thick disc lug with a straight channel and aperture diam. = 10 mm. This is

the last of this type of disc lug so common in South West Africa and not appear-

ing again until east of Mossel Bay. ‘The material is dark brown with a medium

quartz admixture. Thickness = 5 mm.

Fig. XX XIII: 7 (AS Laidler). A horizontally pierced, internally rein-

forced, rounded lug. It is decorated with vertical rows of shallow, impressed

round dots. Decorated lugs are very rare and have only been found at Blaauw-

berg, Mossel Bay and at Waterloo Bay. The material is brown with some

quartz admixture.

Fig. XX XIII: 8 (Rudner). Port Nolloth North. A plain rounded rim and

a flat, horizontally pierced, internally reinforced lug from a short-necked or

bagshaped pot. The neck is decorated with a horizontal row of short impressed

vertical lines. The material is brown with a medium quartz sand admixture.

Thickness = 6 mm. Dimension: R = 16 cm. :

Fig. XXXIV:5 (F. Taylor). Alexander Bay. A small tubular spout,

outer diameter = 18 mm., inner diam. = 9-11 mm. The material is black

with a fine sand admixture. This is the narrowest spout found in the survey.

Fig. XXXIV: 6 (F. Taylor). Alexander Bay. See fig. XX XI: to.

Fig. XXXIV: 7 (Rudner). McDougall Bay. This appears to be either

part of a small bowl with a rim spout or else a broken and worn channel spout.

The material is black with a rich mica admixture. Thickness = 3 mm. Dimen-

sion: D = (R?) = 14cm. The only other possible rim spout comes from

Modderrivier on the south-western coast.

Fig. XXXIV: 8 (Rudner). Port Nolloth North. Piece of a conical base:

(max. th. = 15 mm.). The material is black with a fine quartz sand admixture,

probably natural. Thickness = 7 mm.

Reports : R. Colson (1905) published a report on the Port Nolloth middens

and their cultural material, while W. E. Giffen (SAM Corr. 1909) was especially

interested in the shells and the pottery (see Historical Evidence). In 1913

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 477

Laidler (1935) collected much material from the middens north and south of

Port Nolloth. ‘The shell deposits were hundreds of feet in length and breadth

and the implement assemblage homogeneous, being of a Wilton type accom-

panied by ostrich eggshell plaques and pendants, eggshell water bottles,

ornamented and plain. Pottery of Hottentot type occurred mainly on the

mounds on which stone implements were scarcest.’ In another report (1929)

he states that pottery was made into the nineteenth century and that the tool

and pottery sites were 200-300 yards inland from the shell mounds.

13. Kleinsee

District: Namaqualand.

Sites: Dreyer’s Pan (17°02'E, 29°35’S). Small middens at the beach and

up to 1,500 m. from it, also east of Karras Pan, 4 km. from the sea. These

sites have been explored by Mr. B. Hendey. The former site was visited in

1960.

Kleinsee (17°03'E, 29°40’S). Just north of the mouth of the Buffalo River

mouth are middens at different levels. About 800 m. from the sea are middens

of limpets at 80-90 ft. above sea-level. What appears to be older middens

are on red sand about 3 km. from the sea at 120 and 160 ft. above sea-level.

These sites were visited in 1960. Some of these middens have been removed by

mining activities.

Associations : A Wilton industry has been found at the Dreyer’s Pan sites and

the same culture is probably present at Kleinsee. Human remains have been

found in middens at Kleinsee and some skeletal material is now in the

SAM.

Pottery: Remains of 13 pots, 3 of them wholly reconstructed and 2 more

partly. |

Fig. IV: 1 (SAM 5869 CDM). Parts of a pot of Type C1 with a convex,

contracted neck, two externally applied conical bosses and a nippled base.

The rim is plain rounded and everted, and the fold is decorated with a row of

impressed circular dots and below it on the neck almost vertical rows of dots.

The nippled base has an ammonite spiral and its maximum thickness is 26 mm.

The material is reddish brown with a medium quartz sand admixture. Thick-

ness = 6—7 mm. The outside has a mottled red and black burnish on the upper

part and black on the base. Dimensions: D = 24 cm., R = 8 cm., N =

10:0 cm. Ratios: D/R = 3:00, N/R = 1-25. This pot is almost identical with

one from Alexander Bay (fig. XX XI: 10) and the neck is very similar to one

from Port Nolloth (fig. XX XI: 20). It is also somewhat similar to some pots

from Gordonia and Namaqualand (Inland Report).

Fig. [V:2 (MMK). A completely reconstructed pot from the beach. It

is of Type C1 and has a conoid base, a concave, contracted neck and three

pressed-out bosses. This is the only pot found with three bosses. The neck is

decorated with horizontal, probably grooved lines. Dimensions: H = 31°5 cm.,

DE 30cm... R — 10 em., N= 4 cm. Ratios: H/D = 1-05, D/R =3-00,

N/R = 0-40. This is the only information available for this pot, only seen

478 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

on a photograph. ite

Fig. IV: 3 (SAM 7136 Orpen). A reconstructed large pot of Type C1

found 10 feet down in a sand dune north of Kleinsee (Dreyer’s Pan?). It has

a concave, contracted neck, two small externally applied conical bosses and a

conoid nippled base (max. th. = 30 mm.). The actual rim is worn off. There

is no decoration. On the base are four bored holes. The material is brown to

black with a medium to coarse quartz sand admixture. Thickness = 6-7 mm.

Dimensions:..H.= 44:5 cm., D = 35-0 cm., R = 16 cm., .N = 6 ene, Ratios:

H/D = 1:27, D/R = 3°5, N/R = 0-90. This pot is similar) to wesselsmiem

Namaqualand and Gordonia and is related to the tall-necked pots from

Gordonia (Inland Report). :

Fig. V: 3 (SAM 5869). Reconstructed bowl! with a nippled base. The rim

is plain, tapered and decorated with a horizontal row of impressed sloping drop

marks. The material is black with a medium quartz sand admixture and is not

well fired. It has a crude brown burnish on the outside. Dimensions: H =

11cm., D=R= 16cm. Ratios: H/D = 0-62, D/R = 1:00. This bowl is similar

to the one from Port Nolloth (fig. III: 2) and is the only decorated non-

Bushman bowl found. - | 3

Fig. V:4 (SAM 6762 Rudner). Kleinsee. Parts of a spouted pot,

reminiscent of a bagshaped pot, with a very short, contracted neck. The rim is

overturned, tapered and incorporated with a trimming groove. The material

is black with a fairly coarse quartz sand admixture, possibly with pounded

quartz added. The rim is brown outside and inside with a black core. Thickness

=-5 mm. Dimensions: .D — 18 cm., R = 12 cm, spout lengthi— opm,

opening diam. = 15 mm. Ratio: D/R = 1-50. This is the only spouted pot

of this type found. :

Fig. XX XI: 21 (Hendey Coll.). Dreyer’s Pan. Part of a contracted neck

with an overturned, tapered and incorporated rim with a trimming groove.

The outwards bevelled part of the rim is decorated with a grooved herring-

bone pattern. The neck below the rim is decorated with horizontal grooved

lines. The material is black with a fine quartz sand admixture, probably

natural. Thickness = 5 mm. The outside has a black burnish. Dimension:

R = 8 cm. See the comments on a similar rim from Port Nolloth (fig. XX XI:

18).

Also from Dreyer’s Pan comes an elliptical piece of pottery (Hendey Coll.),

6-0 X 4:4 cm., with a rounded shallow groove along the longer axis. This

piece of pottery was obviously used as a grooved stone. The material is black

with a medium quartz sand admixture. Thickness = 5 mm.

14. Grootmist (17°06’E, 29°39’S)

District: Namaqualand.

Site: Inland from Kleinsee along the Buffalo River are small limpet

middens in sandy patches. Visited 1960.

Associations: A Wilton industry.

Pottery: (Rudner). Only one piece of pottery found.

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 479

15. Rietfontein (17°52’E, 31°15'S)

District: Vanrhynsdorp.

Site: There are probably middens on the southern side of the Soutrivier

mouth. Nothing more is known about the site, which has not been visited by

the author.

Associations: Not known.

Pottery: Remains of 5 pots, none whole or reconstructed.

Fig. XXXI: 22 (SAM). A fragment of a straight contracted neck with a

plain tapered and slightly everted rim. The material is light brown with a

black core and a slight sand admixture, probably natural. There is a red

burnish on the outside. Thickness = 5-6 mm. Dimensions: R = 10 cm.,

N = 2:5 cm. Ratio: N/R = 0:25.

Fig. XXXI:23 (SAM). Piece of an overturned, rounded and _ incor-

porated rim with a trimming groove.

From the same site also comes a small piece of neck decorated with

horizontal rows of impressed prick marks and vertical rows on the shoulder.

There are also a small horizontally pierced, internally reinforced lug and two

nippled bases.

18. Lambert’s Bay (18°19’E, 32°05’S)

District: Clanwilliam.

Site: There is a large dune covered by a midden on the northern side of

the Jackals River mouth. Visited 1952 and later.

Associations: Only crude midden tools have been found here.

Pottery: Remains of 5 pots, one of them reconstructed.

- Fig. V:5 (Rudner). The reconstructed pot is of Type C1 and has a

straight vertical neck with a plain squared rim, two pressed-out rounded bosses

and a globular, nippled base (max. th. = 12 mm.). There is a slight body-

neck junction groove. The material is black with a medium admixture. Thick-

ness = 4-6 mm. There is a well-defined joint around the waist. It is burnished

dark brown outside, light brown inside. Dimensions: H = approx. 25 cm.,

Drom... — 12 cm.) N = 3:2 cm. Ratios: D/R = 9-0, N/R: = 0-27.

This is the first pot with a straight vertical neck. The globular, nippled base

is unusual. The only other somewhat similar vessel comes from Modderrivier

(fig. XI 5).

rg. Vanputtensvlei

District: Clanwilliam.

Sites: outpans Klipheuwel (18°20'E, 32°01’S). 8 km. north of Vanputtens-

vlei and 3 km. from the sea is a sandstone outcrop. At the north-western end of

this is a small sand area with some limpet middens. There are also shelters

with paintings in this outcrop. Visited 1963.

Vanputtensvler (18°21’E, 32°05’S). On the northern side of the sya

River is a dune area with many limpet middens more than 5 km. from the

sea on the farms Vanputtensvlei, Kookfontein and Panorama. On the southern

480 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

side of the river opposite the midden area is an outcrop with paintings. Visited

1952 and 1963.

Associations: At the first site were microlithic tools found, probably Wilton.

The second site has a rich Wilton industry.

Pottery: At Zoutpans Klipheuwel were sherds of only 1 pot found. From

Vanputtensvlei come remains of 15 pots, none complete or reconstructed.

Fig. XX XI: 24 (Rudner). Vanputtensvlei. Piece of a straight neck with a

plain tapered rim and decorated with horizontally grooved lines. The material

is light brown with a grey core and a slight quartz sand admixture. Thickness =

5 mm. There is a dark red-brown burnish on the outside.

Fig. XX XI: 25 (Rudner). As above. Part of a concave, flared neck with a

plain tapered rim and decorated with a horizontal row of short vertical grooved

lines. The material is brown with a medium quartz sand admixture. Thick-

ness = 5°5 mm. There is a red-brown burnish on both sides. Dimension:

R = 12 cm. This type of decoration is mostly found at Port Nolloth, e.g. fig.

XXXI: 16, but a very similar neck comes from Oranjemund (fig. V: 2).

Fig. XX XI: 26 (Rudner). As above. Piece of a concave neck with an

overturned, rounded and incorporated rim (max. th. = 5 mm.). This material

is light brown with a black core and a fine quartz sand admixture. Thickness =

7 mm. There is a fine red burnish on both sides. Dimension: R = 12 cm.

Fig. XX XI: 27 (Rudner). As above. Piece of a straight vertical neck with

a plain tapered rim. The material is black with a medium sand admixture.

Thickness = 6 mm. There is a red burnish on both sides. From the same pot

comes a broken horizontally pierced, externally applied lug with a peiaignt

channel. Dimension: R = 9 cm.

- Fig. XX XI: 28 (Rudner). As above. Piece of a neck with a plain sharply

tapered rim. The material is grey with a fine quartz sand admixture. Thick-

ness = 7mm. The outside and inside are burnished light brown.

Fig. XXXI: 29 (Rudner). From Zoutpans Klipheuwel comes a piece of

neck with a plain tapered rim. The material is light brown with a black core

and a coarse quartz admixture. Thickness = 6 mm. There is a red burnish

on both sides. Dimension: R = 12 cm.

20. Eland’s Bay (18°21’E, 32°18’S)

District: Piketberg.

Sites : There are several midden sites in this area: behind the beach among

the sand dunes, in the south-eastern corner of the dune area near Verloren

Vlei, along the beach near Baboon Point, in the large Baboon Point Cave

where there are numerous paintings and in smaller shelters on the slopes of

the Elandberg, a couple of which have paintings. This area was first visited

In 1952.

Associations: The midden area near Verloren Vlei has a rich Wilton

industry. From the caves comes a Wilton or Smithfield industry. At all the

sites has pottery been found.

Pottery: Remains of 12 pots, none complete or reconstructed.

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 481

Fig. XXXI:30 (SAM F. Taylor). Midden between river mouth and

Baboon Point. Piece of a straight contracted neck with a plain squared rim.

The material is light grey with a medium quartz admixture and a red burnish

on both sides. Thickness = 6 mm. Dimension: R = 14 cm.

From the same site comes a piece of a horizontally pierced, internally

reinforced lug.

Fig. XX XI: 31 (Rudner). Shell midden north of river and 1-5 km. from

the sea near Verloren Vlei. Sherds from a necked pot, including a piece of

plain, rounded and slightly everted rim. The material is grey with a medium

quartz admixture. Thickness = 6—7 mm. The base has a maximum thickness =

12mm. There is also a horizontally pierced, internally reinforced lug.

21. Duinefontein (18°18’E, 32°36’S)

District: Piketberg.

Site: There are late-looking middens among the ae between the sea

and Die Vlei. Visited 1963.

Associations: No stone tools were found.

Pottery: Sherd from 1 pot, not whole or reconstructed.

Fig. XX XI: 32 (Rudner). Piece of plain, tapered and squared rim without

any decoration. The material is brown with a medium quartz admixture.

Thickness = 5-7 mm. There is a red burnish on the outside, brown on the

inside.

22. Velddrift (18°11’E, 32°47’S)

District: Piketberg.

Site: There are scattered middens among the consolidated dunes on the

north bank of the Berg River at the road bridge and approx. 5 km. from the

sea. Middens are mainly limpets. Visited 1963.

Associations: Later Stone Age.

Pottery: (Rudner). Pieces from 1 pot, not reconstructed.

23. Berg River (18°19’E, 32°55’S)

District: Piketberg.

Site: On the southern bank of the Berg River about 24 km. from the sea

near Berg River Station is a small dune area with limpet middens. Visited

1963. |

Associations: Sandy Bay industry.

Pottery: (Rudner). Remains of 5 pots, none whole or reconstructed. Piece

of a pointed base.

C. SALDANHA AREA

24. St. Helena Bay (18°01’E, 32°44’S)

District: Hopefield.

Site: On Sandy Point were dunes and a few middens, now removed for a

fish factory. Visited 1952.

482 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Historical evidence: Vasco da Gama visited St. Helena Bay in 1497 and

reported on the Strandlopers there (Axelsson, 1954).

Associations: Sandy Bay industry. :

Pottery: (Rudner). Remains of 3 pots, none complete or reconstructed,

Piece of a neck decorated with horizontal incised lines and a piece of a pointed

base.

25. Stompneus Point (17°59’E, 32°43’S)

District : Hopefield. :

Site: There is a large midden area covering the whole point. Visited 1952

and later.

Historical evidence: In the Journal of Van Riebeeck (1952) it is reported that

Saldanhars (Hottentots) were killing seals at Stompneus.

Associations: A rich Wilton industry has been found on this site and a

few broken human bones. pee

Pottery: Remains of 12 pots, none of them complete or reconstructed.

Fig. XX XI: 33 (Rudner). Part of a short concave and contracted neck

with an overturned, tapered (bevelled) and incorporated rim (max. th. =

8 mm.) with a trimming ridge. The outwards bevelled part of the rim is

decorated with a string pattern consisting of impressed diagonal short lines.

This type of rim and decoration is mainly found in the Saldanha area between

Stompneus and Paternoster, but cases are also known from Modderrivier

(fig. XXXI: 51) and Rooiels (fig. XXXII: 67). From the same pot come two

fairly low, pressed-out bosses and parts of an ovoid or conoid base. The material

is light to dark grey with a coarse quartz sand admixture. Thickness = 5—7 mm.

The outside has a red burnish, the inside a black one. Dimension: R = 10 cm.

Fig. XX XI: 34 (Rudner). Part of a contracted neck with a plain, tapered

rim, decorated on the outwards bevelled part with a string pattern of the same

kind as on the previous pot. This combination of plain bevelled rim and string

decoration is somewhat more common than the previous type. Similar rims

have been found at Ysterfontein (fig. XX XI: 48) and at Hangklip West (fig.

XXXII: 68). The material is light brown-grey with a medium sedi sand

admixture. Thickness = 6 mm. Dimension: R = 12 cm. oi

Fig. XXX: 35 (Rudner). Sherds from a spouted and necked pot with an

overturned, tapered and incorporated rim. The material is grey-brown with a

medium quariz sand admixture. Thickness = 6-7 mm. The outside has a red

burnish, the inside a black one. Dimensions: D = 24 cm., R = 14cm. Ratio:

Di R= 171. a

Fig. XXXIV:g9 (Rudner). A conoid base with a nipple, which is not

reinforced but pressed out, an unusual feature. The material is black with a

medium quartz sand admixture. The outside and inside are burnished dark

brown to black. Thickness = 6-7 mm. Possibly also from this pot comes part

of the junction between an almost vertical neck and the body, which joint

has been reinforced on the inside with a thickened ridge. This is sometimes

found on the south coast (fig. XXXII: 80) and in the Port Elizabeth area.

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 483

From the same site come parts of two ovoid bases, neither of them rein-

forced; the point of one is actually thinner than the rest of the base. This

latter pot appears to have a slip added to the inside of the vessel. The slip is

light brown compared with the black material of the wall and is crackled and

partly flaked off, The outside has a red burnish.

26. Britannia Point (17°56’E, 32°43’S)

District: Hopefield.

Sites: There are middens all along Britannia Bay over Britannia Point to

St. Martin’s Point. Visited 1952.

Associations : Later Stone Age tools, Srobably Wilton.

~ Pottery: Remains of 11 pots, 1 of them reconstructed.

-. Fig. VI: 1 (Rudner). A reconstructed spouted pot found on Britannia

Point. It has a short vertical neck with an overturned, tapered and incorporated

rim (max. th. = 8 mm.) with a trimming ridge. The outwards bevelled part is

decorated with a string pattern consisting of impressed, short horizontal lines.

The rim of the spout is also bevelled and decorated in the same way. On the

shoulder opposite the spout is a pressed-out low and rounded boss. The base is

conoid and reinforced (max. th. = 16 mm.). The material is grey with a

medium quartz sand admixture. Thickness = 7 mm. The pot has a red

burnish on the outside and also on the inside of the neck. There is a pro-

nounced joint around the widest part of the belly and another one just above

the base showing that the pot was built in at least three, but probably four,

(parts. Dimensions: -H’=:96:5-cmi, D = 27-5 cm., R = 8-5 cm., N = 6°0 cm.,

spout length = 20 mm., outer diam. = 35 mm., inner diam. = 22 mm.

Ratios: tt) — 1-93, D/R = 3:25, N/R = 0-70..This pot is the type specimen

for Type D2 but spouted pots of this urn-shape have not been found in any

.other area. A pot of similar shape with pressed-out bosses but no spout comes

from Blaauwberg (fig. XIII: 3). A somewhat similar spouted pot, but wider,

has been found in the Erongo Mountains in South West Africa, and a spouted

pot with a decorated rim comes from seroottans (Boegoeberg) in Gordonia

‘tlle Report).

Fig. XXXI: 36 (Rudner). Britannia Bay. Part of a neck with a plain,

rounded rim and decorated with horizontal grooved lines. On the shoulder are

two small bosses, which appear to be both applied and pressed out. The

material is black with a medium quartz sand admixture. Thickness = 6 mm.

The pot was burnished red on the outside. Dimensions: R = 8 cm., N =

3-5 cm. Ratio: N/R = 0.44.

Fig. XX XI: 37 (Rudner). Britannia Point. Piece of a neck with an over-

turned, rounded and incorporated rather heavy rim (max. th. = r2 mm.),

with a trimming ridge. The material is brown with a black core and a coarse

quartz sand admixture. Thickness = 7-8 mm. The pot has a red burnish

outside and a light brown one inside. Dimension: R = 15 cm.

Fig. XX XI: 38 (Rudner). Britannia Point. Sherds from a spouted and

necked pot similar to fig. VI: 1. The rim is overturned, tapered and incor-

484 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

porated with a trimming ridge and is decorated with a diagonal, impressed

string pattern. The rim around the spout (fig. XXXIV: 10) is overturned in a

somewhat different manner and is decorated with an impressed, horizontal

string pattern, the same as found on fig. VI: 1. The material is brown with a

grey core and has a coarse quartz sand admixture. The pot has a red burnish

outside and also inside the neck, while the rest of the inside has a black burnish.

Dimensions: D = 26(?) cm., R = gcm., N = 3:5cm., spout length = 35 mm.,

opening diam. = 28 mm. Ratios: (D/R = 2-9), N/R = 0-39. This pot could

have been made by the same potter as fig. VI: 1.

Fig. XX XI: 39 (Rudner). Britannia Point. Part of a convex contracted

neck with an overturned, rounded and badly incorporated rim (max. th. =

Qg mm.) with a trimming groove. The neck is decorated with grooved more or

less horizontal lines. The material is light red-brown, sometimes with a grey

core, and has a slight but coarse quartz sand admixture. Thickness = 5 mm.

Dimension: R = 15 cm. The neck is similar to one from Noordhoek (fig.

XXXIT: 65).

Fig. XXXIV: 10 (Rudner). See fig. XX XI: 38.

Fig. XXXIV: 11 (Rudner). Britannia Point. A tubular spout with an over-

turned, tapered and incorporated rim with a trimming ridge. The material

is brown with a medium quartz sand admixture. Thickness = 6 mm. Both the

outside and the inside of the spout have a red-brown burnish, while the inside

of the pot has a black one (see fig. XX XI: 38). Dimensions: Spout length =

25 mm., outer diam. = 40 mm., inside diam. min. = 25 mm.

From the same site also comes a part of a pointed base, conical or conoid,

which is reinforced, max. th. = 15 mm.

27. St. Martin’s Point (17°55’E, 32°43’S)

District: Hopefield.

Site: There is a large midden area on the plain hard ground of the point.

Visited 1952.

Associations: Later Stone Age.

Pottery: Remains of 1 pot, partly reconstructed.

Fig. XXXIV: 12 (Rudner). The lower part of a necked pot with an ovoid

base. The base is reinforced, max. th. = 15 mm., and has an ammonite spiral.

The material is black with a coarse quartz sand admixture. Thickness = 7 mm.

The outside has a red burnish on the upper part, black on the lower part and

black on the inside. The pot was built with rings. Dimension: D = 25:0 cm.

28. Paternoster

District: Hopefield.

Sites: Saltpan (17°54'E, 32°46’S). There is a midden area at the Saltpan,

visited by H. Rabinowitz (SAM 6426).

Paternoster (17°54'E, 32°48’S). There is a large midden in the village,

visited in 1952.

Associations : Wilton.

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 485

Potiery: (SAM 6426 Rabinowitz and Rudner). Remains of 3 pots, none

whole or reconstructed.

There are pieces of two necked pots, one of them with an overturned,

tapered and incorporated rim decorated with a horizontal string pattern.

29. Kasteelberg (17°57’E, 32°49’S)

District: Hopefield.

Site: A hill topped by granite boulders, 610 ft. above sea-level and about

5 km. from Paternoster Bay. Among the boulders and on the north-eastern

slope towards the farm buildings are shell middens. On flat granite floors

are deep grinding grooves. Underneath the rocks are small shelters wth

middens mostly of limpets. Visited 1952.

Associations: Still Bay and Sandy Bay(?) tools found here.

Pottery: Remains of 9 pots, none whole or reconstructed.

Fig. XX XI: 40 (Rudner). Piece of a neck with an overturned, rounded

and incorporated rim (max. th. = 9 mm.) with a trimming groove or ridge,

similar to one from Britannia Point (fig. XX XI: 37). The material is black

with almost no admixture. Thickness = 6 mm. There is a fine light brown

burnish outside, a black one inside. Dimension: R = 16 cm.

Fig. XXXI: 41 (Rudner). Part of a neck with a half overturned, plain

rounded rim with a trimming groove. The material is black with a medium

quartz sand admixture. Thickness = 6 mm. There is a fine light red burnish

outside and inside. Dimension: R = 18 cm. Half overturned rims are rare

west of Agulhas, the only other ones being found at Blaauwberg, Hout Bay,

Hangklip East (fig. XXXII: 73) and Pearly Beach. They are more common

between Mossel Bay and the Gamtoos River.

Fig, XX XI: 42 (Rudner). Piece of a plain rim tapered to a sharp edge.

The material is black with a coarse quartz admixture and the neck was built

up in rings. It was burnished red outside and inside. Dimension: R = 16 cm.

Sharp edged rims are mainly found around Port Elizabeth, but those are

overturned.

From the same site comes a plain tapered rim and also a piece of neck

decorated with grooved horizontal lines.

30. West Bay (17°53’E, 32°56’S)

District: Hopefield.

Site: There are middens along the bay. Visited 1952.

Associations : Wilton.

Pottery: (Rudner). Remains of 4 pots, none whole or reconstructed. One

horizontally pierced, internally reinforced lug.

32. Danger Bay (17°54’E, 33°01’S)

District: Hopefield.

Sites: There are middens, mostly limpets, all along the bay, especially at

the northern part and on Morrison’s Point. Visited 1952 and later.

486 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Associations : From some of the middens comes a rich Wilton industry,

Pottery: Remains of 18 pots from Danger Bay and 4 from Morrison’s

Point. Of these 1 is complete and 7 are wholly or partly reconstructed.

Fig. VI: 2 (Rudner). A complete pot found in drift sand half-way along

the bay near the beach between two midden groups. This is the first ‘typical

Strandloper pot’ of Type C2 with a straight contracted neck, an overturned,

tapered and incorporated rim (max. th. = 10 mm.) with a trimming groove.

The rim opening is elliptical with the shorter diameter on the axis of the lugs.

There is also a slight body-neck junction step, turning up slightly over the

horizontally pierced, internally reinforced conical lugs. The channels are

bent and finger-made. The base is conoid. The material varies between brown

and black and has a coarse brown quartz sand admixture. Thickness = 7 mm.

The pot is burnished red outside, black inside. Dimensions: H = 32-2. cm.,

D = 26-4-27-0 cm., R = 15:8-17°6 cm., N = 6-0-6°5 cm. Ratios: H/D =

i-91, Di Ro =-1°54; NR = == (Oo)

Fig. VI: 3:(Rudner). The upper part of a pot also of Type Ca2- found at

the southern end of the bay on a midden associated with Wilton tools. It has a

straight contracted neck with an overturned, tapered and incorporated rim

(max. th. = 11 mm.), a slight trimming groove, a body-neck junction step

and horizontally pierced, internally reinforced conical lugs. The channels are

bent and finger-made, aperture diam. = 20-24 mm. The material is red to

black with a coarse sand admixture. Thickness = 6-7 mm. There is a dark-red

burnish outside and a mottled brown and black one inside. The channels are

also burnished. The pot was built up in rings and there is a pronounced waist

joint. Dimensions: D = 36 cm., R = 16 cm., N = 8.5 cm. Ratios: D/R =

2°95) N/R — 0:53. This isia iaveee version of the previous pot.

Fig. VII: 1 (Rudner). Found among the dunes on the southern ide of

the bay. A snail reconstructed pot of Type C1 with a concave vertical neck,

a plain tapered, somewhat everted, rim, horizontally pierced, internally

reinforced conical lugs and a conoid base with a large reinforced nipple (max.

th. = 20 mm.). The material is light brown or black with a coarse quartz sand

admixture. Thickness = 6-8 mm. Neck thickness = 5 mm. The pot was built

up in rings which are not very well incorporated. The pot is burnished red

both outside and inside. Dimensions: H = 22:5cm., D = 20cm., R = 12 cm.,

N = 4 cm. Ratios: H/D = 1-12, D/R = 1-66, N/R —/0-99)Aesinlanepet

comes from Ysterfontein (fig. IX: 6).

Fig, VII: 2 (Rudner). From midden on the northern side of the bay. A

bowl with a slightly inturned plain tapered rim, rather uneven. The base is

thickened (max. th. = 12 mm.), probably globular. The material is black with

a medium quartz sand admixture. Thickness = 8-9 mm. There is a black

burnish outside and inside. Dimensions: D = 20 cm., R = 18 cm. Ratio:

D/R = 1:11. Bowls of this type are rare among Strandloper pottery west of

Agulhas, but an almost identical bowl comes from Bokbaai (fig. XII: 3).

The Bushman bowls from around Port Elizabeth also have this shape (fig.

XXVIT: 5).

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 487

Fig. VII: 3 (Rudner). A partly reconstructed pot of Type C1 found mid-

way along the bay and near Wilton sites. It has a-straight vertical neck with

a plain tapered rim, rather uneven. The base was probably conoid and the pot

probably had lugs. The material is light grey or black with a coarse quartz

admixture. Thickness = 6 mm. Both the outside and the inside have a red to

black (base) burnish. Dimensions: H:-— 21-cm.(?), D = 17 cm., R.= 10 cm.,

N = 4'5 cm. Ratios: D/R = 1-7, N/R = 0-45. This is a fairly common sub-

type on the south-western coast of the Cape found for example at Saldanha

Schiereiland (fig. VIII: 6), Bokbaai (fig. XII: 4), Blaauwberg (fig, XIII: 5)

and the Cape Flats (fig. XVII: 7), etc. |

Fig. VII: 5 (Rudner). A partly reconstructed pot also of Type C1 found

on the northern side of the bay. It is similar to the previous pot, i.e. the same

subtype, with a straight vertical neck and a plain squared rim. The base was

possibly ovoid and the pot probably had lugs. The material is brown with a

black core and a medium quartz sand admixture. Thickness = 4-5 mm. The

outside has a good red-brown burnish, the inside a light brown one. Dimensions:

De 2orcm.. ik. 9 cm., N — 4:0 cm. Ratios: D/R = 2°55, N/R: = 0-44.

Fig. VII: 6 (Rudner). Found on top of dunes near the beach. The lower

part of a spouted pot. It has a conical base with a flattened nipple (max. th. =

15 mm.). There are no signs of any lugs. The spout is 40 mm. long, its outer

diam. = 35 mm., inner diam. = 20 mm. with a plain tapered rim. The

material is black with a medium quartz admixture, but it is badly fired and

breaks apart in flakes. Thickness = 5 mm. The outside has a red burnish.

Dimension: D = 37:5 cm. It is difficult to compare this pot with other spouted

pots as the neck is not present. The spout, however, is of the same type as one

from Kleinsee (fig. V: 4) and it is possible that the pots belong to the same

subtype. The lower part of the pot is also reminiscent of bases from Kleinsee

(Gov: 1 and 3).

Fig. XX XI: 43 (Rudner). Pieces of a necked pot from middens on Mor-

rison’s Point. The sherds come from a short straight contracted neck with an

overturned, rounded and incorporated rim which is very thick (max. th. =

17 mm.). The material is light brown with a black core and has a rich admixture

of coarse quartz sand. Thickness = 7-8 mm. Dimension: R = 22 cm. This

type of very thick rounded rim has also been found on Type C2 pots at Noord-

hoek (fig. XVI: 2) and Buffels Bay (fig. XVII: 4).

Fig. XXXI: 44 (Rudner). Morrison’s Point. Pieces of an overturned,

slightly squared and incorporated rim with a trimming groove (max. th. =

7 mm.). The material is light grey-brown with a medium quartz sand admix-

ture. Thickness = 5 mm. The outside and inside have a brown burnish.

Dimensions: D = 26 cm., R = 24 cm. Ratio: D/R = 1-08. This appears to

be a bagshaped pot, possibly similar to the spouted and bagshaped pot from

Kleinsee (fig. V: 3). |

Fig. XXXIV: 13 (Rudner). From middens on the northern side of the

bay. Sherds from a pot which has a base with a flattened nipple (max. th. =

10 mm.), possibly worn down. The material is black with a-medium quartz.

488 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

sand admixture. Thickness = 7 mm.

Other rims from this site are plain tapered or overturned and rounded,

in one case not incorporated.

Reports: P. Bateman (1946) described midden sites between Hospital

Point and the Saldanha Schiereiland.

33. Noordbaaikop Cave (17°56’E, 33°02’S)

District: Hopefield.

Site: A cave on the southern side of Noordbaaikop about 100 ft. above

sea-level. There is a shell midden, mostly limpets, inside the cave and also

outside on the slope below the cave, 500 m. from the sea and close to a pan.

Visited 1952.

Associations: See Bateman (1946).

Pottery: Remains of 6 pots, none complete or reconstructed.

Fig. XX XI: 45 (Rudner). Two small pieces of a plain tapered rim,

decorated with three horizontal rows of fine comb impressions. The material

has a fine quartz sand admixture. There is a red burnish outside and inside

the neck. Rim th. = 5 mm. This type of decoration has only been found at the

Great Brak River (fig. XXXII: 79), but it is also related to the string decora-

tions from Stompneus Point (fig. XXXII: 34), etc.

Fig. XXXIV: 14 (Rudner). Piece of a base, probably ovoid. The point is

slightly flattened and reinforced (max. th. = 13 mm.). The material is black

with some medium quartz sand admixture. Thickness = 6 mm. The base is

built up with rings and is burnished black on the outside and inside.

From the midden slope outside the cave comes a small horizontally

pierced, internally reinforced lug and also part of a pointed base (max. th. =

8 mm.), built up with rings.

34. Noordbaai (17°56’E, 33°02’S)

District: Hopefield.

Site: There are middens all along the bay on the steep sand slope and

below. Visited 1951 and later.

Associations: Wilton and Sandy Bay industries. Several human skeletons

have been found here.

Pottery: Remains of 3 pots, none complete or reconstructed.

Fig. XX XI: 46 (Rudner). Found on the midden. A piece of plain tapered

and squared rim from a contracted neck. The material is light brown with a

medium quartz sand admixture. Neck thickness = 9 mm. Dimension: R =

20 cm.

35- Witklip (17°59'E, 32°55'S)

District: Hopefield.

Site: Between Vredenburg and Saldanha Bay there is a large polished

rock face about 8 km. from the sea. Along the sides of this rock are eroded

middens, consisting of limpets and mussels. There are also a couple of small

shelters under odd rocks.

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 489

Associations: Middle Stone Age and Later Stone Age artefacts. A human

skeleton was excavated below the rock, now in SAM.

Pottery: (Rudner). Remains of 1 pot, including a piece of an overturned,

rounded and incorporated rim.

37. Saldanha Bay (18°01’E, 33°o01’S)

District: Hopefield.

Site: There are middens along the beach from Hoedjes Bay to Lynch

Point, some just behind the beach, others up to 30 m. beyond it. Visited 1951.

Historical evidence: In the Journal of Van Riebeeck (1952) the Strandlopers

in Saldanha Bay are often mentioned.

Associations: Later Stone Age artefacts.

Pottery: (Rudner). Remains of 5 pots, none complete or reconstructed.

Two horizontally pierced, internally reinforced lugs were found.

38. Lynch Point (18°02’E, 33°03’S)

District: Hopefield.

Sztes: On the northern side of the point is a dune area with middens, some

at the beach, others behind the dunes. Visited 1951.

Associations: A Wilton industry containing engraved ostrich eggshell.

Pottery: Remains of 4 pots, 1 of them partly reconstructed.

Fig. VII: 4 (Rudner). A partly reconstructed pot, probably of Type C1.

It has pressed-out bosses (h = 6 mm.) and a base which probably was ovoid.

The material is black, rather badly fired, with a slight admixture of medium

quartz sand. Thickness = 5-7 mm. It was built up with rings. The outside

was burnished red while the inside is black. Dimension: D = 19:8 cm.

Fig. XXXIV: 15 (Rudner). A large spout found close to the previous

pot. Its rim is plain and slightly tapered and squared. The material is grey-

brown with a rich medium quartz sand admixture. The surface is very

weathered. Dimensions: Spout outer diam. = 4:3 cm., inner diam. = 3°5 cm.,

inner diam. on the inside of the pot = 3:0 cm.

From the same site also come the nippled base of a large pot and a hori-

zontally pierced, internally reinforced lug.

40. Die Kraal (18°02’E, 33°08’S)

District: Hopefield.

Site: There are small middens all along Kraal Bay, all overgrown: limpets.

Visited 1962.

Associations: Later Stone Age.

Pottery: Pieces of 1 pot from Die Kraal and another complete pot marked

Churchhaven.

Fig. VIII: 1 (SAM 5018). A complete pot marked Churchhaven, which

was either found at Die Kraal next to Churchhaven or at Geelbek farther down

the lagoon in 1909. It is tall and bagshaped, Type Ba. It has a short straight

contracted neck with an overturned, tapered and incorporated rim, which is

490 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

rather uneven. It has two horizontally pierced, internally reinforced lugs,

shaped like flat-topped hills with straight channels, aperture diam. = 10 mm.

The base is conical, not reinforced, max. th. = 10 mm. The material is brown

with fine or no admixture and the surface is uneven. Thickness = 5-6 mm. It

has a red to black burnish. Dimensions: H = 32:5 cm., D = 22:0 cm., R =

16-0 cm. Ratios: H/D = 1-48, D/R = 1-37. This pot is of an unusual shape

for this area, being very similar to the Namaqua pottery from northern Nama-

qualand and southern South West Africa. It possibly belonged to the Namaquas,

who occasionally visited the Cape at the time of Van Riebeeck.

41. Saldanha Schiereiland (17°59’E, 33°04’S)

District: Hopefield.

Site: There is a large midden area among the dunes on top of the plateau,

150-200 ft. above sea-level, at the northern end of the peninsula, north-west

of the Donkergat Whaling Station. Mostly limpets. Visited 1952 and later.

Associations: Sandy Bay tools have been found at one spot. Human skele-

tons have been found here. Part of a skeleton is at the whaling station.

Pottery: Remains of 15 pots, 1 wholly reconstructed and 6 partly.

Fig. VIIT: 3 (Rudner). A partly reconstructed pot with an ovoid base and

two pressed-out bosses, each decorated with two circular impressions (diam. =

8 mm.) simulating the openings of a horizontally pierced lug. This is the only

imitation lug found. The base is not reinforced or thickened. The material is

light brown with a dark grey core and a rich admixture of coarse quartz.

Thickness = 6-7 mm. The pot has a red burnish on both sides. Dimensicn:

D = 18-3 cm. This pot is similar to the one from Lynch Point (fig. VII: 4)

and probably belongs to Type C1.

Fig. VIII: 4 (Rudner). The reconstructed upper half of a pot of Type C2

with straight contracted neck, an overturned, rounded and incorporated rim

with a trimming groove and on the shoulder two horizontally pierced, internally

reinforced lugs (max. th. = 28 mm.), and between them pressed-out small

conical bosses (h. = 6 mm.), probably two between each pair of lugs. The

material is brown with a black core and a medium quartz sand admixture.

Thickness = 6:5 mm. The pot has a red burnish on both sides. Dimensions:

D = 20 cm., R = 13 cm.; N= 3:5 cm. Ratios: D/R =a Ny eo 27.

Lugs in combination with bosses are unusual but also occur at Bokbaai (fig.

XII: 2, two pressed-out ridges between each pair of lugs), Blaauwberg (fig.

XIII: 2, one pressed-out boss between each pair of lugs, another pot from this

site has two pressed-out ridges between each pair of lugs) and Arniston (fig.

XIX: 4, two pressed-out ridges between each pair of vertically pierced lugs).

A pressed-out boss between each pair of lugs is also found on a pot with rooiklip

from Gordonia (Inland Report).

Fig. VIII: 5 (Rudner). The reconstructed upper half of a large pot of

Type C2 with a straight concave neck and an overturned, rounded and

incorporated rim with a trimming groove. There is also a body-neck junction

step and two horizontally pierced, internally reinforced conical lugs (max. th. =

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 490!

38 mm.). The material is grey-brown with a coarse quartz admixture. Thick-

ness = 5mm. Thereisa light red burnish on both sides. Dimensions: R = 14:5

—15:0 cm., N = 9:5 cm. Ratio: N/R = 0-63. This is again one of the typical

pots of Type C2 from this coast.

Fig. VIII: 6 (Rudner). The reconstructed pot of Type C1 has an ovoid

base and a low concave contracted neck with a plain tapered rim, slightly

uneven. No lugs or bosses were found, but may belong. The base is slightly

thickened, max. th. = 10 mm. The material is brown with a grey core and a

medium quartz sand admixture. Thickness = 6 mm. There is a dark red-

brown burnish on the outside, a light brown one inside. Dimensions: H =

2ORchins ))=— 91-4 cm., R.=— 13 cm., N = 3:0,cm.: Ratios: H/D- = 1-02, D/R

= 1°65, N/R = 0-23. For discussion see Danger Bay (fig. VII: 3).

Fig. XXXIV: 16 (Rudner). Among the bases is a small pointed base with

the same thickness as the wall. Thickness = 5 mm. The material is light brown

to grey with a rich admixture of medium quartz sand. There is a black burnish

on the outside.

Another partly reconstructed pot is urn-shaped with horizontally pierced

conical lugs with a straight channel. There are also two partly reconstructed

bagshaped pots, which are rather crude. The one has a plain tapered rim and

horizontally pierced, internally reinforced rounded lugs. The other one has

an overturned, rounded and badly incorporated rim, very uneven, and hori-

zontally pierced rounded lugs, which may be externally applied.

42. Jut Bay (17°59’E, 33°05’S)

District: Hopefield.

Site: At the northern end of the bay are several middens below the Schier-

eiland site. Visited 1951.

Associations: Later Stone Age.

Pottery: Remains of 1 pot, which has been reconstructed.

Fig. VIII: 2 (Rudner). The reconstructed pot of Type C1 has a conoid

base (max. th. = 10 mm.) and a concave contracted neck with a plain squared

rim. There is no decoration, and it is not known whether the pot had any lugs

or bosses. The material is black with a coarse quartz sand admixture. Thick-

ness = 7-8 mm. There is a black burnish on both sides. Dimensions: H =

aieenm i— 25 cm... R'—-10 cm., N = 5:0 cm. Ratios: H/D — 1:24, D/R =

2°5, N/R = 0-50. For discussion see Danger Bay (fig. VII: 3).

43- Vondeling Bay (18°00’E, 33°09’S)

District: Hopefield.

Site: There are several large middens along the bay, of which those at the

northern end have some pottery. Visited 1952 and 1964.

Associations: Wilton?

Pottery: (Rudner). Remains of 4 pots, none whole or reconstructed. Pieces

of two necks with a plain squared rim and one neck with a plain tapered rim

492 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

decorated with horizontally grooved lines. There is also part of a pressed-out

ridged boss.

44. Abrahamskraal (18°06’E, 33°14'S)

District : Hopefield.

Site: ‘There are odd middens among the dunes along the beach. Visited

1954.

Associations: Later Stone Age. Human remains have been found here.

Pottery: (Rudner). Remains of 2 pots, none complete or reconstructed.

Piece of a concave, contracted neck with a plain squared rim and also piece

of a pointed base.

D. SOUTH-WESTERN COAST

45- Ysterfontein (18°10’E, 33°20’S)

District: Malmesbury.

Site: 2 km. north of Ysterfontein and at the southern end of a vast dune

area is a large midden area mostly capping a ridge of consolidated dunes

running parallel with the beach between the sea and a salt-pan. At the pan is

Péringuey’s Bloembosch (Wilton) site. Most of the artefacts were found at the

southern end of the site, while the pottery was found on the high midden and

its slope towards the sea. The midden consists of limpets and mussels. Visited

1951 and later.

Associations: On the workshop site was found a Wilton industry including

engraved ostrich eggshell. Human skeletons have also been found here and

some are at SAM. |

Pottery: This is the richest pottery site found, with remains of 81 pots.

Only 1 pot is complete, while 3 are wholly reconstructed, 7 almost completely

and 8 partly. |

Fig. IX: 1 (SAM 5991). The complete pot is bagshaped of Type B2 with a

short concave contracted neck and an overturned, rounded and incorporated

rim (max. th. = 10 mm.) with a trimming groove. The horizontally pierced,

internally reinforced lugs are ridged with the slightly bent channels set unusu-

ally low. The base is ovoid. The material is grey with a medium quartz

admixture. Thickness = 8 mm. On the outside the pot appears to have a dark-

brown slip; probably the ochre was painted on thickly for the burnishing.

Dimensions: Hi = 25:3 cm., D— 26-3 cm., RK — 20:5, (cma) Niemen,

Ratios: H/D = 0-90, D/R = 1:39, N/R = 0-20. Discussion: see Blaauwberg

(Hoy Vig 1).

Fig. IX: 2 (Rudner). Found on the farthest midden slope. A bagshaped

pot of Type B2 with a short straight contracted neck and an everted, over-

turned, rounded and incorporated rim. The lugs are horizontally pierced with

a slight internal reinforcement. They are conical and the channels are straight

(diam. = 12 mm.). The base is conoid and slightly nippled. The material is

black with a medium sand admixture. Thickness = 5-6 mm. There is a dark

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 493

recwpurnish on thevoutside; Dimensions: Hi — 19:2 cm., D = 16-5.cm., R =

mpem-ahwatios: E1/D!— 1-16, D/Ri= 1-97. This isa borderline case which

should perhaps rather belong to the same type, i.e. Type C1, as Blaauwberg

(fig. XIV: 4), Rietvlei (fig. XX: 3), etc.

Fig. IX: 3 (Rudner). Found in the first beach hollow below the great

midden. A small rather crude pot of Type C1 with a short straight vertical

neck and a plain rounded rim, rather uneven. No lugs or bosses were found

but may belong. The body-neck junction is carinated, which, apart from this

pot, has only been found on a fragment from the Robberg Cave (fig. XXXII:

81), on a pot from Kromme Bay (fig. XXVI:2) and on four pots around

Port Elizabeth. The material is black with some medium quartz sand admixture.

Thickness = 5 mm. The outside of the pot has a red burnish on the upper part

and a black one on the lower part and the inside. Dimensions: D = 16 cm.,

Re 10 cm., N = 2:0 cm. Ratios: D/R = 1:60, N/R = 0-20. A carinated pot

with vertically pierced lugs has also been found in Namaqualand (Inland

Report).

Fig. IX: 4 (Rudner). Found on the last midden hill. A partly recon-

structed pot of Type C2 with a short straight contracted neck and an overturned,

rounded and incorporated rim (max. th. = 9 mm.) with an uneven trimming

ridge. There is also an uneven wavy body-neck junction groove. The base is

conoid, reinforced and slightly nippled (max. th. = 13 mm.). The material is

buff to black with a medium quartz admixture. Thickness = 6-7 mm. There

is a pronounced waist joint. The outer surface has a fine red and black mottled

burnish, while the inside is fine brown and black mottled. Dimensions: D =

BOORciM ke —-20°0 ¢m., IN ="4-5 cm. H — approx. 35 cm. Ratios: D/R =

1°50, N R= 410,93) his 1s a rather. crude variation of the typical Strandloper

Pot (Type Ca).

Fig. IX: 5 (Rudner). Found at the southern end of the midden near the

sea. A pot of Type C2 which is a border case to the bagshaped type Ba. It has

a negligible short neck and an overturned, rounded and incorporated rim

(max. th. = 7 mm.) with a trimming groove. The base was probably ovoid

and the pot has horizontally pierced, internally reinforced conical lugs. The

material varies in colour between brown and black and has a coarse quartz

sand admixture. Thickness = 6 mm. It has a red burnish. Dimensions: H =

approxeco cm., D)-— 27-9 cm., R = 16-5 cm. Ratio: D/R = 1-66. It is similar

to the bagshaped pot on fig. IX: 1.

Fig. IX: 6 (Rudner). Found farthest away on the dune ridge beyond the

last midden. This is an almost completely reconstructed pot of Type Cr with

a concave vertical neck, a plain squared rim and an ovoid, nippled base (max.

th. = 10 mm.). There are no signs of any lugs or bosses, but they may have

been present. The material is black, not very well fired, and has a coarse

quartz sand admixture. Thickness = 6 mm. The outside and inside have a

dark red burnish. Dimensions: H = 21 cm., D = 20 cm., R = 10:5-11'0 cm.,

INGA 5ueml. Ratios: ti) — (1-05; D/R = 1-81; N/R —‘0:43. This pot is ye

similar to one from Danger Bay, fig. VII: ey

494 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Fig. X: 1 (Rudner). Found on sea slope of large midden. A pot of Type C1

with a short concave contracted neck decorated with grooved horizontal lines.

The rim is plain, tapered and roughly squared. Instead of lugs the pot has two

pressed-out horizontal ridged bosses (h. = 5 mm.), decorated above and below

the ridge with short grooved vertical lines. These are the only pressed-out

horizontal ridges found. The material is brown with a medium quartz sand

admixture. Thickness = 5 mm. It has a red burnished outside and a light

brown one inside. Dimensions: D = 30-0 cm., R = 9:0 cm., N = 2°5 cm.

Ratios: D/R = 3°38, N/R = 0-28. This is an unusual type of pot, similar only

to one from Kleinsee (fig. IV: 2) and one from Modderrivier (fig. XI: 5).

Fig. X: 2 (Rudner). Found on top of the last midden. A spouted pot of

Type Di with a short concave, contracted neck and a plain rounded rim. The

base was probably ovoid. No lugs or bosses were found. The material is red-

brown with a medium quartz sand admixture. Thickness = 6 mm. The out-

side has a red burnish. Dimensions: D = 22 cm., R = 12 cm., N = 4:0 cm.

Spout diam. = 20 mm., length = 20 mm. Ratios: D/R = 1:83, N/R = 0°33.

This type of spouted pot has also been found at Vanrhynsdorp (Inland Report),

on the Cape south coast at Fish Bay (fig. XXI: 1) and Jeffreys Bay (fig. XXV:

1-3) and in the East London area at Kaysers Beach (fig. XXIX: 1-2).

Fig. X: 3 (Rudner). Found on midden. A partly reconstructed small pot

with horizontally pierced, internally reinforced very flat lugs. The base was

probably ovoid. The material is black outside, light brown inside with a medium

quartz sand admixture. Thickness = 5-6 mm. The outside probably had a

dark red burnish. Dimension: D = 12 cm. Such very small pots have also been

found on the Cape Peninsula and at Sandy Point (fig. XIX: 1).

Fig. X: 4 (Rudner). Found at the end of the midden ridge. This pot of

Type C2 is also approaching the bagshaped Type Ba. It has a straight con-

tracted neck with an overturned, rounded and incorporated rim (max. th. =

8 mm.), a body-neck junction step and horizontally pierced, internally rein-

forced conical lugs, rather low set. The channels are bent with fingernail

marks. The base was probably ovoid. The material is light brown, partly with

a dark core, and has a medium quartz sand admixture. Thickness = 6 mm.

The pot has a light red burnish outside and a light brown one inside. Dimen-

sions: H = approx. 25 cm., D = 30 cm., R = 20 cm., N = 5'5 cm. Ratios:

DR —" 150, 90-26:

Fig. X: 5 (Rudner). Found on the sea slope of the large midden between

its two highest points. The partly reconstructed pot is of Type C1 and has a

convex flared neck with a plain tapered rim. Instead of lugs it has a pair of oval

finger impressions (max. depth = 5 mm.) on each side. The base was probably

ovoid, possibly globular. The material is grey to light brown with a rich

admixture of medium quartz sand. Thickness = 6 mm. The outside has a

red burnish. Dimensions: D = 36 cm., R = 18:0 cm., N = 6:0 cm. Ratios:

D/R = 2:00, N/R = 0:33. This pot is somewhat similar to another pot from

the same site, fig. IX: 6. Similar shoulder impressions have only been found at

Sandy Bay and Hout Bay on the Cape Peninsula. This type of decoration is

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 495

also known from Rhodesia (Goodall, 1946).

Fig. X: 6 (Rudner). Found in the most northern beach hollow. This is a

small spouted pot of Type D1 with a short neck and an overturned tapered

(bevelled) and incorporated rim (max. th. = 7 mm.) with a trimming groove.

The bevelled part of the rim is decorated with an incised, diagonal string

pattern. The spout, which is broken, is decorated with two vertical rows of

short, horizontal, grooved lines and around its base a circle of impressed drop

marks. Just below the spout is a small pressed-out boss decorated with grooved

horizontal lines and also surrounded by a circle of impressed drop marks.

There are no signs of any lugs. The material is thin, ight brown with a black

core and a medium quartz admixture. Thickness = 4-5 mm. The outside has

a dark red burnish, the inside a light brown one. Dimensions: D = 19 cm.,

hee—iorcm.,N — 2-5 cm., spout diam. = 30 mm. Ratios: D/R = 2-35, N/R =

0-31. The rim of this pot is similar to that of the spouted pot from Britannia

Point (fig. VI: 1) while the body is similar to the other spouted pot from

Ysterfontein (fig. X: 2). A similar decorated boss was found at Modderrivier

(fig. XI: 3) but the combination of spout and boss has not been found anywhere

else along the coast. A spouted pot from the Orange River in Gordonia has

the combination, however, of string-decorated rim, spout and below it a

decorated boss (Inland Report).

Fig. XX XI: 47 (Rudner). Found in a beach hollow. Part of a straight,

contracted neck with an overturned, rounded (rolled) and incorporated rim

with a deep trimming groove. The section of the rim is almost perfectly circular

with a max. diam. = 12 mm. From the same pot comes a horizontally pierced,

internally reinforced lug. The material is brown with a medium quartz sand

admixture. Thickness = 5-6 mm. There is a red burnish on the outside.

Dimension: R = 12 cm. This rim probably comes from a pot of Type C2

similar to the ones from Ysterfontein (fig. IX: 1), Blaauwberg (fig. XIV: 3)

and Noordhoek (fig. XVI: 3), which all have thick rolled rims.

Fig. XX XI: 48 (Rudner). Found low down on large midden sea slope.

Part of a contracted neck with a plain tapered rim decorated on the outwards

bevelled part with a diagonal string pattern, similar to one from Stompneus

(fig. XXXI: 34). The material is brown with a medium quartz sand admixture.

Thickness = 6 mm. There is a dark red burnish on the outside. Dimension:

Re 6 em:

Fig. XX XI: 49 (Rudner). Found on the first midden. Part of a straight

contracted neck with an overturned, tapered and incorporated rim with a

trimming groove and a slight trimming ridge. The material is black with a fine

quartz sand admixture. Thickness = 5 mm. It has a light red burnish on both

sides.

Fig. XXXI:50 (Rudner). Found on top of midden. Part of a short

straight contracted neck with a plain rounded rim and decorated with grooved

horizontal lines. The material is black with a medium quartz sand admixture.

Thickness = 5 mm. The outside has a dark red burnish. Dimensions: R =

8 cm., N = 2°5 cm. Ratio: N/R = 0:31. The neck is similar to another one

496 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

from Ysterfontein (fig. X: 1).

Fig. XXXIV: 17 (Rudner). Found on midden near the beach. This is the

conical base of a pot, which might have been used as a cup as the edge appears

to be rounded off. The actual point is not thickened. The material is black

with some medium quartz sand admixture. Thickness = 6 mm. Dimensions:

Rim diam. = 13°5-14:0 cm., height = 8-6 cm. Schofield (1948) has illustrated

a bowl from Kleinsee, made by cutting down a larger vessel and with part of

the circumference ground.

Fig. XXXIV:18 (Rudner). Found in beach hollow. A conoid, not

reinforced, base made of grey-brown material with a medium sand admixture.

Thickness = 7 mm. Both outside and inside have a very fine mottled red and

brown burnish.

Fig. XXXIV: 19 (Rudner). Found on midden. A tubular spout with an

outside diam. = 24 mm., inside diam. = 16 mm., length = 16 mm. The

material is black with a medium quartz admixture. Thickness = 5 mm. The

outside has a red to dark brown burnish, the inside a black.

Fig. XXXIV: 20 (Rudner). Found in first beach hollow. A conical not

reinforced base from a pot with horizontally pierced, internally reinforced

lugs. The material is brown, partly with a black core and with a medium

quartz sand admixture. Thickness = 5—7 mm. Dimension: D = 23-0 cm.

Fig. XXXIV: 21 (Rudner). Found on sea slope of midden. An ovoid

base with a nipple (max. th. = 14 mm.). The material is dark grey with a

medium to coarse quartz sand admixture. Thickness = 6 mm. Both sides have

a black burnish, but the inside is rather uneven.

From the last midden come two small black pots both decorated on the

shoulder with horizontal rows of impressed round dots (diam. = 2 mm.).

The material is black with a fine quartz sand admixture. Thickness = 6 mm.

The max. diam. (D) of both pots is about 15 cm. We do not know whether they

had lugs and what the necks looked like, but they were probably made by the

same potter.

46. Modderrivier (18°18’E, 33°29’S)

District: Malmesbury.

Site: On the northern side of the Modderrivier mouth is a dune area with

a midden area nearest to the river. Visited 1951 and later.

Associations: Wilton and Sandy Bay industries. The farmer has found

several human skulls here.

Pottery: Remains of 28 pots, none complete but 4 almost completely and

2 partly reconstructed.

Fig. XI: 1 (Rudner). A small bagshaped pot with a straight flared neck

and horizontally pierced, internally reinforced lugs. The very uneven rim is

plain tapered with a trimming groove and the neck is decorated with a check

pattern of fine horizontal and almost vertical lines. This type of neck decoration

has not been found anywhere else along the coast and demonstrates how the

Strandloper potter sometimes broke from the tradition. The material is black

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 4907

with some coarse quartz admixture. The material is badly fired with a crackled

inside. Thickness = 7:5 mm. The pot is built up in rings. Both outside and inside

have a red and black mottled burnish. Dimensions: D = 14:2cm., RR = 12 cm.,

N = 4:0-6:0 cm. Ratios: D/R = 1-10, N/R = 0-33-0-°50. This is an example

of a necked pot which has been classed as a bagshaped one because of its

unusual neck.

Fig. XI:2 (Rudner). The reconstructed upper part of a very small

spouted pot with a concave vertical neck and a plain rounded rim both on

neck and spout. On the shoulder opposite the spout is a pressed-out rounded

conical boss (h = 5 mm.). The material is black with a medium quartz sand

admixture. Thickness = 5 mm. Both sides have a black burnish. Dimensions:

Be orem. Ki 5 cm:, N = 2 cm., spout outer d— 28 mm., inner d =

20 mm. pene = = 10 mm. Ratios: DR = —— 2:40 Nie 30-40: This pot appears

to be a very small variant of Type D 1.

Fig. XI: 3 (Rudner). The reconstructed lower part of a pot with a conical

base, slightly thickened (max. th. = 8 mm:) and pressed-out bosses surrounded

by two rings of small shallow circular dots. There is also a piece of plain

tapered rim from the same pot which must have been of Type C1. The material

is black with some medium quartz sand admixture. Thickness = 5-6 mm. The

outside has a red burnish, the inside a black one. Dimensions: D = 18:2 cm.,

R = approx. 12 cm. Ratio: D/R = approx. 1-51. Bosses with similar decora-

tions have been found at Ysterfontein (fig. X:6) and also at Fish Hoek and

Hermanus.

Fig. XI: 4 (Rudner). The upper half of a pot of Type C2 with a concave

contracted neck and an overturned, rounded and incorporated rim with an

uneven trimming groove. The neck is decorated with parallel, more or less

horizontal lines. There are two horizontally pierced, internally reinforced and

conical lugs (max. th. = 42 and 46 mm.) with bent channels, aperture diam. =

17 mm. The material is light brown with a coarse quartz sand admixture.

The outside has a mottled black and light brown burnish, the inside a light

brown one. Dimensions: D = 28 cm., R = 14cm. N = 7 cm. Ratios: D/R =

2-0, N/R = 0:50. This decorated variation of Type C2 becomes more common

farther east.

Fig. XI: 5 (Rudner). This partly reconstructed pot was probably more or

less globular with a short straight vertical neck and a slight pressed-out nipple

on the base (max. th. = 10 mm.). The rim is plain rounded and slightly

squared. The neck is decorated with 4 grooved horizontal lines and from the

body-neck junction groove five groups of 3-4 parallel grooved lines run ver-

tically towards the waist. There were probably no lugs or bosses. The material

is badly fired, especially the inside, which is crackling and breaking up in lumps

and flakes. It is grey with a medium quartz sand admixture. Thickness =

5 mm. The outside has a mottled light brown and black burnish, while the

inside is grey. Dimensions: D = 30 cm., R = 6:8 cm., N = 2:5 cm. Ratios:

D/R = 4:4, N/R = 0:37. This pot is of Type Ci and has the relatively smallest

opening found. It is unusual in shape and is only somewhat similar to one pot

498 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

from Ysterfontein (fig. X: 1) and one from Lambert’s Bay (fig. V: 5). Shoulder

decorations consisting of vertical lines have also been found at Goedgeloof,

Kayser’s Beach (fig. X XIX: 1-2) and Cove Rock (fig. XXX: 3).

Fig. XI:6 (Rudner). Part of an almost bagshaped pot with a plain

tapered and everted rim. The pot has horizontally pierced, internally rein-

forced lugs. The material is red with a medium quartz sand admixture. Thick-

ness = 5 mm. There is a bright red burnish on both sides. Dimensions: D =

22 cm., R = 15 cm., N = 3:5 cm. Ratios? D/R —1-46, N/R eee

Fig. XX XI: 51 (Rudner). Piece of a neck with an overturned, tapered

and incorporated rim (max. th. = 7-5 cm.) with a trimming ridge. The out-

wards bevelled part of the rim is decorated with an impressed diagonal string

pattern, as at Stompneus (fig. XX XI: 33), etc. The material is light brown

with a medium quartz sand admixture. Thickness = 4:5 cm. There is a fine

red to black burnish outside, red-brown inside. Dimension: R = g cm.

Fig. XX XI: 52 (Rudner). A piece of a contracted neck with an inwards

overturned, tapered and badly incorporated rim (max. th. = 7-5 mm.). The

material is black with a medium quartz sand admixture. Thickness = 4 mm.

Dimension: R = g cm. This is the only inwards overturned rim found in the

survey.

Fig. XXXI :53 (Rudner). Piece of a concave contracted neck with a plain

squared rim with a trimming groove. The material is brown with a black core

and a rich medium quartz sand admixture. Thickness = 5-6 mm. The out-

side has a red burnish. Dimensions: D = 14 cm., R = 10 emi hi oem:

Ratios; D/RK'— 1-40; N/R — 0:30.

Fig. XXXIV: 22 (Rudner). This appears to be a lip spout, but it is

possibly a broken and worn tubular spout, outer d = 30 mm., inner d =

20 mm. The material is black with a medium quartz sand admixture. Thickness

= 7mm. There is a dark brown burnish on both sides. If this is a lip spout it

is certainly very unusual as only one other possible lip spout has been found,

at Port Nolloth (fig. XXXIV: 7).

Fig. XXXIV: 23 (Rudner). An ordinary tubular spout, outer d =

30 mm., inner d = 20 mm. It is very worn but the rim seems to be overturned,

tapered and incorporated (max. th. = 5 mm.). The material is brown with a

black core and a rich coarse quartz sand admixture. Thickness = 5 mm.

Fig. XXXIV: 24 (Rudner). An ovoid base with a pressed-out conical

nipple (max. th. = 10 mm.). The material is black and badly fired on the

inside which is crumbling. It has a coarse quartz sand admixture. Thickness =

5-7 mm. The outside has a light red-brown burnish. Dimension: D = 21 cm.

47. Die Grotto (18°19’E, 33°30’S)

District: Malmesbury.

Sites: Die Grotto—a small bay with a few middens, visited 1952. Jacobs

Bay —a small bay with a midden at a house, not visited.

Associations: Die Grotto—Sandy Bay ?, Jacobs Bay —Wilton ?

Pottery: (Rudner). Die Grotto—Remains of 2 pots, none complete or

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 499

reconstructed. (SAM 6883) Jacobs Bay—Remains of 2 pots, none complete

or reconstructed.

48. Bokbaai (18°21’E, 33°35’S)

District: Malmesbury.

Stites: There is a large dune area south of Bokpunt. At the northern end

of this dune area is a small midden area (Site 1). At the southern end of the

dune area just north of the Buffels River mouth is a large midden area capping

a high dune ridge (Site 3) and stretching also down to the river (Site 3B). At

the mouth of the river is a small midden (Site 4). Visited 1952 and later.

Description of site, see Mabbutt (1955).

Associations: Sites 1 and 3 Later Stone Age, Site 4 Wilton. (Rudner, 1955)

Human remains have also been found here (Singer, 1955). An iron spear head

was once found here.

Pottery: Remains of 25 pots, none complete but 3 almost completely recon-

structed and three partly.

Fig. XII: 1 (Rudner). From Site 3 comes a bagshaped pot of Type Ba

with a conical base (max. th. = 12 mm.), horizontally pierced, internally

reinforced conical lugs and an overturned, rounded and incorporated rim

(max. th. = 9 mm.) with a trimming groove. The material is black with a

medium quartz sand admixture. Thickness = 6—7 mm. There is a red burnish

outside, light brown inside. Dimensions: H = 22-5 cm., D = 19°5 cm., R =

14cm. Ratios: H/D = 1-15, D/R = 1-39. This is a good example of a bag-

shaped pot of Type Bz from west of Agulhas. It is very similar. but smaller

than the ‘almost bagshaped’ pot from Ysterfontein (fig. IX: 5).

Fig. XII: 2 (Rudner). From Site 3 comes a pot of Type C1 with a short

straight vertical neck and a plain tapered rim. It has an ovoid base (max. th. =

Ii mm.) and horizontally pierced, internally reinforced flattish lugs and

between them two pairs of pressed-out vertically ridged bosses (h = 5 mm.).

The material is light brown with a black core and a medium quartz sand

admixture. Thickness = 6-7 mm. There is a red-brown burnish outside.

Dimensions "i —_ 22-0 cm.; D'= 21-0 cm., R = 1075 cm., N= 4-0 cm.

Ratios: H/D = 1-05, D/R = 2:0, N/R = 0-38. Pairs of pressed-out ridges

have also been found at Blaauwberg and Arniston (fig. XIX: 4), see also

Schiereiland (fig. VIII: 4).

Fig. XII: 3 (Rudner). From Site 3 comes a partly reconstructed bow] with

a plain tapered and rounded rim. The material is unevenly worked, and is

black with a coarse quartz sand admixture. Thickness = 7-9 mm. The out-

side is crudely smoothed, colour brown to black, while the inside is black.

Dimensions: D = 21:0 cm., R = 18 cm. Ratio: D/R = 1-17. This bowl 1s

very similar to one from Danger Bay (fig. VII: 2).

Fig. XII: 4 (Rudner). From Site 3 comes a pot of Type Cr with a short

straight vertical neck and a plain tapered rim. No lugs or bosses were found

but may belong. The base is conical with a slight nipple (max. th. = 10 mm.).

The material is light red-brown with a medium quartz sand admixture. Thick-

500 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH: AFRICAN MUSEUM

ness = 7-5-8 mm. It was built up in rings, which are badly incorporated,

especially on the inside. The inside is finely striated, showing that fingers or

pebbles were not used but rather a shell. The outside is burnished mottled

dark red and black, the inside red-brown. Dimensions: H = 23 cm., D =

19° cm., R = 1275:cm., N= 4-5 cm. Ratios: B/D — 1-279) Ree.

N/R = 0:36. For discussion see Danger Bay (fig. VII: 3).

Fig. XII: 5 (Rudner). From Site 4 comes the lower part of a pot with a

conical base, not reinforced, and horizontally pierced, internally reinforced

rounded conical lugs (max. th. = 38 mm.). The material is light red-brown

with a black core and a coarse brown sand admixture. Thickness = 5-6 mm.

It was built up with rings. There was probably a red burnish on both sides.

Dimension: D = 16 cm. This pot is somewhat similar to pots from Port

Nolloth (fig. III: 1), Blaauwberg (fig. XIII: 2) and Rietvlei (fig. XX: 4),

but these have the lugs higher up on the shoulders.

Fig, XII: 6 and fig. XX XI: 55 (Rudner). Site 3. The upper part of a pot

of Type C2 with a concave vertical neck and a twice overturned, rounded and

incorporated rim, each with an uneven trimming groove. The pot also has

horizontally pierced, internally reinforced flat rounded lugs. The material is

brown with a coarse quartz sand admixture. Thickness = 6-5 mm. The pot

has a bright red burnish on both sides. Dimensions: D = 28 cm., R = 18 cm.,

N = 6:5 cm. Ratios: D/R = 1°56, N/R = 0-36. A twice overturned rim has

only been found elsewhere at Goedgeloof on the south coast.

Fig. XXXII: 54 (Rudner). Site 3. Piece of a neck with an overturned,

tapered and incorporated rim (max. th. = 5 mm.) with a trimming groove.

The neck is decorated with shallow grooved horizontal lines. The material is

brown with a black core and has a medium quartz sand admixture. Thickness

= 5 mm. The inside and probably also the outside have a brown burnish.

Fig. XXXIV: 25 (Rudner). Site 3. The point of a conical base (max.

th. = 11 mm.). The material is brown to black with a coarse quartz sand

admixture. Thickness = 6-7 mm. The base has a red burnish outside. and a

light brown one inside.

49. Meikboschstrand (18°27’E, 33°44’S)

District: Cape.

Sites: There are several midden sites here, on both sides of and also inland

from the village. Visited 1951 and later.

Associations : Later Stone Age material from all the sites. Human skeletons

have also been found here.

Pottery: (SAM 6882 and Rudner). Parts of 8 pots, none whole or recon-

structed. A piece of neck is decorated with grooved horizontal lines. There is

also an ovoid base and a horizontally pierced, internally reinforced conical lug.

50. Blaauwbergstrand (18°29’E, 33°49'S)

District: Cape. a

Site: Among the dunes 2 km. south of the village and about 800 m. from

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH. AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 501

the sea are odd small middens. Visited 1951 and later. They are now built

over. |

Associations: A few Later Stone Age flakes and also human remains have

been found here. |

Potiery: Remains of 21 pots, 3 of them complete and 7 reconstructed.

Fig. XIII: 1 (SAM 5343). A small complete but very worn pot of Type

Ci with a short straight vertical neck, a plain rounded rim, horizontally

pierced, internally reinforced rounded lugs with straight channels and an ovoid

slightly nippled base (max. th. = 10 mm.). The neck is decorated with a

horizontal row of short vertical incised lines. There are also vertical double

rows of short vertical incised lines from the rim down almost to the waist and

also along the lugs. The material is grey-brown with a coarse quartz sand

admixture. Thickness = 7-5 mm. There is a black burnish on the outside.

Winensions.. fl — 18-2-cm., D:— 16-3 cm., R = 8:-0-8-4 cm.,-N = 3-5 cm.

Ratios: H/D = 1-12, D/R = 2-0, N/R = 0-44. This type of decoration has not

been found anywhere else and the only similar decoration comes from Oranje-

mund (fig. V: 2), Port Nolloth (fig. XXXI: 16, etc., and fig. XXXIII: 8),

Vanputtensvlei (fig. XX XI: 25) and Quoin Point.

Fig. XIII: 2 (Rudner). A partly reconstructed pot with a conical base

(max. th. = 10 mm.) and horizontally pierced, internally reinforced flat

rounded lugs (max. th. = 30 mm.). Between the lugs on each side is a small

pressed-out boss. The material is black with a coarse quartz admixture, possibly

pounded. Thickness = 7 mm. It has a black burnish on both sides. Dimension:

D = 18-4 cm. A similar type of pot, also with the lugs high on the shoulders,

has been found at Port Nolloth (fig. III: 1) and at Rietvlei (fig. XX: 4). None

of these has bosses, however. For bosses between the lugs see Saldanha Schier-

eiland (fig. VIII: 4). |

Fig. XIII: 3 (SAM 5347 Dale, 1891). A complete pot of Type C1 with a

concave vertical neck, a plain squared rim, two pressed-out ridged bosses

(h = 10 mm.) and an ovoid base (max. th. = 10 mm.). The pot and its

opening are elliptical in the horizontal section with the longer axis through the

bosses. A small irregular hole on the base was covered with a small limpet

(Patella sp.) glued with black cement when found. The material is grey-brown

and has a coarse quartz sand admixture. Thickness = 5 mm. There is a red

burnish on the outside. Dimensions: H = 37:0 cm., D = 28:3—29°6 cm.,

Re—to-7-1i-7 cm., N—5 cm. Ratios:. H/D = 1-25-1-31, D/R = 2:53-

2-65, N/R = 0-43-0-47. This is an unusual shape, only slightly reminiscent of

the spouted pot from Britannia Point (fig. VI: 1). The elliptical section is

mostly found on spouted pots, but an elliptical rim was also found at Danger

Bay (fig. VI: 2). For ridged bosses see Bokbaai (fig. XII: 2).

Fig. XIII: 4 (Rudner). A partly reconstructed pot of Type C1 with a

contracted neck, a plain tapered rim, horizontally pierced, internally rein-

forced lugs and a conical base (max. th. = 7 mm.). The material is light

brown with a coarse quartz sand admixture. Thickness = 5 mm. There is a

red burnish on the outside. Dimensions: H = approx. 29 cm., D = 24 cm.,

502 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

R= 12 cm. Ratios: H/R = approx. 1-21, D/R = 2-0. Discussion: See

Bokbaai (fig. XII: 4).

Fig. XIII: 5 (Rudner). A partly reconstructed pot of Type C1 with a

straight vertical neck, a plain tapered rim and horizontally pierced, internally

reinforced lugs, one of them conical the other flat rounded (max. th. = 38 and

40 mm.). The section is slightly elliptical. The material is brown in the upper

part, black in the lower and has a medium quartz sand admixture. Thickness =

6-7 mm. It has a red burnish on both sides. The pot was built up with rings.

Dimensions: D = 27-29 cm., R = 16 cm., N = 6°5 em) Rapess Re

1°75, N/R = 0-41. Discussion: See Bokbaai (fig. XII: 4).

Fig. XIV: 1 (SAM 1634 Jardine, 1913). A complete pot of Type C2 witha

short concave vertical neck and overturned, rounded and incorporated rim

with a slight trimming ridge (max. th. = 12 mm.). It has horizontally pierced,

internally reinforced rounded lugs and an ovoid base (max. th. = 18 mm.).

The material has a coarse quartz sand admixture and there is a dark brown

burnish on the outside. Dimensions: H = 29:5 cm., D = 27-6 cm., R =

16-2—16°5 cm., N = 4 cm. Ratios: H/D = 1:07, D/R = 1-687 N/R —e@-25.

This variation of Type C2 has also been found at Ysterfontein (fig. IX: 1 and

5), Bokbaai (fig. XII: 1), Noordhoek (fig. XVI: 3), Buffels Bay (fig. XVII: 4)

and perhaps Matjes River (fig. XXIII: 3). It seems to be a shape typical for

the south-western coast and the Cape Peninsula, if we exclude the somewhat

similar pot from Matjes River.

Fig. XIV: 2 (Rudner). The reconstructed upper part of a pot of Type C2

with a concave contracted neck with body-neck junction step, an overturned,

rounded, incorporated and everted rim (max. th. = 10 mm.) with a trimming

groove and horizontally pierced, internally reinforced conical lugs (max. th.

= 38 mm.). The material is brown to black with a very coarse quartz sand

admixture. Thickness = 6 mm. The pot is built up in rings and has a red

burnish. Dimensions: D = 31:0 cm., R = 16:0 cm., N = 9-0 cm. Ratios:

D/R = 1°85, N/R = 0°56. This is the ‘typical’ Strandloper variation of

Type C2 found from Danger Bay (fig. VI: 2-3) to the Port Elizabeth area

(fig. XXVII: 3 and 7) and possibly farther.

Fig. XIV: 3 (Rudner). A partly reconstructed pot which is a border case

between Types B2 and Ca. It has a concave vertical neck, an overturned,

rounded and incorporated heavy rim (max. th. = 14 mm.) with a trimming

groove and an elliptical opening. It also has horizontally pierced, internally

reinforced rounded lugs (max. th. = 40 mm.) and a reinforced ovoid base

(max. th. = 14 mm.). The material is light brown with a black core and a

coarse quartz sand admixture. Thickness = 7 mm. Dimensions: D = 27 cm.,

R = 18-20 cm., N = 18 cm. Ratios: D/R = 1-35-1-50, N/R. = 0-90.

Fig. XIV: 4 (Rudner). A partly reconstructed pot of Type C1 with a very

short contracted neck and a plain rounded and everted rim. The lugs are

horizontally pierced, internally reinforced (max. th. = 19 mm.) with a flat

rounded bridge and a straight channel. The material is purplish red with a

coarse quartz sand admixture. Thickness = 4:5 mm. The base was probably

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 503

conical. The pot was built up in rings and has a red burnish on both sides,

mmensions. 1), — 20; cm:.,. Ri— 12 cm; N = 1 em: Ratios: D/R = 1-66.

N/R = 0:08. The same variation of Type C1 with highly placed lugs is also

found at Port Nolloth (fig. III: 1), Ysterfontein (fig. IX:2), Blaauwberg

(fig. XIII: 2) and especially Rietvlei (fig. XX: 2-4).

Fig. XXXI:56 (Rudner). Pieces from a large pot with a straight con-

tracted neck and an overturned, rounded and incorporated rim (max. th. =

II mm.) with a pronounced trimming groove. There are also sherds of a

probably conoid base with a rounded point and no thickening. The material

is light brown to bright red with a black core and a very coarse quartz sand

admixture. Thickness = 5 mm. There is a red burnish on both sides. Dimen-

sious: kh — 20 cm., N — 8.cm. Ratio: N/R = 0-40.

Fig. XX XI: 57 (Rudner). A piece of a concave contracted neck with a

plain tapered, rounded and half overturned rim with a trimming groove.

Probably from the same pot comes a horizontally pierced, internally reinforced

rounded lug. The material is brown with a black core and has a coarse quartz

admixture. Thickness = 5 mm. There is a red burnish on both sides. Dimen-

sions: R = 14 cm., N = 9 cm. Ratio: N/R = 0-64. This type of tapered rim

with the lip half or completely overturned is more common in the east, e.g. at

Jeffreys Bay (fig. XXV: 5), but it does also occur at Hout Bay (fig. XX XIT: 62)

and Hangklip (fig. XVIII: 3).

From Blaauwberg also comes a pot of Type C1 with a straight vertical

neck, plain tapered rim and horizontally pierced, internally reinforced lugs

with two pairs of pressed-out vertical ridges (h = 2-3 mm.) between them.

Such ridged bosses have already been described from Bokbaai (fig. XII: 2).

Reports: In 1922, A. D. Divine inspected Strandloper middens at Blaauw-

berg and wrote to the SAM about them. Laidler (1929) also mentions the

Blaauwberg area.

E. CAPE PENINSULA

51. Cape Town (18°25’E, 33°55’S)

District: Cape Town.

Sites: There used to be a large dune area stretching from Green Point to

the bottom of Adderley Street, where there was a river mouth. There were

numerous middens in this area, but they have all been destroyed. There were

also large middens all along Paarden Eiland to Rietvlei. These have also been

removed.

Historical evidence : When the Dutch settled in Table Bay in 1652 they found

Strandlopers there, referred to as Goringhaikona (Van Riebeeck, 1952), but

we do not know exactly where these people had their encampments. Van

Riebeeck also reported that the pastoral Hottentots, the Saldanhars or Kocho-

quas, camped at the Salt River or at the Rietvlei.

Associations : Later Stone Age. Human skeletons have also been found here.

Pottery: Remains of 2 pots, 1 of them complete.

504. ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Fig. XV: 1. The complete pot is only known from Péringuey’s report in

Ann. S. Afr. Mus., 1911, p. 132. If the scale of the photo is true the pot is very

small. It has a globular base, no lugs and a concave vertical neck decorated

with horizontal, probably grooved lines. According to the report the pot is

‘very coarsely made and indifferently baked’. Dimensions (measured from

photo): H = .10 em.,;D'= 12 ems) R —\7 cm; IN = 2 cma RNanoseien ID

0-77, D/R = 1-71, N/R = 0-29. This is the only pot of Type C1 with such a

small H/D ratio. This is not a typical Strandloper vessel. According to Péringuey

it was found in 1910 ‘at great depth in the main street (Adderley St.) of Cape

Town, close to the place where the stream of fresh water from which vessels

in the early days replenished their stores, and not far from the sand dunes which

at that time extended to that point’.

52. Llandudno (18°20’E, 34°00’S)

District: Cape.

Site: There are middens and small caves with limpet middens on Logies

Rock, a peninsula just north of Llandudno. One of these caves was excavated

by Rudner in 1954-5 (Rudner, 1956). :

Associations: Later Stone Age, see report.

Pottery: Remains of 11 pots, none complete but 1 partly reconstructed.

Fig. XV: 2 (SAM 5352). A partly reconstructed pot of Type C1 with a

concave contracted neck, a plain tapered rim and a pair of pressed-out conical

bosses (h = 5 mm.). The material is black with a medium to coarse quartz

admixture. Thicknesses = 4°5 mm. There is a red burnish on the outside.

Dimensions: D = 27 cm., R= 15 em., N= 4°5 cm. Ratios: D/R = 1-80,

N/R = 0-30. This pot looks somewhat bagshaped, the only similar vessel is the

large pot from Kleinsee (fig. IV: 3).

Fig. XX XIII: 9 (Rudner). A piece of pottery, probably from the shoulder,

with two applied vertically ridged bosses (h = 4 mm.). The material is black

with some coarse sand admixture. Thickness = 5-6 mm. The outside has a red

burnish. Applied ridged bosses have also been found at Port Elizabeth, Port

Alfred (fig. XXXIII: 16-17) and at Mapungubwe (Fouché, 1937; fig.

XXIX: 5).

There are also five rims, two of them plain tapered, one plain squared

and two overturned, rounded and incorporated. Two pieces of neck are deco-

rated, one with horizontal rows of impressed, very small prick marks, the other

with grooved vertical and horizontal lines.

53- Sandy Bay (18°20’E, 34°o1'S)

District: Cape.

Sites: There are middens at the north-western end of a sand dune area

stretching from Hout Bay to Sandy Bay. There is a high midden of limpets at

the southern end of the bay where a human skeleton was once found, while

there is a flat limpet midden at the northern end. Visited 1950 and later.

Associations: Sandy Bay industry (Rudner, 1954). Human remains

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 505

(Johnson, 1951).

Pottery: Remains of 7 pots, none of them complete or reconstructed.

Fig. XXXIV: 26 (SAM 4591). A small conical base, only slightly thickened

(max. th. = 8 mm.). The material is red-brown with a medium to coarse quartz

sand admixture. Thickness = 6 mm. There is a red burnish on both sides.

(SAM 6450 and Rudner). There are also remains of a necked pot decorated

with an incised body-neck junction groove and parallel, grooved vertical,

tapering lines. On the shoulder is an oval or fingertip impression. This type of

decoration has also been found at Hout Bay and Ysterfontein. Another piece

of neck is decorated with grooved diagonal lines. Of three rims two are over-

turned and tapered while one is plain and tapered.

54. Hout Bay (18°21’E, 34°02’S)

District : Cape.

Sites: In the sand-dune area between Hout Bay and the neck to Sandy

Bay are several small midden sites. Visited 1950 and later.

Associations: Wilton and Sandy Bay industries (Rudner, 1954). Human

remains have also been found here.

Pottery: Remains of 34 pots, none complete but a few partly reconstructed.

Fig. XXXII: 58 (Rudner). Site 1 on the north-eastern side of the dune

area just below the neck. Sherds of a pot, probably of Type Ca, with a straight

contracted neck and an overturned, rounded and incorporated rim (max.

th. = 6 mm.) with a trimming groove. The neck is decorated with grooved

diagonal lines terminating at the body-neck junction groove. The pot has

horizontally pierced, internally reinforced flat lugs. Between the lugs were at

least one, probably two, large oval impressions. The material is light brown

with a thin black core and a medium quartz sand admixture. Thickness =

6 mm. It has a fine red burnish on both sides. Dimensions: R = 14 cm.,

N = 6:5 cm. Ratio: N/R = 0-46. At Sandy Bay and Hout Bay we meet for

the first time a type of neck decoration consisting of diagonal lines which will

be common to the east as far as East London. The impressed shoulder decoration

(finger imprint) is unusual and only occurs at Hout Bay, paney Bay and

Ysterfontein (fig. X: 5).

Fig. XXXII: 59 (Rudner). Site 1. A piece of neck with a plain tapered

rim and decorated with obliquely incised diagonal lines, the only time this

technique was found in the survey. The pot has horizontally pierced, internally

reinforced lugs. The material is light grey-brown with a coarse quartz sand

admixture. Thickness = 6 mm. The outside has a red burnish, the inside a

light brown one. Dimension: R = 12 cm.

Fig. XXXII: 60 (Rudner). Site 2 just south of Site 1. A worn Dutch clay

pipe was also found on this midden. Pieces of a short-necked pot with over-

turned, tapered and incorporated rim (max. th. = 6-5 mm.) with a trimming

ridge. The material is black with a very coarse quartz sand admixture. Thick-

ness = 6:5 mm. There was probably a black burnish on both sides. Dimension:

R = 20 cm. This rim is similar to one from Ysterfontein (fig. XX XI: 49).

506 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Fig. XXXII: 61 (Rudner). Site 4, a midden next to a small watercourse

on the western side of the dune area, where Wilton tools were found. Sherds

from a pot of Type C2 with a concave contracted neck with an overturned,

rounded and incorporated rim (max. th. = 5 mm.) and an uneven trimming

groove. The body-neck junction is marked by a row of impressed drop marks.

The pot has horizontally pierced, internally reinforced lugs. The material is

brown with a black core and a medium quartz sand admixture. Thickness =

5°5 mm. Both sides have a red burnish. Dimensions: R = 11 cm., N = 4:5 cm.

Ratio: N/R = 0-41. A body-neck junction row of impressed dots in combination

with grooved lines on the neck is common to the east, e.g. at Hermanus (fig.

XVIII: 4), but it has only been found alone at Witsands Cave, at Hawston,

at Robberg Cave (fig. XXXII: 80) and at Port Alfred. |

Fig. XXXII: 62 (SAM 4777). A piece of straight contracted neck,

probably from a Type C2 pot, with an overturned, tapered and incorporated

rim with a trimming groove. The neck is decorated with grooved diagonal lines

finished at the body-neck junction groove. The material is brown with a black

core and a slight admixture of coarse quartz sand. Thickness = 5 mm. There

is a dark brown burnish on both sides. Dimensions: R = 14 cm., N = 5:0 cm.

Ratio: N/R = 0-36. Discussion: See fig. XXXII: 58.

Fig. XXXII: 63 (SAM 169). A piece of straight vertical neck from a

necked or bagshaped pot with a plain tapered rim. The neck is decorated with

an applied horizontal band (h = 2 mm.). The material is black and well-fired

without any admixture and looks foreign. Both sides have a black burnish.

This and a neck from Kromme Bay (fig. XXXII: 84) have the only examples

of applied neck bands found in the survey.

Fig. XX XIII: 10 (Rudner). Site 8, a large midden on the western side

of the dune area, north of Site 4 and opposite Sites 1-2. This is a find place

for the Sandy Bay industry. Sherds of a pot probably of Type C2 with a straight

contracted neck and an overturned rounded and incorporated rim (max.

th. = 6 mm.). The pot has horizontally pierced, internally reinforced rounded

and up-tilted lugs (max. th. = 35 mm.) and a rounded carinated neck-body

junction. The lug channel is slightly bent, aperture d = 10 mm. The material

is red-brown with a dark grey core and a coarse quartz sand admixture. Thick-

ness = 6 mm. There is a red burnish on both sides. This is hardly a true

carination found only at Ysterfontein, Kromme Bay, Port Elizabeth and the

Zwartkop River.

55. Noordhoek (18°22’E, 34°06’S)

District: Cape.

Sites: In the vast sand-dune area between Noordhoek and Kommetjie

are several shell middens and also earlier, Middle Stone Age, sites. Visited

1951 and later.

Associations: Sites 2 and 3 Wilton and Sandy Bay industries. Sites 4 and

8 have Later Stone Age material. Human remains have been found on

Site 8.

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 507

Pottery: Remains of 26 pots, none whole but 3 partly reconstructed. The

pottery was mainly found on Sites 4 and 8.

Fig. XVI: 1 (Rudner). Site 5 among the dunes near the sea. The recon-

structed upper part of a pot of Type C2 with a straight contracted neck, a

plain rounded and everted rim and a body-neck junction step. The material is

light brown with a grey core and a medium quartz sand admixture. Thickness

— 6-5 mm. There is a mottled red and black burnish outside, a plain red one

mside., Oiumensions: D — 25 cm., R=16 cm., N = 5-:0-5:5 cm. Ratios:

D/R = 1:56, N/R =0:31. The pot probably had horizontally pierced,

internally reinforced lugs. It is unusual for this type to have a plain rim.

Fig. XVI: 2 (Rudner). Site 4 among dunes between a pan and the sea.

Very worn sherds of a large pot of Type C2 with a straight contracted neck, an

overturned, rounded, incorporated and slightly everted rim (max. th. =

13 mm.) and a body-neck junction step. The base is conoid and slightly

thickened (max. th. = 11 mm.). The material is black with a rich admixture

of coarse quartz sand. Thickness = 7 mm. It was built up in rings and has a

red burnish on the outside. Dimensions: D = 34 cm., R = 18-5 cm., N =

8-0 cm. Ratios: D/R = 1°84, N/R = 0-43. Discussion: See Blaauwberg (fig.

XIV: 2).

Fig. XVI: 3 (Rudner). Site 5. The reconstructed upper part of a large pot

of Type C2 with a short concave contracted neck, an overturned, rounded and

incorporated rim (max. th.= 15 mm.) with a pronounced trimming groove.

The pot has horizontally pierced, internally reinforced conical lugs with bent

channels. Aperture diameter = 16 and 18 mm., lug max. th. = 45 mm. The

material is grey with a rich admixture of medium quartz sand. Thickness =

7°5 mm. The pot is built up with rather badly incorporated rings and has a

slight red burnish on the outside. Dimensions: D = 35 cm., R = 16 cm.,

N = 3°5 cm. Ratios: D/R = 1°50, N/R = 0-22. Discussion: See Blaauwberg

(fig; XTV: 1).

Fig. XXXII: 64 (Rudner). Site 8, a midden near the pan. Piece of a

concave vertical neck with a plain, tapered and everted rim with a slight

trimming groove. There is also a body-neck junction step. The material is

black with a rich admixture of medium to coarse quartz sand. Thickness =

5 mm. Neck max. th. = 7 mm. There is a waist joint. The outside has a slight

brown burnish. Dimensions: D = 24 cm., R = 16 cm., N = 3°5 cm. Ratios:

DR 11-50, N/R — 0-29.

Fig. XXXII: 65 (SAM). Piece of straight contracted neck with an over-

turned, rounded and incorporated rim. The neck is decorated with grooved

horizontal lines and at the body-neck junction probably short grooved vertical

lines. The material is brown with a medium quartz admixture. Thickness =

6-7 mm. There is a red burnish on both sides. Dimension: R = 16 cm. This

combination of grooved horizontal lines on the neck and grooved vertical

or diagonal lines at the body-neck junction has only been found in the Port

Alfred area (fig. XXVIII: 1) and possibly at Port Nolloth.

508 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

56. Kommetjie (18°20’E, 34°08'S)

District: Cape.

Site: There are middens along the beach north of Kommetijie to the outlet

of Wilde Vogel Vlei at Klein Slangkop. Visited 1951.

Associations: Crude midden tools. Human remains have also been found

here. Laidler (1935) reported that ‘At Kommetjie the shell mounds have been

much disturbed and on the surface show Oriental china, European bottle

glass, Wilton implements, Middle Stone Age points and Hottentot pottery’.

Pottery: Remains of 12 pots, none whole but 1 almost completely recon-

structed.

Fig. XV: 3 (F. Taylor). The reconstructed pot of Type C2 has a conoid

reinforced base (max. th. = 13 mm.), horizontally pierced, internally rein-

forced round conical lugs (max. th. = 50 mm.) and a concave contracted

neck with an overturned, rounded and incorporated rim (max. th. = 17 mm.)

with a trimming groove and also a body-neck junction step. The material is

red and well-fired with a grey core and a medium quartz sand admixture.

Thickness = 7-9 mm. The pot has a bright red burnish. Dimensions: H =

38 cm., D = 28:5 cm., R = 18:5 cm., N = 8-0-11-0 cm. Ratios: H/D = 1-34,

D/R = 1°55, N/R = 0:43-0:59. A ‘typical Strandloper pot’; see Danger

Bay (fig. VI: 2-3).

From the same site comes a neck-piece decorated with grooved shallow

horizontal lines finished off at the body-neck junction with a row of impressed

dots, as, e.g., at Hermanus (fig. XVIII: 4). Another neck-piece is decorated

with grooved diagonal lines.

Reports. Apart from Laidler (1935) these middens have also been mentioned

by P. D. Martin (1872).

57- Witsands (18°20’E, 34°10’S)

District: Cape.

Site: There are shell middens on the north-western side of Sandkop but

also between Sandkop and the road. Visited 1951.

Associations: Later Stone Age.

Pottery: Remains of 8 pots, none whole or reconstructed (SAM 7174 and

Rudner). Pieces of two straight contracted necks, one with a plain rounded

rim, the other with a plain tapered rim, which might be a broken overturned

rim.

58. Witsands Cave (18°21’E, 34°11'S)

District: Cape.

Site: There is a cave with a shell midden between Witsands and Scar-

borough in the krans above the beach. This cave was excavated by Drury of

the SAM in 1925. Visited 1952.

Associations: Later Stone Age with many bone tools.

Pottery: Remains of 7 pots, none whole but 1 partly reconstructed (SAM

4583, 4748, 5479 and Rudner). The partly reconstructed pot (SAM 4583)

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 509

from the excavation is bagshaped with a plain rounded rim. The material is

brown with a medium quartz sand admixture. Thickness = 5 mm. There is

a waist joint and also a red-brown burnish on both sides. Dimensions: D =

norcmesik — 10 cm., N — 4-0 cm. Ratios: D/R —-1-20, N/R. = 0-40. Another

piece of neck with a plain rounded rim is decorated along the body-neck

junction with a row of obliquely impressed drop marks; see, e.g., Mossel Bay

(fig. XXII: 6-7). —

Report: Drury (1925 SAM corr.) and Drennan (1931) have described the

cave and finds.

59. Schuster’s Bay (18°22’E, 34°12’S)

District: Cape.

Site: At Scarborough there are middens on the beach and on the southern

side of the river mouth. Farther south around the point there are a couple of

small shelters with middens. Visited 1951.

Associations : The beach midden has crude midden tools.

Pottery: (Rudner). Remains of 4 pots, none whole or reconstructed.

60. Kromrivier (18°23’E, 34°14’S)

District: Cape.

Site: There are shell middens on the northern side of the small lagoon

formed by the river mouth about 400 m. from the sea. Visited 1951.

Associations: Wilton?

Pottery: (Rudner). Remains of 1 pot, only a few sherds.

61. Olifantsbosch (18°23’E, 34°15’S)

District: Cape. |

Site: The old farmhouse is situated on an overgrown midden at the beach.

Visited 1952.

Associations: Crude midden tools.

Pottery: (Rudner). Remains of 2 pots, only a few sherds.

62. Platboom (18°26’E, 34°20’S)

District: Cape.

S2te: From the river mouth just east of Platboom to Blaauwberg, about

20 km. to the north, are several flat middens along the beach. Visited 1952.

Associations: Wilton?

Pottery: (Rudner). Remains of 2 pots, only a few sherds.

63. Cape Point (18°29’E, 34°21’S)

District : Cape.

Site: There is a midden on the Atlantic side. Visited 1952. Described by

Mabbutt (19540).

Associations: Not known.

Pottery: Remains of 2 pots, none whole or reconstructed (SAM 5476 and

Rudner). There is a pointed base (max. th. = 12 mm.) of grey to black material

510 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

with a medium quartz sand admixture. Thickness = 7-8 mm. There is a

brown to black burnish on both sides.

Reports: Middens and caves at Cape Point have been mentioned in reports

by, e.g., Martin (1872) and Comrie (1874). The latter describes the pottery

as of coarse loam with grains of sand and granite. The mouth is wide and the

diameter 12-14 inches.

64. Buffels Bay (18°28’E, 34°19’S)

District: Cape.

Sites: There are several midden sites in the small sand-dune area along

the Buffels River. Site 1 is a small midden on the southern side of the mouth,

Site 2 are large middens north of the mouth, while Sites 3-7 are along the

river to the top of the sandy valley, which is now overgrown. Visited 1951 and later.

Associations: Mostly crude midden flakes.

Pottery: Remains of 25 pots, none whole but 3 partly reconstructed.

Fig. XVII: 4 (Rudner). Site 6. A partly reconstructed large heavy pot of

Type C2 with a concave contracted neck and an overturned, rounded and

incorporated rim (max. th. = 15 mm.). The pot has horizontally pierced,

internally reinforced lugs (max. th. = 48 and 52 mm.) with ridged bridges and

bent channels, aperture diam. = 25 mm. The base was probably ovoid and

reinforced (max. th. = more than 15 mm.). The material is light red-brown

and hard-fired with a rich admixture of coarse quartz. Thickness = g-11 mm.

There was a bright red burnish on both sides. Dimensions: D = 32 cm.,

R = 20 cm., N= 7-5 cm. Ratios: D/R = 1-60,) N/R’ —o-ee8 iniceas the

largest and heaviest pot of this type found; see also Blaauwberg (fig. XIV: 1).

Fig. XVII: 5 (Rudner). Site 6. Another partly reconstructed pot is small,

very thin-walled and bagshaped. It has a straight almost vertical neck and a

plain, tapered and everted rim and also a body-neck junction groove. It has

horizontally pierced, internally reinforced lugs (max. th. = 25 mm.). The

material is black with a medium quartz sand admixture and is very worn.

Thickness = 3-5 mm, Dimensions: D = 14 cm., R = 12 em= Nie, em:

Ratios: D/R = 1-16, N/R = 0-33. This type of small necked and bagshaped

pot has, apart from a similar one from the same site (fig. XVII: 6), only been

found at Sea View (fig. XX VII: 2) and Kleinemonde (fig. XXVIII: 5).

Fig. XVII: 6 (Rudner). Sites 4 and 5. Part of a small bagshaped pot with

a straight, almost vertical neck, a plain rounded rim and horizontally pierced,

probably externally applied lugs. The material is red-brown with a black core

and a medium quartz sand admixture. Thickness = 5:5 mm. There is a red

burnish on both sides. Dimensions: D = 10 cm., R = 8-5 cm., N = 4:5 cm.

Ratios: D/R = 1-18, N/R = 0:53. Discussion: See previous pot.

Of the pots from this site, 11 are necked while 2 are bagshaped and 1 is

spouted. Of the necks, 2 are straight vertical, 4 straight contracted and 4 con-

cave contracted. Only 1 neck is decorated with grooved horizontal lines and

another pot has a body-neck junction groove. Five different rim types are

represented, but plain tapered ones are most common.

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA aya

65. Smitswinkel Bay Cave (18°28’E, 34°16’S)

District: Cape.

Site: There is a cave with a shell midden above the bay. It was excavated

by Petty. Not visited.

Associations: Later Stone Age.

Pottery: (SAM 1752). A few sherds from 1 pot.

66. Miller’s Point (18°28’E, 34°14’S)

District: Cape.

Site: There is a large midden on the point which is overgrown. Visited

1951 and later.

Associations : Crude midden flakes.

Pottery: (Rudner). Remains of 3 pots, all in small sherds.

Report: This midden was mentioned by Martin (1872).

67. Simonstown (18°27’E, 34°12’S)

District: Cape.

Site: There are middens on the southern side of the bay, now part of the

Dockyard. They were excavated by H. Gracie (1946). Not visited.

Historical evidence: European settlement here from 1742.

Associations: Wilton.

Pottery: Remains of 3 pots, none whole but 1 partly reconstructed.

Fig. XVII: 2 (SAM 5268). The partly reconstructed pot is of Type C2 and

has a straight contracted neck with an overturned, rounded and incorporated

rim with a trimming groove. There is also a body-neck junction step. The base

is conoid (max. th. = 9 mm.). The pot has horizontally pierced, internally

reinforced lugs, which were not found, however. The material is sooty black

with an admixture of medium to coarse quartz sand. Thickness = 6-7 mm.

The pot is built up in rings. It has a brown burnish on the outside. Dimensions:

DP 267em- KR — 13-cm. Ratio: D/R = 2-0. Discussion: See Danger Bay

(fig. VI: 2-3).

Reports: Laidler (1929) mentions pot from Simonstown. Gracie (1946)

describes site, excavation and finds. Pottery was only found in top layer of

midden.

68. Glencairn (18°26’E, 34°10’S)

District : Cape.

Site: There were earlier middens on the beach, now they are removed.

Associations: Not known.

Pottery: (SAM 1227). Sherd from 1 pot.

69. Fish Hoek (18°26’E, 34°08’S)

District: Cape.

Sites: There are several midden sites among the sand dunes in the Fish

Hoek Valley, also the Fish Hoek Cave (Peers Cave), which contained a midden

HI2 ji ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

deposit, excavated by Peers and later by Jolly. There were also middens along

the beach and at Clovelly, all now removed. Visited 1951 and later.

Associations: Jolly (1947) reported from Peers Cave: A superficial layer of

recognizable Wilton material with worked European gun flints was located

within the first half-inch. Midden refuse without conventional tools but con-

taining pottery and ochre underlay the top Wilton to a maximum depth of

thirteen inches.

Pottery: Remains of 16 pots, 1 of them complete.

Fig. XVII: 1 (SAM 5026). The complete pot is very small and necked

but with the actual rim worn away. The base is globular and there are no lugs

or bosses. The material is black with a medium quartz sand admixture. Thick-

ness = 5 mm. It is smoothed or burnished. Dimensions: H = more than

6:5 cm., D = 6:5 cm.; R =4 cm. Ratio: D/R — 1-60.) This typerotpemias

not been found anywhere else.

Fig. XXXIV: 27 (SAM 4221). A piece of body and tubular spout with a

plain tapered rim. The material is black with a rich admixture of medium

quartz sand. Thickness = 6 mm. There is a black and possibly red burnish on

the outside. Dimension: D = 18 cm. Spout outer d = 34 mm., inside d =

24 mm. This is probably part of a Type D1 pot.

One neck from Clovelly is decorated with grooved horizontal lines, while

a pot from Peers Cave has the shoulder decorated with oblique prick marks

probably around a spout or pressed-out boss. Another sherd from Peers Cave

has an applied ridged boss, probably horizontal.

Reports: L. Abbott (1913) mentioned middens at Fish Hoek and-so did

Laidler (1935). K. Jolly (1947) has described the second excavation of Peers

Cave.

471. Strandfontein (18°37’E, 34°05’S)

District: Cape.

Site: There are occasional middens just behind the beach between Strand-

fontein and Swartklip. Visited 1952.

Associations: Wilton?

Pottery: Remains of 3 pots, 1 of them partly reconstructed.

Fig. XVII: 3 (SAM 5351). The partly reconstructed pot is small with a

flattened conoid base (max. th. = 9 mm.) and horizontally pierced internally

reinforced lugs with flat rounded bridges (max. th. = 18 and 20 mm.) and

straight channels, aperture d = 9 mm. The pot probably had a neck. The

material is dark grey with a coarse quartz sand admixture. Thickness = 6 mm.

The outside has a red burnish. Dimension: D = 16-4 cm. This is the only pot

found with a partly flattened base, otherwise only nippled bases are sometimes

flattened.

There is also a pointed base, a horizontally pierced, internally reinforced

lug and a piece of pottery with a row of drilled parallel holes along a straight

edge.

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 513

972. Cape Flats (18°35’E, 34°04’S)

District: Cape and Cape Town.

Sites: There are several midden sites on the Cape Flats especially inland

from the False Bay coast and at Zeekoevlei, visited by Péringuey. Most of them

are now built over.

Associations: Wilton.

Pottery: Parts of 6 pots, 1 of them partly reconstructed.

Fig. XVII: 7 (SAM 383). The reconstructed pot is of Type C1 and has a

straight vertical neck and a plain rounded or tapered rim. The base is broken but

was probably conoid. No lugs were found but may belong. The material is

brown with a grey core and a medium quartz sand admixture. Thickness =

8-5 mm. The material is badly fired and the inside is crackled. It was built up

in rings. The outside has a red burnish. Dimensions: D = 29 cm., R = 15 cm.,

N =5 cm. Ratios: D/R = 1-94, N/R = 0-33. Discussion: See Danger Bay

(fig. VII: 3 and 5).

Three horizontally pierced, internally reinforced lugs from other pots

were found. One from Zeekoevlei has a very pointed conical bridge. A piece

of straight contracted neck has a plain rounded rim.

F, HANGKLIP

73. Somerset Strand (18°49’E, 34°07’S)

District: Somerset West.

Site: Middens at beach now removed. Not visited.

Associations: Not known.

Pottery: Remains of 2 pots, both partly reconstructed.

Fig. XXXIII: 11 (SAM 42). Part of a necked (Type C2), almost bag-

shaped pot with a contracted neck and an overturned, rounded and incor-

porated rim (max. th. = 7 mm.) and a slight trimming groove. There are

also horizontally pierced, internally reinforced lugs (max. th. = 40 mm.) with

a conoid bridge and a bent channel, aperture d = 15 mm. The material is

red on the inside, also the lug reinforcement, and black on the outside with a

medium quartz sand admixture. Thickness = 7 mm. Both sides have a red

burnish.) Dimensions; — 17 cm., R = 12 cm., N = 4'cm: Ratios: D/R =

14s NR "0-39.

The other partly reconstructed pot is very similar but the rim is plain and

rounded.

74. Gordon’s Bay (18°52’E, 34°09’S)

District: Somerset West.

Sites: There is a large midden just outside Gordon’s Bay (Site A) with

a beacon on top and there used to be a continuous series of middens (Sites

B-D) between Gordon’s Bay and the Strand, now removed. H. Shapiro exca-

vated some of these middens before the war and F. Van Noten (1965)

excavated the large midden in 1964. Visited 1951 and later. :

514 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Associations: No pottery was found in the excavation of the large midden

A where the latest midden layer was C14 dated to 2700+ 40 BP (Van Noten,

1965). Sandy Bay tools were found on the surface of midden A (Rudner, 1954),

and also pottery sherds. Pottery was also found on the other middens (B—D),

according to Shapiro. Human skeletons have also been found here.

Pottery: (Rudner). Remains of 1 pot from midden A, not reconstructed.

Report: Shapiro reported that pottery appeared to be late as it was only

found superficially. No decoration was found. A partly reconstructed pot from

between Sites C and D is dull black, about 16 cm. deep with a slightly everted

rim. Other material is light brown or grey and the texture is very strong with

added sea sand or crushed stone. Thickness = 5 mm. From midden D came

light-brown sherds, thickness = 7-8 mm. with a rich admixture of sand. Coil

technique was used. There were also grey thinner fragments with a red

burnish. Thickness = 5 mm. Complete pots are said to have been found here

but have not been traced.

75. Steenbras River (18°49’E, 34°12’S)

District: Somerset West.

Site: Not known, but probably at present picnic place. A small shelter was

excavated at the mouth by B. D. Malan in 1932.

Associations: Malan found only pottery on the surface in the shelter, but

no pottery in the deposit which contained crude chips, bone tools and a Wilton

crescent at the bottom.

Pottery: Remains of 2 pots, 1 of them complete (a cast of original).

Fig. XVIII: 1 (SAM 5342). A small bagshaped pot with horizontally

pierced lugs, probably also internally reinforced. The base is conical and

nippled. Nothing is known about the rim or the material. Dimensions: H =

18-3 cm., D = 13-2 cm., R = 11:0 cm. Ratios: H/D — 1-38) Re 20.

This is an unusual shape, the only other similar one being an almost bagshaped

pot from Rietvlei (fig. XX: 1). It is also reminiscent of the Namaqua type

pottery from along the lower Orange River (Inland Report).

76. Kogel Bay (18°51’E, 34°15’S)

District : Caledon.

Site: There are overgrown middens at the river mouth and a vywer

(fish trap) on the beach. Visited 1951.

Associations: Not known.

Pottery: (Rudner). Remains of 1 pot, only a few sherds.

77. Rooiels (18°49’E, 34°18’S)

District : Caledon.

Sites: There are middens on the southern side of the river mouth and also

in a cave along the Rooiels River, excavated before the war. Visited 1951 and

later.

Associations: Later Stone Age.

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA BES

Pottery: Remains of 6 pots, none complete but 1 partly reconstructed.

Fig. XVIII: 2 (SAM 4079). Rooiels Cave Excavation. The reconstructed

upper part of a pot of Type C1 with a straight slightly contracted neck, a plain,

tapered rim partly slightly squared. There are horizontally pierced, internally

reinforced lugs (max. th. = 36 mm.) with a rounded, conical and up-tilted

bridge. The channel is bent, aperture d = 12 mm. The material is red-brown

with a coarse quartz sand admixture. Thickness = 6 mm. There is a pro-

nounced waist joint. There is a red burnish on both sides. Dimensions: D =

DOPeM wR —— 12) cm., IN = 4-5-cm. Ratios: D/R = 1-66, N/R = 0-38. This

shape is somewhat similar to pots from Hermanus (fig. XVIII: 4), Kromme

Bay (fig. XX VI: 1) and Rufane River (fig. XXVIII: 7).

Fig. XXXII: 66 (SAM 4075). Rooiels Cave Excavation. Piece of a plain,

tapered (outwards bevelled) rim with a trimming ridge. The neck is decorated

with grooved horizontal lines. ‘The material is brown with a black core and a

fine quartz sand admixture. Thickness = 5:5 mm. There is a fine red burnish

on both sides. Dimension: R = 8 cm.

Fig. XXXII: 67 (Rudner). Middens at river mouth. Pieces of a pot with

a concave contracted neck with a'plain tapered (bevelled) rim with a trimming

ridge and the bevelled part decorated with an impressed (comb-stamped)

string pattern. The pot also has a spout, outer d = 35 mm., inner d = 25 mm.

The material is black with a fine quartz sand admixture. Thickness = 5:5 mm.

The neck has a red burnish outside and inside, otherwise the pot has a black

burnish. Dimension: R = 9 cm. This was probably a spouted pot of Type D2,

similar to the ones from the Saldanha Area, e.g. Britannia Point (fig. VI: 1).

Similar rims have also been found at Modderrivier (fig. XXXI:51) and

Hangklip West (fig. XXXII: 68).

Fig. XXXIV: 28 (SAM 4076). Rooiels Cave Excavation. A nippled and

conical base, slightly thickened (max. th. = 10 mm.). The material is grey

with a coarse quartz sand admixture. Thickness = 5-6 mm. There was

probably a red burnish on the outside. This base is reminiscent of a piece of

base from Sandy Bay (fig. XXXIV: 26).

78. Pringle Bay (18°50’E, 34°21’S)

District: Caledon.

Site: There are middens on the northern and southern side of the bay,

explored by F. Malan. Not visited.

Associations: Wilton and Sandy Bay industries.

Pottery: Remains of 2 pots, none complete or reconstructed.

(F. Malan). There is a piece of an overturned, tapered and incorporated

rim with a slight trimming ridge.

479- Hangklip West (18°50’E, 34°23’S)

District: Caledon.

Sites: There are several midden sites on the Hangklip Peninsula and also

vywers in the bay on the eastern side. Visited 1951 and later. A map of the

516 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

peninsula showing the middens has been published by Mabbutt (19542).

Associations: Wilton and Sandy Bay industries (Rudner, 1954).

Pottery: Remains of 43 pots, none complete but 1 almost completely

reconstructed.

Fig. XVIII: 3 (Rudner). Site 1-5, a midden half-way on the peninsula.

The reconstructed pot is of Type C2 and has a straight contracted neck with

a plain rounded and half overturned rim (max. th. = 5 mm.) with a trimming

groove. There is also a body-neck junction groove. The neck is decorated with

grooved diagonal lines. There are also horizontally pierced, internally rein-

forced lugs (broken) and an ovoid, slightly thickened base (max. th. = 8 mm.).

The material is black with some coarse quartz sand admixture. Thickness =

5 mm. There is a red burnish on the outside. The pot was built up in rings.

Dimensions: H = 22°8 cm., D = 23-5 cm.} R = 13 emi, N — 5-5 cuaiwatios:

H/D = 0-97, D/R = 1-81, N/R = 0-42. The decorated pots of Type C2 are

the best ones found along this coast; see Hermanus (fig. XVIII: 4), Mossel

Bay (fig. XXII: 6-7), Jeffreys Bay (fig. XXV:6) and Cape Recife (fig.

XXVIT: 6).

Fig. XXXII: 68 (Rudner). Site 1 on the base of the peninsula. Large

midden area. Piece of a concave contracted neck with a plain tapered (bevelled)

rim decorated on the bevelled part with an impressed (comb-stamped) string

pattern. The material is grey with a rich admixture of medium to coarse

quartz sand. Thickness = 5-6 mm. There is a red burnish on the outside.

Dimension: R = 12 cm. Discussion: See Rooiels (fig. XXXII: 67).

Fig. XXXII: 69 (Rudner). Site 1. Piece of a concave vertical neck with a

plain squared and slightly everted rim with a slight trimming groove. The

material is black with a medium quartz sand admixture. Thickness = 5 mm.

There was probably a brown burnish on both sides. Dimension: R = 16 cm.

This rim is almost identical to one from Modderrivier (fig. XX XI: 53).

Fig. XXXII: 70 (Rudner). Site 2, midden on western point of peninsula.

A small piece of overturned, tapered, incorporated and everted rim. (max.

th. = 5 mm.) with a trimming groove. The material is buff with a grey core

and a medium quartz sand admixture. Thickness = 4 mm. There is a buff

burnish on both sides. Dimension: R = 12 cm.

Fig. XXXII: 71 (SAM 786). Part of a convex flared and thickened neck

(max. th. = 9 mm.) probably from a Type Cr pot with a plain tapered and

squared rim. The material is salmon pink to grey with a rich admixture of very

coarse quartz sand. Thickness = 7-8 mm. There is a red burnish on both

sides. Dimensions: R = 13 cm., N = 5:0 cm. Ratio: N/R = 0-39. Flared

necks of this type have been found only at Walvis Bay (fig. XX XI: 9) and at

Ysterfontein (fig. X: 5).

Three necks from this site are decorated with grooved diagonal lines, one

with grooved horizontal lines, and one rim has an impressed string pattern.

Some of the material is light buff, salmon pink or whitish grey, generally with

a very coarse quartz sand admixture.

Report: Péringuey (1911) reported that at Hangklip ‘six pots, with and

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 517

without ears, were discovered buried in the sand and standing in a line. This

seems to bear out the conclusion that they were mostly used for storing water,

fat or butter.’ Unfortunately they were all broken in the removal (!).

80. Hangklip East (18°52’E, 34°22’S)

District: Caledon.

Sites: There are several middens in the dune area on the southern slope

of Blesberg between Hangklip and Silversands Bay. Visited 1951 and later.

Associations : Wilton, Sandy Bay and crude midden industries.

Pottery: Remains of 24 pots, none complete but 1 partly reconstructed.

Fig. XXVIII: 5 (Rudner). The reconstructed pot is of Type C2 but with

features of Type C1. It has a straight vertical neck with an overturned, squared

and incorporated rim (max. th. = 6-5 mm.) and an uneven trimming groove.

The Jugs are horizontally pierced, internally reinforced and slightly ridged

(max. th. = 37 mm.). The material is salmon pink to dark grey on the outside

and inside of the neck, while it is dark grey on the whole inside of the pot. It

has a coarse quartz admixture. Thickness = 7 mm. Neck thickness = 5 mm.

The pot probably had a red burnish on the whole outside of the pot and on the

inside of the neck while the rest of the inside was black. Dimensions: D =

27 Amen kt —-) 15-2 cm., N == 7-5 cm..Ratios: D/R — 1-81, N/R =-o-50. This

type of pot with a straight, tall neck generally has a plain rim, e.g. at Blaauw-

berg (fig. XIII: 5) and Oakhurst (fig. XXII: 1), but a similar pot from Bokbaai

(fig. XII: 6) has a twice overturned rim. This type with plain rims is also

found along the Orange River in Gordonia and northern Namaqualand

(Inland Report).

Fig. XXXII: 72 (Rudner). A piece of flared neck with an overturned,

tapered and incorporated rim (max. th. = 6 mm.) with a trimming groove.

The material is purplish red with a medium quartz sand admixture. Thickness

= Om. Dimension: R = 12 cm.

Fig. XXXII: 73 (Rudner). Pieces of a straight contracted neck with a

plain tapered and half overturned rim. There is also a body-neck junction step.

The material is buff to grey with a rich medium quartz sand admixture.

siinveknesse— 5 mm. Dimensions: D = 24 cm., R'— 16 cm: Ratio: D/R =

1:50. Discussion: See Kasteelberg (fig. XX XI: 41).

From this site also comes a pressed-out conical boss from a pot with

horizontally pierced, internally reinforced lugs. At this site as at the previous

one the material is very light in colour, sometimes even creamy white.

81. Palmiet River (19°00’E, 34°21’S)

District: Caledon.

Site: There are small middens on the western side of the river mouth.

Visited 1951.

Associations: Not known.

Pottery: (SAM 7134). Sherds from 1 pot, not complete or reconstructed.

The sherds are from a necked pot with a plain rounded rim.

518 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

82. Hawston (19°07’E, 34°25’S)

District: Caledon.

Sites: There are several midden sites on the dune-covered plateau between

Hawston and Vermont, especially on the north-western and western side.

Visited 1951 and later.

Associations: Wilton industry. Human remains have been discovered here

(see SAM). Miss E. Speed excavated a burial with ostrich eggshell beads.

Pottery: Remains of 16 pots, none complete or reconstructed.

Fig. XXXIV: 29 (Rudner). The nippled part of a conical base (max.

th. = 18 mm.). The material is black with a light-brown outside and an

admixture of fine quartz sand. Thickness = 9 mm. (near the base). Both sides

have a black burnish. .

Out of 10 necks 3 are decorated, 1 with grooved horizontal lines, the

second with grooved diagonal lines finished off with a row of impressed dots

at the neck-body junction and the third with only a row of impressed dots at

the body-neck junction (fig. XXXII: 61).

83. Vermont—Onrust (19°10’E, 34°25’S)

District: Caledon.

Sites: There are middens at Vermont Beach at the end of the Hawston

dune area, and also east of the Onrust River mouth and at Sandbaai, near

Hermanus. Vermont visited in 1951. ,

Associations: Crude midden industry.

Pottery: Remains of 7 pots, none complete or reconstructed.

Fig. XXXIV: 30 (SAM 6458). From Onrust comes a small pressed-out,

slightly reinforced base nipple (max. th. = 8 mm.). The material is black

with some coarse quartz admixture, possibly pounded. Thickness = 4-5 mm.

There is a black burnish on both sides.

From Vermont (Rudner) comes a piece of neck with a plain tapered rim

and from Sandbaai a horizontally pierced, internally reinforced lug. .

84. Hermanus (19°15’E, 34°25'S)

District: Caledon.

Sites: There are middens at Skulphoek, Voélklip and Klipkoppie Cave

(Goodwin, 1935). Most of these are removed or overgrown. Not visited.

Associations: Wilton and Sandy Bay industries. Human skeletons have also

been found here.

Pottery: Remains of 4 pots, 1 of them partly reconstructed.

Fig. XVIII: 4 (US). The partly reconstructed pot is of Type C2 and has

a neck decorated with grooved, more or less horizontal lines and a row of

impressed circular dots at the body-neck junction. The pot has horizontally

pierced, internally reinforced lugs (max. th. = 25 mm.). The material is dark

grey with a brown inside and a fine quartz sand admixture. Thickness =

4—6 mm. There is a red burnish on both sides. Dimension: D = 17 cm. Dis-

cussion: See Noordhoek (fig. XXXII: 65).

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 519

Fig. XXXII: 74 (US). From Skulphoek comes a piece of neck with an

overturned, tapered (outwards bevelled) and incorporated rim. The bevelled

part is decorated with a diagonal cross-hatching of grooved lines and finished

off underneath the bevelled part with two broad and deep trimming grooves.

The material is dark brown with a coarse quartz admixture, possibly pounded.

Thickness = 6 mm. There is a red burnish on both sides. Dimension: R =

17 cm. This is a very finely worked rim, one of the best found among Strand-

loper pottery. It can only be compared with the rim from Dreyer’s Pan at

Kleinsee (fig. XX XI: 21). It is also similar to a rim from Grootdrink (Boegoe-

berg) on the Orange River (Inland Report).

From Skulphoek also comes a fragment of a pressed-out rounded boss,

decorated around the periferi with a ring of obliquely impressed dots; see

also Ysterfontein (fig. X:6), Modderrivier (fig. XI: 3) and Sea View (fig.

XXVIT: 1).

G. AGULHAS

85. Die Kelders (19°22’E, 34°33’S)

District: Caledon.

Site: There are middens at the southeastern end of the sand dune area

covering the top of the limestone plateau. Visited 1952.

Associations : Crude midden industry.

Pottery: (Rudner). Remains of 3 pots, none complete or reconstructed.

86. Gansbaai (19°21’E, 34°34’S)

District : Caledon.

_ Site: There are middens below the pumping station at Stanford Cove.

This site explored by F. Malan. Not visited.

Associations : Wilton and Sandy Bay industries.

Pottery: (F. Malan). Remains of 2 pots, none complete or reconstructed.

87. Sandy Point (19°27’E, 34°39’S)

District: Bredasdorp.

Site: There are middens on the point which is covered with dunes. Visited

1952.

Associations: Later Stone Age.

Pottery : Remains of 9 pots, 1 almost completely and 3 partly reconstructed.

Fig. XIX: 1 (UCT 56/3). This almost complete but very worn pot is

small, probably with a neck, and with a globular base. It has horizontally

pierced, internally reinforced lugs. The material has a coarse quartz sand

admixture and the vessel is built up in rings. Thickness = 8 mm. Dimension:

D = 12-2 cm. Discussion: See Buffels Bay (fig. XVII: 5-6).

Fig. XIX: 2 (Rudner). A partly reconstructed pot of Type C1 with a

straight vertical neck, a plain tapered rim and high-set horizontally pierced,

internally reinforced conical lugs (max. th. = 34 mm.). The base was probably

520 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

ovoid and slightly thickened (max. th. = 11 mm.) with a perfect ammonite

spiral. The material is light brown to salmon pink on the outside, the inside is

black. It has a very coarse quartz admixture. Thickness = 7-8 mm. The pot

was built up in rings. It has a red burnish on the outside, black inside. Dimen-

sions: D = 28 cm., R= 14 em., N — 4-5 cm. Ratios: D/R —.2-o,Nika—

0-32. This pot resembles a pot from Blaauwberg (fig. XIII: 5).

88. Pearly Beach (19°30’E, 34°40’S)

District: Bredasdorp.

Site: There is a large midden area among the dunes just south of the

village. Visited 1956.

Associations: Wilton (?) and crude midden industry.

Pottery: Remains of 24 pots, none complete, 1 partly reconstructed. (SAM

6546, F. Taylor and Rudner). The partly reconstructed pot has a very short

concave neck with an overturned, rounded and incorporated uneven rim

(max. th. = 6:5 mm.). The rather uneven material is black with a medium

quartz sand admixture. Thickness = 6—7 mm. Both sides have a black burnish.

Dimensions: R = 12 cm., N = 2°5 cm. Ratio: N/R = o-a1.

89. Quoin Point (19°40’E, 34°47’S)

District: Bredasdorp.

Site: Also called Die Dam. There is a large midden area on the dune-

covered plateau of the point. The middens, which consist of limpets and turban

shells, are concentrated on the eastern side of the plateau. Visited 1952 and 1963.

Associations: Sandy Bay industry. Human remains have also been found

here; see SAM. |

Pottery: (Rudner). Remains of 6 pots, none whole or reconstructed. One

neck with a plain tapered rim is decorated just below the rim with a horizontal

row of short, vertical incised lines, as at Blaauwberg, Vanputtensvlei, Port

Nolloth (3) and Oranjemund. Two of the pots have salmon pink or. bright red

material. A farmer is said to have a pot with a spout from this site.

go. Asfontein (19°54’E, 34°46’S)

District: Bredasdorp.

Sites: Site 1. Middens along the beach just east of Strandhuis. Visited in

1963. Site 2. Old midden area farther east and fairly high above the sea.

Visited in 1963. Site 3. Called Die Lagoon, still farther east, halfway to Quoin

Point. Large midden area among the dunes behind a small lagoon. Visited 1964.

Associations : Site 1, a crude midden industry. Site 2, a Sandy Bay industry.

Site 3, Later Stone Age.

Pottery: Remains of 3 pots from Site 1, 1 pot from Site 2 and 13 pots from

Site 3, none complete but 1 reconstructed from Site 3.

Fig. XIX:3 (Albertyn Coll.). Site 3, Die Lagoon. Mr. Albertyn of

Zeekoegat has a reconstructed pot of Type C1 with a straight vertical neck and

a plain tapered rim. The shoulders have pressed-out conical bosses (h = 10 mm.)

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 521

and the base is rounded ovoid (max. th. = 10 mm.) with an ammonite spiral.

The material is pink to buff with a coarse quartz admixture. Thickness =

7-8 mm. The outside has a dark red burnish, the inside a pink one. Dimensions:

DEO cm. R)— 11-0 ‘cm.;. N — 6-0 cm. Ratios: D/R = 1-91, N/R =

0°54. This is an unusual variation of Ci and the only similar pots are from

Lambert’s Bay (fig. V: 5), Sea View (fig. XXVII: 1) and perhaps Oakhurst

(fig. XXII: 1 and 3). This type is more common along the Orange River in

Gordonia and northern Namaqualand (Inland Report).

From Site 1 are only odd sherds, from Site 2 is a piece of neck with an

overturned, tapered and incorporated rim. In Mr. Albertyn’s collection from

Site 3 is also a straight vertical neck with a plain tapered rim, similar to the

pot above. The material is pink to buff with a coarse quartz admixture. In the

collection are also three horizontally pierced, internally reinforced lugs and

three plain tapered rims, one plain rounded and one overturned, tapered

and incorporated rim with a trimming ridge. One neck is straight contracted,

another concave contracted. There are also a few pieces of thin red pottery,

which probably is European.

gt. Cape Agulhas (20°02’E, 34°49'S)

District: Bredasdorp.

Sites: Site 1. There are overgrown middens along the beach between

Agulhas and Northumberland Points. There are vywers here. Visited 1952

and 1964. Site 2. Called Struisbaai. There are flat middens along the beach

north of the village. Visited 1964. Site 3. Called Die Mond. There are flat

middens along the beach. Visited 1963.

Associations: Later Stone Age.

Pottery: Sherds from 1 pot from Site 1, 3 pots from Site 2 and 1 pot from

Site 3, none of them complete or reconstructed.

(Rudner). One pot from Struisbaai is bagshaped with an overturned,

tapered and incorporated rim with a trimming groove. The material is dark

purple with a dark grey core, and the pot was built up in rings. It probably had

horizontally pierced, internally reinforced lugs. Another pot from the same

site appears to have a contracted neck. There is also a concave contracted neck.

All the sherds from this site are extremely worn. From Die Mond comes only

a part of a neck with an overturned, tapered and incorporated rim with a

trimming ridge; see Die Lagoon (Asfontein).

92. Arniston (20°15’E, 34°41’S)

District: Bredasdorp.

Sztes: Site 1. There are middens west of the village on top of Struis Point.

Visited 1952 and 1963. Site 2. There are middens among the dunes behind,

north of, Struis Point. Visited 1952 and 1963. Site 3. There are also middens

among the dunes east of the village, also vywers in the bay. Visited 1952.

Associations: Site 1, Wilton. Sites 2 and 3, Sandy Bay industry.

Pottery: Remains of 3 pots from Sites 1-2 and 2 pots from Site 3. One pot

522 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

from the last site is almost complete.

Fig. XIX: 4 (F. Taylor). Site 3. An almost complete pot with only the

upper part of the neck missing. The pot has a globular base (max. th. =

10 mm.) and two vertically pierced, internally reinforced lugs (max. th.

== 28 mm.) with two pressed-out ridged bosses between each pair of lugs. The

material is grey-brown to black with a medium quartz sand admixture. Thick-

ness = 7 mm. It has a red to black burnish on both sides. The inside is coated

with carbon. The pot was built up in rings. Dimension: D = 33:0 cm. This

type of lug has only been found at Walvis Bay in a cruder form (fig.

XXXIII: 1), also on a pot from Namaqualand (Schofield, 1948) and on a

small pot from CGamdeboo (Dunn, 1931). Pairs of pressed-out ridges between

lugs have also been found at Bokbaai (fig. XII: 2), Blaauwberg (2) and

Ryspunt. All the three pots from Sites 1-2 have necks, two of them with plain

squared rims, one with a plain tapered, slightly squared one. There are also

two horizontally pierced, internally reinforced lugs from one pot.

93- Ryspunt (20°22’E, 34°34’S)

District: Bredasdorp.

Sites: Site 1. There are middens east of the village. Visited 1964. Site 2.

There is a midden area half-way to Skipskop. Visited 1963.

Associations : Site 1, a crude midden industry. Site 2, a Sandy Bay industry.

A human jaw-bone was found at Site 1.

Pottery: Remains of 4 pots from Site 1 and 2 from Site 2, none complete or

reconstructed.

Fig. XXXII: 75 (Rudner). A piece of overturned, tapered and incor-

porated rim with a deep trimming groove. The material is dark red-brown

with a black core and a coarse quartz admixture. Thickness = 6 mm. The pot

was built up in rings. There is a red burnish on both sides. A very fine rim.

From Site 1 come three neck pieces, one a straight contracted neck with

a plain tapered rim and from the same pot a pair of pressed-out ridged bosses;

see Arniston (fig. XIX: 4). From the second pot comes a piece of conoid base.

The third pot probably had a concave contracted neck. From this site also

comes some salmon pink material with a light grey core and a very coarse

quartz admixture; see Hangklip.

From Site 2 come sherds of a pot with a concave contracted neck with an

overturned, tapered and incorporated rim with an indication of a ridge, very

like the one from Die Mond. This pot also has a spout.

94. Skipskop (20°25’E, 34°33’S)

District: Bredasdorp.

, Site: There are middens just east of the village situated on a calcrete floor.

Along the beach are vywers. Visited 1952 and 1963.

Association: Sandy Bay?

Pottery: (Rudner). A few sherds of 1 pot.

Report: Goodwin (1952) excavated a cave 8 miles north of Skipskop with

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 523

some sea shell. It contained a quartz industry (Wilton or Smithfield ?). There

were also sherds of a small but typical Hottentot pot of Type C2 with a short

neck with an overturned rounded rim, a trimming groove and a body-neck

junction step. It was coil-built with a sand or possibly a pounded quartz

admixture: Dimensions: H = about 25 cm., D = 21 cm., R =.16-5 cm. The

cave also contained a polished stone tool, bone tools and material of European

origin and a skeleton. Goodwin concluded that the site was less than 300 years

old and probably was inhabited by Hessequa or Chainouqua Hottentots.

95- De Hoop (20°29’E, 34°29’S)

District: Bredasdorp.

Site: At Koppie Alleen, especially, are middens among the dunes. Visited

1963.

Association: Wilton.

Pottery: (Rudner). Remains of 2 pots, none complete or reconstructed.

H. CAPE SOUTH COAST

97. Brakfontein (21°04’E, 34°16’S)

District: Riversdale.

Site: There is a small sand area between Puntjie and Riversdale strewn

with implements and sea shells about 11 km. from the sea. Visited 1952 and

1963.

Associations : This is an extremely rich Wilton site, worked first by Dr. C. H.

Heese, later by J. Dekenah.

Pottery: Remains of 9 pots, none complete or reconstructed.

(J. Dekenah). There are remains of 7 necks with plain, tapered rims (2),

overturned, tapered and incorporated ones (2), 1 of them everted with a

trimming groove and overturned, rounded and incorporated rims (3), 1 of them

with a trimming ridge and the rounded bevelled part decorated with diagonally

hatched grooved lines in a string pattern as found, for example, in the Saldanha

Area. There are also 2 horizontally pierced, internally reinforced lugs.

98. Blombos (21°14’E, 34°25’S)

District: Riversdale.

Sztes: At the coast is a large dune area with several shell midden sites.

The middens consist of Patella, Turbo, etc. Visited 1963.

Associations : What appears to be the oldest middens have a Wilton industry.

There is also a Sandy Bay industry and crude midden flakes. Dr. C. H. Heese,

F. Malan and others collected here.

Pottery: Remains of 5 pots, 1 almost complete.

Fig. XX: 5 (SAM 6211 Pauw). The almost complete pot of Type C2 has

a straight contracted neck with an overturned, rounded and incorporated rim

with a trimming groove. There is also a body-neck junction step. The base is

conoid (max. th. = 9 mm.) and there are two horizontally pierced, internally

reinforced lugs with rounded bridges (max. th. = 28 mm.). The material is

524 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

dark red-brown with a black core and a slight admixture of quartz sand.

Thickness = 6-7 mm. There is a red burnish on both sides. Dimensions:

H = 26 cm., D = 24 cm., R= 16 cm. \N — 15-5 em Ratios: Ei/ie aeace

D/R = 1:50, N/R = 0:34. This is a typical Strandloper pot; see Danger Bay

(fig. VI: 2-3).

100. Platbosfontein (21°25’E, 34°23’S)

District: Riversdale.

Site: There is a midden site west of the Kaffirkuils River mouth, explored

by Dr. C. H. Heese and J. Dekenah. Middens consist of limpets, white mussels,

mussels, turban shells and pencilbait. Visited 1963.

Associations: Wilton and Sandy Bay industries.

Pottery: Remains of 2 pots, none complete or reconstructed.

(SAM 6981 Dekenah). Parts of a straight vertical neck with an overturned,

rounded and incorporated rim. There are also two horizontally pierced,

internally reinforced rounded lugs. From the second pot comes an overturned,

rounded and incorporated rim with a trimming groove. The neck is decorated

with grooved diagonal lines.

ror. Still Bay (21°27’E, 34°22’S)

District: Riversdale.

Szte: There are middens 3 km. east of the Kaffirkuils River mouth, explored

by Dr. C. H. Heese, J. Dekenah and F. Malan. Not visited. Vywers in Still

Bay.

Associations: Wilton and Sandy Bay industries.

Pottery: Remains of 4 pots, none complete or reconstructed.

(SAM 4580 and F. Malan). Rims from 2 pots, 1 is overturned, tapered and

incorporated (rounded bevelled) with a trimming ridge. The other rim is

overturned, tapered and roughly squared while the neck is decorated with

grooved diagonal lines. There are also horizontally pierced, internally rein-

forced lugs.

102. Rietvlei (21°32’E, 34°21’S)

District: Riversdale.

Site: There are middens among the dunes east of Still Bay, discovered by

J. Dekenah. Not visited.

Association: Wilton industry.

Pottery: Remains of 8 pots, 5 of which are Soils or partly reconstructed.

Fig, XX:1 (SAM, Dekenah Coll.). The upper half of an almost bag-

shaped pot of Type Cr with a straight, slightly flared neck and a plain, rounded

and tapered rim. It has horizontally pierced, internally reinforced lugs with

up-tilted nose-shaped bridges (max. th. = 39 mm.) and a straight channel,

aperture d = 12 mm. The material is dark grey with a slight admixture of

medium quartz sand. Thickness = 6 mm. The outside probably had a red

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 525

punish. Dimensions: Di—-13-5 cm., R= 9°5 cm.,.N = 4-0'cm: Ratios: D/R =

1:42, N/R = 0-42. Discussion: See Steenbras River (fig. XVIII: 1).

Fig. XX:2 (SAM, Dekenah Coll.). A completely reconstructed pot of

Type Cr with a short straight vertical neck and an overturned, tapered and

incorporated rim (max. th. = 7-5 mm.). The base is conical with a rounded

point, slightly thickened (max. th. = 10 mm.). There are two horizontally

pierced, internally reinforced lugs (max. th. = 25 mm.) with a flat rounded

bridge. The channel is bent and burnished, aperture d = 10 mm. The material

is red-brown in the upper part and black in the lower part with a medium

quartz sand admixture. Thickness = 5:5 mm. There is a fine red burnish

om the outside. Dimensions: H = 18 cm., D = 19 cm.,_N = 4:0 cm. Ratios:

nD — 0-95, D/K — 2-0, N/R = 0-42... Discussion: See Blaauwberg (fig.

XIV: 4).

Fig. XX: 3 (SAM, Dekenah Coll.). The upper part of a pot of Type C1

with a short flared neck consisting of a plain tapered and half overturned rim

with a trimming groove. There are horizontally pierced, internally reinforced

lugs (max. th. = 26 mm.). The channel is bent with the aperture d = 12 mm.

The material is brown with a dark grey core and a medium mixed sand admix-

ture. Thickness = 5 mm. The vessel is built up in rings and has a red burnish

Outside. Dimensions: D.— 17 cm., R = 9°5 cm. Ratio: D/R = 1-80. Dis-

cussion: See previous pot and also Robberg (fig. XXII: 5).

_ Fig. XX: 4 (SAM, Dekenah Coll.). The lower part of a pot with a conical

base, slightly thickened (max. th. = 9 mm.). There are two horizontally

pierced, internally reinforced lugs (broken). The material is mostly black while

one part is red and has a slight admixture of quartz sand. Thickness = 7-8 mm.

There is a red burnish on both sides. Dimension: D = 15 cm. Discussion:

See above. |

The fifth partly reconstructed pot has a conoid base. There are also three

horizontally pierced, internally reinforced lugs from other pots.

103. Fish Bay (21°55’E, 34°19’S)

District: Mossel Bay.

Sites: Also called Kanon after the village north of which several midden

sites are situated along the raised 20 ft. beach and also on a plateau with sand

dunes. There are vywers in the bay. The middens are mostly limpets. J.

Dekenah has also collected here. Visited 1961 and 1963.

Historical evidence: Both Dias and Da Gama appear to have landed in

Fish Bay or in Flesh Bay and bartered with the local Hottentots.

Associations: Wilton and Sandy Bay industries.

Pottery: Remains of 21 pots, 2 of them complete and at least 5 partly

reconstructed.

Fig. XXI:1 (SAM, Dekenah Coll.). A reconstructed spouted pot of

Type D1 with a short straight vertical neck and a plain tapered rim. The base

is conical and nippled, but not reinforced (max. th. = 6 mm.). The horizontal

section of the pot is elliptical. The material is black with a medium quartz

526 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

sand admixture. Thickness = 6 mm. The outside has a red burnish. There are

no lugs or bosses. Dimensions: H = 18-5 cm., D = 16:5-18:5 cm., R =

7°5-? cm., N = 3:0 cm. Spout outer d = 30 mm., inner d = 22 mm.,; length

= 25 mm. Ratios: H/D = 1-0-1-12, D/R = 2-47—? N/R = 0-40—? This type

of spouted pot is also found at Jeffreys Bay (fig. XXV: 1-3) and at Ysterfontein

(fig. X: 2).

From the same site comes another partly reconstructed spouted pot with

an elliptical section, a short straight vertical neck with a plain rounded rim.

Along part of the shoulder is a decoration of impressed oval marks (10 X 5 mm.).

The material is ight brown to grey with a rich admixture of very coarse quartz.

Thickness = 7 mm. There is a red burnish outside, brown inside. This pot is

very similar to the decorated spouted pot from Jeffreys Bay (fig. XXV: 1).

Fig. XXI:2 (SAM 7339 Dekenah). A complete pot of Type C2 with a

straight slightly contracted neck and an overturned, tapered and incorporated

rim (max. th. = 9 mm.) with a trimming groove. It has a conoid reinforced

base (max. th. = 13 mm.) and horizontally pierced, internally reinforced

conical lugs (max. th. = 30 and 33 mm.) with an aperture d = 15 mm. The

material is red-brown with a black core and a slight fine or no admixture.

Thickness = 8—g mm. The outside has a red burnish. Dimensions: H = 20.5 cm.,

D = 20°9 cm., R = 12°5 em., N = 5:0 em. Ratios: H/D een eine ab 7

N/R = 0-40. This low and broad pot resembles pots from Hangklip West

(fig. XVIII: 3), Simonstown (fig. XVII: 2) and especially Matjes River (fig.

XXIII 1-2), possibly also Qulu (figs. XXIX: 4).

Fig. XXI: 3 (SAM Dekenah). The second completely reconstructed pot is

bagshaped of a type falling between B1 and Bza. It has an elliptical section, the

longer axis running through the slopingly pierced, internally reinforced lugs

which have rounded conical bridges and slightly bent channels, aperture

d = 20 mm. The rim is overturned, rounded, incorporated and everted (max.

th. = 9 mm.) and is very uneven. The base is ovoid and slightly thickened

(max. th. = 10 mm.). The material is brown to black, flaking from bad firing,

and has a fine or no admixture. Thickness = 6:5 mm. The vessel is built up in

rings and has a red burnish on both sides. Dimensions: H = 25:5 cm., D =

about 23-23°6 cm., R = about 16-18-2 cm. Ratios: This is a coarse, bag-

shaped vessel with lugs, slightly reminiscent of the pots from Churchhaven

(fig. VIII: 1), Modderrivier (fig. XI: 6), Oakhurst Shelter (fig. XXII: 2) and

Dwessa (fig. XXX: 1).

Fig. XXI:4 (ELM). The upper part of a Type C2 pot with a straight

almost vertical neck, an overturned, rounded and incorporated rim with a

trimming groove and also a body-neck junction step. The lugs are horizontally

pierced, internally reinforced (max. th. = 27 mm.) with flat rounded bridges

and bent channels, aperture d = 14 mm. The material has a slight admixture

of coarse quartz sand. Thickness = 7 mm. Neck thickness = 5 mm. There is

a pronounced joint just below the waist. There is a red burnish on both sides.

Dimensions: D = 24:4 cm., R = 16:0 cm., N = 6:0 cm. Ratios: D/R =

1°53, N/R = 0:37. Discussion: See Danger Bay (fig. VI: 2-3).

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 527

Fig. XXXII: 76 (Rudner). Parts of a pot of Type C2 with a straight

vertical neck, an overturned, rounded, incorporated and everted rim (max.

th. = 4:5 mm.) with a trimming groove and also a body-neck junction groove.

The neck is decorated with fairly deeply grooved horizontal lines, leaving an

undecorated band in the middle of the neck. The base is pointed (conoid or

ovoid) and slightly thickened (max. th. = 7 mm.). The material is red-brown

with a grey core and a slight admixture of coarse quartz. Thickness = 4—5 mm.

There is a fine red burnish on both sides. Dimensions: D = 26cm.,R = 13 cm.,

N50 cm. Ratios: D/R = 2:0, N/R = 0-385.

Another neck is concave and contracted with an overturned, rounded and

incorporated rim with a trimming groove. It is decorated with grooved, more

or less horizontal lines and also has a body-neck junction groove. A concave

vertical neck has an overturned, tapered (outwards bevelled) rim with a

trimming groove. The neck is decorated with grooved diagonal lines and also

has a body-neck junction groove. Another neck is decorated with grooved

diagonal and horizontal lines. A piece of neck has a horizontal row of parallel,

deeply incised lines. A partly reconstructed pot has a straight contracted neck

with an overturned, rounded and incorporated rim with a deep trimming

groove and also a body-neck junction step. It has horizontally pierced internally

reinforced lugs with low conical bridges.

104. Flesh Bay (21°56’E, 34°16’S)

District: Mossel Bay.

Sites: There are several middens on Flesh Point and along Flesh Bay. The

middens consist of mussels, white mussels, limpets, etc. Visited 1951 and 1963.

Historical evidence: See Fish Bay.

Associations: Wilton and quartzite industry.

Pottery: Remains of 3 pots, 1 of them partly reconstructed.

Fig. XXI:5 (Rudner). The partly reconstructed pot is of Type C2 and

has a straight contracted neck with an overturned, rounded, incorporated and

everted rim (max. th. = 8 mm.) and a body-neck junction step. The lugs are

horizontally pierced, internally reinforced with conical bridges. The material

is brown with a medium quartz sand admixture. Thickness = 4-5 mm. There

is a red burnish on both sides. Dimensions: D = 18-8 cm., R = 12-7 cm.,

NG—15;0' cm. ‘Ratios: D/R — 1-47, N/R = 0-40. Discussion: See Danger

Bay (fig. VI: 2-3).

There is also a piece of an overturned, tapered and incorporated rim with

a trimming groove.

105. Mossel Bay (22°08’E, 34°11’S)

District: Mossel Bay.

Sites: There are, or rather were, several middens around Cape St. Blaize

and also in the Mossel Bay Cave on the point. The actual find places are not

known.

FMistorical evidence: Both Dias and Da Gama visited Mossel Bay and in 1500

528 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Pedro d’Ataide went ashore there. Lichtenstein (1928) visited Mossel Bay

about 1803 and mentions the cave and the shell midden there which he thought

originated from the Hottentots.

Associations: Only crude midden flakes, no microliths or Mossel Bay

tools (Goodwin and Malan, 1935).

Pottery: Remains of 5 pots, 2 of them complete.

Fig. XXII: 6 (SAM 5345/2). Marked Mossel Bay and donated in 1856.

This and the following pot were found together buried in the sand, and were

probably made by the same potter. It is therefore interesting to see to what

degree they differ. Gummed labels affixed to these two pots are completely

impregnated with a fatty substance and even now the pots are slightly greasy

on the surface. This pot is of Type C2 with a straight contracted neck with an

overturned, tapered, incorporated and everted rim (max. th. = 5:5 mm.) with

a trimming groove and a body-neck junction step. The neck is decorated with

grooved more or less horizontal lines and at the body-neck junction there is a

row of oblique drop marks. The pot has horizontally pierced, internally rein-

forced lugs (max. th. = 33 mm.) with flat conical bridges, aperture d =

18 mm., and a conoid base. The material is not known as the pot is complete.

It has a red burnish on both sides. Dimensions: H = 30:5 cm., D = 22:4 cm.,

R'= 11-7 cm., N = 4-7 cm. Ratios: H/D = 1°36, D/Ri= i925 Re 0-10-

Fig. XXII: 7 (SAM 5345/1). Mossel Bay, as above. This pot, also of

Type Ca, has a concave vertical neck with an overturned, tapered, incorporated

and everted rim (max. th. = 6:5 mm.), slightly elliptical in plan, with a

trimming groove and a body-neck junction step. The neck is decorated with

grooved horizontal lines and at the body-neck junction a row of oblique drop

marks. The pot has horizontally pierced, internally reinforced lugs (max. th. =

33 mm.) with flat conical bridges, aperture d = 14 mm., and a conoid base.

The material, see above. It has a red burnish on both sides. Dimensions:

H = 30-5 cm., D = 22-8 cm., R. = 11-8-12:7 .cm.,, N —. 55, cma lee.

D/R = 1:93-1:79, N/R = 0-43-0-47. Both these elegant pots belong to a

subtype of Type C2 characterized by urn-shape, high-placed lugs and a

decorated or sometimes plain neck. This is the first appearance of this subtype,

which will reoccur at Jeffreys Bay (fig. XXV: 5-6), Kromme Bay (fig. XXVI:

1), Woody Cape (fig. XXVIII: 3), Rufane River (fig. XXVIII: 7) and Water-

loo Bay (fig. XXVIII: 1) to reach its climax in the lugless pot from Port

Alfred (fig. XXVIII: 2). The same neck decoration has also been found at

Hermanus (fig. XVIII: 4) and East London. Comparing the two pots with

each other, there are only slight differences in neck shape and decoration. The

dimensions and ratios vary as little as would be expected with two pots made

by the same potter.

Fig. XXXII: 77 (SAM). Probably Mossel Bay. Piece of a convex con-

tracted neck or part of a bagshaped pot with an overturned, tapered (outwards

bevelled) and incorporated rim (max. th. = 9 mm.) with a trimming ridge

and a deep groove. Another piece of neck is decorated with grooved diagonal

lines,

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 529

Fig. XX XIII: 12 (F. Malan). Middens at Mossel Bay. Piece of a shoulder

from a pot probably with a straight vertical neck. It has a body-neck junction

groove and above it grooved diagonal lines. A horizontally pierced, internally

reinforced lug (max. th. = 35 mm.) with a broken nippled bridge, aperture

= 12 mm. Between the lug and the neck is a circular impression (d = 8 mm.)

and on both sides of the lug six to eight grooved diagonal lines. The material

is light brown with a black core and a coarse quartz sand admixture. Thickness

= 4mm. There is a red burnish on both sides. This is one of the few decorated

lugs found, and the only one of its type. Other decorated lugs come from Port

Nolloth (fig. XX XIII: 7) and Waterloo Bay (fig. XX XIII: 18).

Reports: Kannemeyer (1890) and Leith (1898) both discuss the cave at

Mossel Bay and Leith also describes other middens along the coast (see Section

g). Goodwin and Malan excavated this cave and reported on it (1935). Périn-

guey (1911) illustrates one of the whole pots and Laidler (1929) describes the

area in general.

106. Little Brak River (22°12’E, 34°05’S)

District: Mossel Bay.

Site: Plateau east of the river mouth with shell middens. Visited 1963.

Associations: Not known.

Pottery: Remains of 5 pots, none complete or reconstructed.

Fig. XXXII: 78 (SAM 4863). A small piece of straight contracted neck

with a plain tapered and half overturned rim with a trimming groove. Just

below the trimming groove is another grooved horizontal line and from it

grooved diagonal lines run downwards. The material is light buff with a black

core and a medium quartz sand admixture. Thickness = 4:5-5:0 mm. Dimen-

sion ik — FO cm. 3

(Rudner). From the same site also come three more neck pieces, one

straight vertical, one concave flared and one straight contracted. The rims are

plain rounded, plain tapered and overturned, rounded and incorporated.

There is also a horizontally pierced, internally reinforced lug with a conical

bridge.

107. Great Brak River (22°16’E, 34°03'S)

District: George.

Site: Among the dunes on the plateau east of the river mouth are middens.

Visited 1951.

Associations: Quartzite industry and Wilton?

Pottery: Remains of 8 pots, none complete or reconstructed.

Fig. XXXII: 79 (Rudner). A small piece of an overturned, tapered and

incorporated rim (max. th. = 7 mm.) where the outwards bevelled part is

decorated with rows of comb impressions. The material is grey-brown with a

slight or no admixture. The only other rim of the same type comes from Noord-

baaikop Cave, Saldanha (fig. XX XI: 45), but the type is similar to the string

pattern rims from the Britannia Point area (fig. XX XI: 33-34, 38), Modder-

530 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

rivier (fig. XX XI: 51), Rooiels and Hangklip West (fig. XXXII: 67-68).

From the same site comes a piece of neck with an overturned, tapered and

incorporated rim with a trimming groove. Another rim is overturned, rounded

and incorporated with a trimming groove. Two neck pieces are decorated with

grooved horizontal lines. There are also two horizontally pierced, internally

reinforced lugs and a horizontally pierced, external disc lug (SAM 504) of

the type found east of Port Elizabeth and also in South West Africa.

108. Wilderness (22°37’E, 33°59’S)

District: George.

Site: There are middens on the beach east of the village and also a cave

at Ebb and Flow. Visited 1951.

Associations: Not known.

Pottery: Remains of 2 pots, neither complete nor reconstructed.

(SAM 5643 and Rudner). The sherds from the beach come from a bow!

or bagshaped pot with a plain tapered rim. From the cave comes part of a

pointed base.

109. Oakhurst Shelter (22°40’E, 33°58’S)

District: George.

Site: A shelter with a shell midden situated 3 km. from the lake and

6-5 km. from the sea in virgin forest. It was excavated by Goodwin between

1932 and 1934. See report (Goodwin, 1938). Not visited.

Associations: A Developed Wilton with pottery from the top 9-inch layer.

See report.

Pottery: Remains of 24 pots, 1 completely and 4 partly reconstructed. Only

Q pots are mentioned in the report, but it is assumed that the other pottery

in the collection from the shelter comes from the surface.

Fig. XXII: 1 (SAM 6990). Not mentioned in report. The reconstructed

upper part of a pot of Type C1 with a tall straight vertical neck, a plain tapered

rim and horizontally pierced, internally reinforced lugs (max. th. = 23 and

29 mm.) with conical bridges and bent channels, aperture d = 15 mm. The

material is dark brown to dark grey with a medium quartz sand admixture.

Thickness = 6-5 mm. There is a waist joint. Both sides have a red burnish.

Dimensions D = 22 cm., R = 10 cm., N = 6:5-7°5 cm. Ratios: D/R = 2:20,

N/R = 0-65-0-75. The tall straight vertical neck is an unusual feature along

the coast and the only similar vessels come from Hangklip East (fig. XVIII: 5)

and the bossed pot from Die Lagoon, Asfontein (fig. XIX: 3). This type of pot

is, however, found along the Lower Orange River (Inland Report).

Fig. XXII: 2 (SAM 6990). Reported from shelter. A bagshaped, short-

necked pot with a plain rounded and everted rim, which is rather uneven.

No base or lugs or bosses were found. The material is black with a coarse

quartz admixture. Thickness = 7-0-8:5 mm. There was a red burnish on both

sides. Dimensions: D = 26 cm., R = 20 cm. Ratio: D/R = 1-30. Discussion:

See Fish Bay (fig. XXI: 3) and also Tsitsikama Caves (fig. XXIV: 1).

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 531

Fig. XXII: 3 (SAM 6990). Reported from shelter. A wholly reconstructed

pot of Type Ce with a tall straight contracted neck and an overturned, tapered

and incorporated rim (max. th. = 5 mm.) with a slight trimming groove and

also a body-neck junction step. The neck is decorated with shallow grooved,

irregular horizontal and diagonal lines. On the shoulder are pressed-out

conical bosses (h = 5 mm.). There might also have been lugs. The base is

conoid, slightly thickened (max. th. = 10 mm.). The material is light brown

with a grey core and a coarse quartz admixture. Thickness = 7 mm. Neck

th. = 5 mm. There is a red burnish on both sides. Dimensions: H = 24:5 cm.,

aici. Ky — oF cm., N — 6°7°cm. Ratios: H/D — 1-4, D/R = 1-95,

N/R = 0-75. A rather elegant pot with an unusual neck pattern. The shape is a

variation towards Type C1 of the common decorated Type C2 of this area

represented, for example, by the Mossel Bay pots (fig. XXII: 6-7).

110. Sedgefield (22°49’E, 34°02’S)

District: Knysna.

Site: There are middens among the dunes at and to the east of the outlet

of the Swartvlei. The middens consist of mussels and a few turban shells,

limpets, etc. Visited 1950 and later.

Associations: Crude quartzite tools.

Pottery: Remains of 4 pots, none complete or reconstructed.

(Rudner). Two pots have concave vertical necks, one with an overturned,

tapered rim while the other is plain tapered. The second pot also has a spout

and on the shoulder an impressed crescent pattern. A third pot has a straight

contracted neck with a plain tapered and half overturned rim. It has hori-

zontally pierced, internally reinforced lugs. Sherds from a fourth pot have rows

of impressed triangular (knife-point) dots.

111. Goukamma River (22°58’E, 34°05’S)

District: Knysna.

Szte: There are middens among the dunes east of the river mouth as far

as Walker Point or Buffels Bay, where there were also middens, now built over.

Visited 1951 and later.

Associations: Crude quartzite flakes.

Pottery: Remains of 3 pots, none complete or reconstructed.

(Rudner). One necked pot has horizontally pierced, internally reinforced

lugs and a pointed base. From two other pots come rounded, probably ovoid,

bases.

112. Knysna Eastern Head Cave (23°04’E, 34°04’S)

District: Knysna.

Site: There is a cave with a shell midden just inside the opening to the

lagoon. It was discovered and excavated partly in 1872. Visited 1951.

Associations: Probably Wilton and quartzite industry. Human skeletons

and two painted burial stones have been found here and probably also a

532 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

painted shoulder blade of a lion.

Pottery: Remains of 3 pots, none complete or reconstructed.

(SAM 4719). One piece of neck has an overturned and rounded rim with a

trimming ridge. Another piece of neck has a plain tapered rim. A third sherd

is decorated with two rows of impressed points.

Reports : The cave has been described by Bain (1880) and Péringuey (1911)

and in SAM correspondence (1872).

113. Robberg Caves (23°24’E, 34°06’S)

District: Knysna.

Sites: On the Robberg peninsula west of Plettenberg Bay are several

caves and rock shelters with shell middens. There are also middens on the

island, at the western end of the bay and also west of the peninsula. Some of

the caves have been excavated several times, first by guano collectors. An

excavation by UCT is still in progress. Visited 1951 and later.

Associations: Much material has been collected from these caves and some

of it is in the SAM, including several painted burial stones. The shell middens

contain both microlithic and crude quartzite industries, but pottery was only

found on or near the surface. Several human skeletons have been found in

these caves and also a beautiful bone industry.

Pottery: Remains of 23 pots from the Robberg Caves and 4 pots from

Plettenberg Bay, none complete but 4 partly reconstructed.

Fig. XXII: 4 (SAM 24098). The excavation of Cave D near Seal Point.

The reconstructed upper half of a pot of Type C2 with an almost straight

vertical neck and an overturned, tapered, incorporated and slightly everted

rim (max. th. = 5 mm.) with a trimming groove and also a body-neck junction

step. It has horizontally pierced, internally reinforced conical lugs (max. th. =

27mm.) with bent channels, aperture d = 11 mm. The material is red-brown

with a black core and a slight admixture of medium quartz sand. Thickness =

6 mm. It was built up in rings with pronounced joints at the base, waist and

body-neck junction. It has a red burnish on both sides. Dimensions: D =

21-cm., R = 12 cm., N = 5:8 cm. Ratios: D/R = 1-75, N/R ee ge is

cussion: See Mossel Bay (fig. XXII: 6-7).

Fig. XXII: 5 (AM). Plettenberg Bay. The reconstructed upper half of a

pot with a straight contracted neck and a plain rounded and half overturned

rim. It has horizontally pierced, internally reinforced conical lugs (max. th. =

33 mm.). The material is brown with a black core and a slight admixture of

coarse black sand. Thickness = 5 mm. Both sides have a red burnish. Dimen-

sions: D = 26 cm., R = 14 cm., '‘N = 5°5 cm. Ratios: D/R = ey aN ke —

0:395. This vessel falls somewhere between Types C2 and C1. For the former

type see Matjes River (fig. XXIII: 2) and Zwartkop River (fig. XXVII: 3),

for the latter see Rietvlei (fig. XX: 3) and Blaauwberg (fig. XIV: 4).

Fig. XXXII: 80 (SAM 2512). Cave D excavation. Piece of a straight

vertical neck with a plain tapered and everted rim. The base of the neck has

a slight body-neck junction groove and is decorated with a row of oblique

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 533

drop marks. The joint is reinforced on the inside. The material is flaky and

badly fired, grey in colour and with a slight admixture of quartz sand. Thick-

ness = 6 mm. Neck thickness = 5 mm. There is a red burnish on both sides.

Wimensions: R — 8 cm., N = 2-3 cm. Ratio: N/R = 0-285. Discussion: See

Hout Bay (fig. XXXII: 61).

Fig, XXXII: 81 (SAM 2513). Cave D excavation. Piece of a bagshaped

pot with a short concave vertical neck and a plain rounded rim. The body-

neck junction is slightly carinated. There are two conical drilled holes (d =

6-9 mm.) with a piece of rope remaining in one hole. Inside the pot is a char-

coal deposit. The material is very uneven and badly fired. The colour is very

black and the walls are thick with a slight admixture of sand. Thickness =

11-12 mm. Neck thickness = 8-g mm. The pot was built up in rings. The

outside has a red burnish. Dimensions: D = 18 cm., R = 16 cm., N = 3 cm.

Ratios: D/R = 1:12, N/R = 0-185. This is a crude vessel slightly similar in

shape to the carinated pot from Ysterfontein (fig. IX: 3). The rim and general

shape may be similar to a pot from the Tsitsikama Caves (fig. XXIV: 1).

Another partly reconstructed pot (SAM 2983) from Cave F has a straight

contracted neck with an overturned, tapered, incorporated and everted rim

(max. th. = 5:5 mm.) with a trimming groove. There is also a body-neck

junction step. Probably also from Cave F comes a spout (SAM 2983) from a

necked pot with horizontally pierced, internally reinforced lugs, the only

spouted pot with lugs found.

Reports: These caves are mentioned by Péringuey (1911) and others.

114. Matjes River (23°29’E, 34°00’S)

District: Knysna.

Sites: On the farm Forest Hall is a cave with a shell midden overlooking

the river mouth. A second site is near the cave. A third site is in the small Piet se

Bank Cave 1 km. east of Groot Bank on the same farm. These caves were

investigated by Goodwin and Van Riet Lowe in 1939. Sites not visited.

Associations : Not known.

Pottery: 3 complete pots.

Fig. XXIII: 1 (SAM 5997). Found under the roots of a yellowwood tree,

approximately 1500 years old, near the first cave. A pot of Type C2 with a

straight contracted neck and an overturned, tapered, incorporated and everted

rim (max. th. = 8 mm.) with a slight trimming groove. There is also a body-

neck junction step and two horizontally pierced, internally reinforced lugs

with strange nose-shaped bridges. The base is ovoid. The material is not

known. There is a red burnish on both sides. Dimensions: H = 26-4 cm.,

roc nc. hk — 16-2,cm., N — 5:5 cm. Ratios: H/D — 1-04, D/R = 1°57,

N/R = 0:34. A typical Strandloper pot, see Danger Bay (fig. VI: 2-3), but

with a lug-shape not found anywhere else.

Fig. XXIII: 2 (SAM 5995). Found in the surface shell deposit of the first

cave. A pot also of Type C2 very similar to the previous one with a straight

contracted neck and an overturned, rounded, incorporated and everted rim

534 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

(max. th. = 10 mm.) with a trimming groove and also a body-neck junction

step. The rim and horizontal section are slightly elliptical. It has horizontally

pierced, internally reinforced lugs with rounded conical bridges, aperture

d = 16-18 mm. The base is ovoid. The material is brown with a medium to

coarse quartz admixture. Neck thickness = 5 mm. There is a red burnish on

both sides. Dimensions: H = 31:5cm., D = 28-6—29:2 cm., R = 15:5-16°5 cm.,

N=g9°0 cm. Ratios: H/D = 1-10-1-08, D/R = 1:88-1:73, N/R = 0-58-

0:54. Discussion: See previous pot.

Fig. XXIII: 3 (AS 11/39). Piet se Bank Cave. Found below the guano but

on top of the shell deposit. A pot of Type C2 with a concave contracted neck

and an overturned, rounded and incorporated rim with a trimming groove.

The lugs are horizontally pierced, internally reinforced and the base is ovoid.

The pot has a crack surrounded by drilled holes for repair. The material is

reddish brown. Dimensions: Hi =:45°7'cm., D = 38:1 cma Re—-e47 em

N = 10°5 cm. Ratios: H/D = 1-18, D/R = 1°58. This pot is almost bagshaped

in its type even if not in the proportions. See also Robberg (fig. XXII: 5).

115. Tsitsikama Caves (23°34’E, 33°59’S)

District: Knysna.

Site: There is a cave with a shell midden at the mouth of the Grootrivier,

first excavated in 1884 and later in 1921 by FitzSimons who also excavated

other caves in this area. Sites not visited. _

Associations: See FitzSimons (1923 and 1926). Pottery was found in the

uppermost part of the deposit, but it is also possible that the pottery may have

come from one of the other caves.

Pottery: Remains of 20 pots, 1 complete and 3 partly reconstructed.

Fig. XXIV: 1 (PEM 87). A small pot found in the hand of a skeleton. It

has a short concave contracted neck and a plain rounded and everted rim.

There are no lugs or bosses. The base is globular and not thickened (max. th. =

8 mm.). The material is black with a slight quartz sand admixture. Thickness

= 7 mm. It has a black burnish outside and a grey one inside. Dimensions:

H = 10-0 cm., D = 11-0 cm., R ='7,cm., N' = 1-5 cm. Ratios el pe ao.o 8,

D/R = 1:43, N/R = 0-215. The proportions of this pot do not fit into the

Strandloper types, the only exception found. It can be described as an excep-

tionally squat necked pot. It is similar to a pot from Oakhurst (fig. XXII: 2)

and also slightly resembles the pot from Cape Town (fig. XV: 1). In shape and

thickness it is reminiscent of Bantu pottery.

Fig. XX XIII: 13 (PEM 85). Part of a pot of Type Ce with a straight con-

tracted neck and a plain, tapered and everted rim with a slight trimming

groove. There is also a body-neck junction step and horizontally pierced,

internally reinforced conical lugs (max. th. = 23 mm.) with bent channels,

aperture d = 11 mm. The material is red with a black core and a slight or no

admixture. Thickness = 4:5 mm. The pot has a red burnish on both sides.

Dimensions R = 12 cm., N = 3°5 cm. Ratio: N/R = 0-29. Discussion: See

Danger Bay (fig. VI: 2-3).

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 535

Another partly reconstructed pot (PEM 85) also has a straight contracted

neck, but the rim is overturned, rounded and incorporated. It also has a body-

neck junction step and horizontally pierced, internally reinforced rounded

conical lugs. A third partly reconstructed pot (PEM 85) is bagshaped with a

plain tapered rim and horizontally pierced, internally reinforced rounded lugs.

There is also part of a bagshaped pot or bowl (PEM 97) with a plain squared

rim and the shoulder decorated with three rows of comb impressions plus

garlands of the same decoration. The material is brown to black with a slight

admixture of mixed sand. Thickness = 7 mm. There is a mottled brown and

black burnish on both sides. Dimensions: D = 20 cm., R = 18 cm. Ratio

D/R = 1-21. This might be a Bantu pot as the decoration is different from any

other Strandloper pot.

Fig. XX XIII: 14 (PEM 85). A horizontally pierced, internally reinforced

ring lug or ear (max. th. = 40 mm.). The straight channel has an aperture

d = 17 mm. The material is black with a slight sand admixture. Thickness =

7 mm. There is a dark red burnish outside and inside the pot and also in the

channel. This is the only ring lug found and might indicate influence from

European pottery. There are also a plain tapered rim and three overturned

and rounded ones. Two necks are decorated with grooved horizontal lines and

one with incised horizontal lines combined with a row of impressed cuneiforms

at the base of the neck. There are also pieces of two ovoid bases, one conoid

base and one ovoid or conoid base.

116. Coldstream and Van der Walt Caves (23°44’E, 34°00'S)

District: Humansdorp.

Sites: Coldstream Cave lies at the mouth of the Coldstream or Lottering

River, while Van der Walt Cave lies farther east, about 14 km. from the sea,

although the precise location is not known. Both have shell middens and have

been excavated, the former by Péringuey in 1g0g-11. Neither site has been

visited.

Associations: Coldstream Cave: Quartzite tools and many bone tools.

Three painted burial stones. Human skeletons of big-limbed people. Van der

Walt Cave: Many bone tools and a polished stone. See also Péringuey (1911).

Pottery: Coldstream Cave: Remains of 3 pots, 1 of them complete. Van

der Walt Cave: Remains of 6 pots, none complete but 2 partly reconstructed.

Fig. XXIV: 3 (PEM 125). Coldstream Cave. A complete pot discovered

by FitzSimons, presumably the same cave as above. This is one of the largest

Strandloper pots ever found and is perfectly preserved. It is of Type C2 and

has a straight contracted neck with an overturned, rounded and incorporated

rim (max. th. = 12 mm.), finished off with a trimming groove. There are

horizontally pierced, internally reinforced lugs with rather flat bridges and

very big apertures, d = 30 mm. The base is ovoid. The pot has a red-brown

burnish and the channels are also burnished. According to a label on the pot

E@e dimensions are: 1 — 40:7 cm:, D) = 40:7 cm:, R —='17°7 cm., N = 12 cm.

Ivatios= b//)'— 7-00,. D/R = 2-30, N/R = 0-67. This squat. and rather

536 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

high-necked pot is unique in size but otherwise is a typical Strandloper pot;

see Danger Bay (fig. VI: 2).

From Coldstream Cave also comes a piece of straight contracted neck

(SAM 1378) with an overturned rim, where the overturned part has broken off.

Fig. XXIV:2 (SAM 1374). Van der Walt Cave, from excavation. A

partly reconstructed bagshaped pot of Type Br with a plain tapered and

slightly everted rim. No lugs were found. The material is black with a slight

admixture of coarse sand and with a very uneven thickness (7-11 mm.). Both

sides are crudely smoothed, showing tool marks (striation). Dimensions:

D = 27 cm., R = 24 cm. Ratio: D/R = 1-12. This is a typical example of a

Type Br pot found mostly along the coast farther to the north-east, e.g. Qulu

(fig. XXIX: 5) and Krause Beach (fig. XXX: 4).

From the same site comes another bagshaped pot of Type Bi with a plain

tapered rim. Two other rims are plain squared or overturned, tapered and

incorporated with a trimming ridge. One piece of neck is decorated with grooved

horizontal lines.

Reports: Péringuey (1911) reported on both these caves. Laidler (1929)

described the Coldstream pot as degenerate. He also states that prepared clay

rolls with coarse quartz admixture were found buried with female skeletons.

117. Klasies River Mouth Caves (24°24’E, 34°06’S)

District: Humansdorp.

Sites: There are two caves to the east of the river mouth, both with shell

middens consisting mostly of turban shells. Visited 1960.

Associations: Mossel Bay and coarse quartz industry.

Pottery: Remains of 3 pots, none complete or reconstructed.

(SAM 6901, 6903). One piece of plain rounded and everted rim.

118. Slangrivier (24°40’E, 34°10’S)

District: Humansdorp.

Sites: There are middens all along the beach and also on the Bites

among sand dunes east of the river mouth. Visited 1954.

Associations: Late Mossel Bay industry (?) with giant crescents.

Pottery: Remains of 10 pots, none complete but 2 partly reconstructed.

One partly reconstructed pot (Rudner) comes from Site 2 and has a straight

vertical neck with an overturned and tapered rim (max. th. = 7:5 mm.) with

a trimming groove. It also has a body-neck junction groove plus inside rein-

forcement and horizontally pierced, internally reinforced lugs with ridged

bridges. The base was ovoid or globular. The material is red-brown with a

black core and a fine quartz sand admixture. Thickness = 7 mm. (upper part),

g mm. (lower part). There is a red burnish on both sides. Dimensions: R =

14. cm.; N = 4 cm. Ratio: N/R = 0-285.

Another partly reconstructed pot (Rudner) from Site 5 has a neck with

an overturned and rounded rim and horizontally pierced, internally reinforced

lugs (max. th. = 25 mm.) with flattish conical bridges. The channels are bent

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 537

and burnished, aperture d = 18 mm. The material is light red-brown with a

black core and a medium sand admixture. Thickness = 6 mm. There is a red

burnish on both sides. Dimension: R = 16 cm.

There are 5 overturned and tapered rims and 1 overturned and rounded

rim. One of the rims is overturned twice, see fig. XX XI: 55 and XXXII: 82.

Another rim is overturned and squared. One neck is decorated with grooved

horizontal and diagonal lines.

119. Goedgeloof (24°47’E, 34°09’S)

District: Humansdorp.

Site: Along the old bed of the Sandrivier in the inner part of a vast sand-

dune area inland from Cape St. Francis are old-looking, partly consolidated

limpet and turban shell middens. The middens are about 5 km. from the sea

and apout 250 feet above sea-level. Visited 1960 and 1961.

Associations: A Late Mossel Bay industry with giant crescents.

Pottery: Remains of 5 pots, none complete or reconstructed.

Fig. XXXII: 82 (Rudner). Site 2. Piece of a concave vertical neck with a

twice overturned and tapered rim (max. th. = 5 mm.) with two trimming

grooves. The neck is decorated with grooved diagonal lines. The material is

light brown with a black core and a medium quartz admixture, possibly

pounded. Thickness = 4-5 mm. There is a bright red burnish on both sides.

Dimension: R = 12:5 cm. Twice overturned rims have only been found at

Bokbaai (fig. XX XI: 55) and Slangrivier.

Fig. XXXII: 83 (Rudner). Site 2. Piece of an overturned, tapered and

incorporated rim with the end squared, probably with a trimming ridge (very

worn). The material is dark grey with a coarse mixed sand admixture. Thick-

ness = 5mm. There is a red burnish outside and probably also inside.

Dimension: R = 14°5 cm.

There are also two horizontally pierced, internally reinforced lugs, one

with conical, the other with a rounded bridge. Another piece of neck has a

body-neck junction step and the shoulder has signs of grooved vertical lines.

The base was probably ovoid.

120. Kromme Bay (24°49’E, 34°10’S)

District: Humansdorp.

Sites: There is a vast dune area between Cape St. Francis and Goedgeloof

along the coast of Kromme Bay, mostly on the farm Kansies. There are several

midden sites here at different levels, consisting of limpets, white mussels,

turban shells, etc. This is the richest pottery site on this side of the coast. There

is now a popular tourist resort next to the sites. Visited 1954 and 1960.

Associations: Late Mossel Bay with giant crescents, Magosian (?) and

Wilton industries. A human skull was found here.

Pottery: Remains of 76 pots, none complete but 2 almost completely

reconstructed and some partly.

Fig. XX VII: 1 (Rudner). One reconstructed pot of Type C2 has a short

538 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

straight, almost vertical neck with an overturned, tapered, squared and

incorporated rim (max. th. = 6 mm.) with a trimming groove. There is also

a body-neck junction step and horizontally pierced, internally reinforced lugs

(max. th. = 27 mm.) with conical bridges and bent channels, which are

biconical in shape and burnished, aperture d = 14 mm. The base is conoid

and reinforced (max. th. = 11 mm.). The material is light brown to red with

a black core and a fine sand admixture. Thickness = 6-7 mm. At least the

lower part of the pot is built up with rings. There is a light red, fine burnish on

both sides. Dimensions: H = 33 cm., D — 22 cm., R = 11-bem Nee orc:

Ratios: H/D = 1°50, D/R = 1-90, N/R = 0:35. This tall elegant urn-shaped

pot represents the climax of Strandloper pottery and is of the same subtype

as the pots from Mossel Bay (fig. XXII: 6-7), Jeffreys Bay (fig. XXV: 5),

Waterloo Bay (fig. XXVIII: 1) and Port Alfred (fig. XX VII: 2).

Fig. XXVI: 2 (Rudner). Site 4 almost on top of the plateau, circa 100 feet

above sea-level. The other reconstructed pot is bagshaped with a short concave

contracted neck and an overturned, rounded and incorporated rim (max.

th. = 7 mm.), sometimes with an uneven trimming groove. The body-neck

junction is marked by a rounded edge, almost carinated (subcarinated). The

lugs are horizontally pierced, internally reinforced and the base was probably

conoid. There are also some parallel, drilled holes (d = 6 mm.). The material

is black with a fine quartz sand admixture. Thickness = 7-8 mm. It was built

up with rings. There was a dark red burnish on both sides. Dimensions: D =

22 cm., R = 17 cm., N = 5:0 cm. Ratios: D/R = 1-29, N/R—.6-2057 tl his

bagshaped and subcarinated pot is similar to one from Ysterfontein (fig.

IX: 3) and to a piece of neck from Robberg Cave (fig. XXXII: 81).

There is at least one more bagshaped pot from this site.

Fig. XXXII: 84 (Rudner). Site 4B. Piece of a straight contracted neck

from a pot of Type C2 with an overturned, tapered, incorporated and everted

rim (max. th. = 6 mm.) with a deep trimming groove. The neck is decorated

with a pattern of grooved, diagonal and horizontal lines, and along the body-

neck junction a raised, probably applied, neck band with a row of impressed

circular dots (d = 2 mm.) on each side of it. The material is light brown with

a very black core and a coarse quartz admixture, probably pounded. Thick-

ness = 5 mm. There is a red burnish on the outside, a light brown one on the

inside. Dimensions: R = 12 cm., N = 5:5 cm. Ratio: N/R = 0-416. This is

the finest decorated neck found during the survey. The only other place where

raised neck bands have been found is at Hout Bay (fig. XXXII: 63). Such

neck bands are common in some early pottery from Rhodesia.

Fig. XX XIII: 15 (Rudner). A horizontally pierced, internally reinforced

lug (max. th. = 59 mm.) with a sharp-pointed conical (horn-shaped) bridge

and a slightly bent channel, aperture d = 17 mm. The material is brown with

a dark grey core and a fine quartz sand admixture. Thickness = 7 mm. There

is a dark red burnish on the outside. Dimension: D = 26 cm. This is the most

pronounced horn-shaped lug found, also the one with the largest maximum

thickness. This type of lug is typical for this site, but has also been found at

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 539

Port Elizabeth, Ysterfontein and Saldanha Schiereiland. At Kromme Bay 8

out of 25 horizontally pierced, internally reinforced lugs have nose- or horn-

shaped bridges.

Fig, XXXIV: 31 (Rudner). Site 4. Part of a reinforced, round-pointed

conical base (max. th. = 14 mm.), which is built up in rings. The material is

black with a fine quartz sand admixture. Thickness = 7 mm. There is a dark

brown burnish on the outside.

Fig, XXXIV: 32 (Rudner). A tubular spout with a plain, outwards

bevelled rim where the bevelled part is decorated with grooved diagonal lines

in a string pattern. The rest of the spout is decorated with parallel, slightly

wavy, grooved lines. The material is black with a fine quartz sand admixture.

Thickness = 5:5 mm. Spout dimensions: Length = 22-27 mm., outer d =

38 mm., inner d = 30 mm., channel diameter inside pot, d = 21 mm. Deco-

rated spouts are rare but occur on the Britannia Point pots (fig. VI: 1 and

XXXIV: 10) and on the Jeffreys Bay (fig. XXV:2) and Kayser’s Beach

(fig. XXIX: 1-2) spouted pots. An almost identical decoration is found on the

beautiful spouted pot from Grootdrink (Boegoeberg) on the Orange River

(Inland Report).

121. Jeffreys Bay (24°55’E, 34°04’S)

District: Humansdorp.

Sule: There are middens all along the beach from the village southwards,

consisting mostly of turban shells and limpets. Visited 1951 and 1963.

| Associations: Late Mossel Bay industry with giant crescents and Later

Stone Age industry. Human remains have also been found here.

Pottery: Remains of 25 pots, 5 of them complete and 1 partly reconstructed.

Fig. XXV: 1 (Rudner). A spouted pot of Type Dr with a short straight

vertical neck and an overturned, tapered and incorporated rim (max. th. =

6-5 mm.) with a trimming groove. The horizontal section is elliptical with the

long axis through the spout. The shoulder is decorated with two horizontal

rows of impressed oval dots (max. d = 5 mm.), there are also six vertical

rows below the spout. There are no lugs or bosses. The base is globular and not

thickened (max. th. = 6-5 mm.). The material is black with a coarse quartz

admixture, possibly pounded. Thickness = 5:5-6-5 mm. There is a red burnish

on the outside. Dimensions: H = 25:5 cm., D = 24:1-27-6 cm., R = 10-12°0

cm., N = 30cm. Spout 1 = 20-30 mm., outer d = 32 mm., inner d = 25 mm.

Ratios: H/D = 1-06—-0-93, D/R = 2-0-2:76, N/R = 0-25-0-276. This is the

type specimen for Type D1. This type is found from Ysterfontein (fig. X: 2) in

the west to Kaysers Beach in the east, and also inland at Committees Drift on

the Great Fish River, at Grootdrink (Boegoeberg) on the Orange River and at

Van Rhynsdorp (Inland Report).

Fig. XXV: 2 (NMB). A spouted pot of Type Dr with part of the neck

missing. The neck was probably concave contracted. The pot has an elliptical

section and an ovoid base. There are no lugs or bosses. The material is dark

brown to black with a coarse quartz admixture, probably pounded. Thickness

540 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

= 5°5 mm. The pot has a black burnish. Dimensions: D = 19:8-21°5 cm.,

R = 8 cm. Spout outer d = 20 mm. Ratio: D/R = 2:48-2:69. Discussion:

See previous pot.

Fig. XXV: 3 (NMB). A spouted pot of Type D1 with a short concave

contracted neck and an overturned, tapered and incorporated rim with a

trimming groove. The spout is flared and the base is conoid. There are no lugs

or bosses, no decoration and the section is not elliptical. The material is brown

to black with a sparse, coarse quartz admixture, possibly pounded. It has a light

brown to black burnish. Dimensions: H = 18-0 cm., D = 17:8 cm., R = 8-3

cm., N = 1:5 cm. Spout outer d = 30 mm. Ratios: H/D = 1-o1, D/R = 2°14,

N/R = 0:18. Discussion: See fig. XXV: 1. The rim is of an unusual type.

Fig. XXV: 4 (Rudner). The reconstructed upper part of a pot of Type C2

with a short straight contracted neck and an overturned, tapered and incor-

porated rim (max. th. = 8 mm.) with a trimming groove. There is also a

body-neck junction step. The horizontally pierced, internally reinforced lugs

(max. th. = 42 mm.) have conical bridges and bent channels, aperture

d = 20 mm. The base was pointed, probably conoid, and thickened. There is

also a drilled, conical hole (d = 6-10 mm.). The material is light brown to grey

with a fine quartz sand admixture. Thickness = 6 mm. The pot is built up

with rings and has a pronounced waist joint. There is a red burnish on the

outside. Dimensions: D = 24 cm., R= 17-5 em.) N)= 3-e7 ema iatios:

D/R = 1-43, N/R = 0-182. Discussion: See Danger Bay (fig. VI: 2-3).

Fig. XXV: 5 (A. van Wyk). A completely reconstructed tall pot of Type

C2 with a concave, contracted neck and an overturned, rounded, incorporated

and everted rim. There is a rim trimming groove and also a body-neck junction

groove. The lugs are horizontally pierced, internally reinforced with rounded,

conical bridges and aperture d = 13 mm. The material is light brown with no

noticeable admixture, and the pot has a red burnish. Thickness = 4-6 mm.

Dimensions: H = 34:0 cm., D = 25:5 cm., R = 12:0-12°5 cm., N = 5:0 cm.

Ratios: H/D = 1:34, D/R = 2:04-2:12, N/R = 0-406-0-418. Discussion: See

Kromme Bay (fig. X XVI: 1).

Fig. XXV: 6 (PEM 1440/50). A complete pot of Type C2 with a concave

contracted, almost vertical neck and an overturned, tapered, incorporated and

squared rim (max. th. = 6 mm.) with a trimming groove. The neck is decorated

with grooved horizontal lines and there is also a body-neck junction groove.

The lugs are horizontally pierced, internally reinforced, aperture d = 11 mm.

The base is conical and probably reinforced. The material is brown with a black

core and a fine or no admixture. Thickness = 4 mm. The pot has a red-brown

burnish. Dimensions: H = 30:5cm.,D = 24:8cm.,R = 11°8cm.,N = 4:8cm.

Ratios: H/D = 1:23, D/R = 2-10, N/R = 0-406. Discussion: See previous pot.

Fig. XXXII: 85 (Rudner). Piece of a contracted neck with a plain,

rounded rim. The rounded external part of the rim is decorated with grooved

diagonal lines in a string pattern, while the rest of the neck is decorated with

grooved horizontal lines. The grooves are finely striated. The material is light

brown with a dark grey core and a rich admixture of medium quartz, probably

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 541

pounded. Thickness = 5-6 mm. (neck thickness = 6-8 mm.). There is a fine

dark red burnish on both sides. This is an unusual combination of decoration;

see discussion on the spout from Kromme Bay (fig. XXXIV: 32). There are

several more pieces of decorated necks from this site and there is also a broken

spout and a small pressed-out boss. One base is globular with a small applied

nipple.

122. Kabeljaauw River (24°57’E, 33°59’S)

District: Humansdorp.

Site: There are middens at the mouth of the river. Not visited.

Associations: Not known.

Pottery: Remains of 5 pots, none complete or reconstructed.

Fig. XXXII: 86 (AM/C toro). A piece of neck, probably contracted, with

an. overturned, sharply tapered, incorporated and everted rim and a trimming

groove. The neck is decorated with grooved, more or less horizontal lines. The

material is brown with a black core and some medium brown sand admixture.

Thickness = 6 mm. There is a red burnish on both sides. Dimension: R = 12

cm. Sharply tapered rims are common in the Port Elizabeth area.

Fig. XXXII: 87 (AM/C to10). Another neck piece has an overturned,

tapered, rounded and incorporated rim with a trimming groove. The very

worn neck was probably decorated with grooved horizontal lines. The material

is brown with a black core and has some admixture of medium sand. Thickness

= 4 mm. There was a red burnish on both sides. Dimension: R = 16 cm.

There is also another neck piece with an overturned, rounded and incor-

porated rim with a pronounced trimming groove and also a piece of body-neck

junction decorated with a row of incised, short diagonal lines and with the

inside of the junction reinforced.

Il. Port E1lizABETH

124. Gamtoos River (25°06’E, 33°57’S)

District: Port Elizabeth.

Site: There are large middens 3-5 km. east of the river mouth. Gess Site 24.

Not visited.

Associations: Mossel Bay industry, Magosian (?) and Wilton (?).

Pottery: Remains of 28 pots, none complete but 6 partly reconstructed.

Fig. XXVI: 5 (SAM 4738). The reconstructed upper part of a pot of

Type Ce2 with a straight contracted neck, an overturned, tapered, incorporated

and everted rim (max. th. = 6:5 mm.) with a slight trimming groove and a

body-neck junction step. The pot has horizontally pierced, internally reinforced

lugs (broken). The material is brown with a black core and a fine quartz sand

admixture. Thickness = 8 mm. Neck thickness = 6-8 mm. There is a red

burnish outside and a coarse gritty surface inside. Dimensions D = 21 cm.,

R= 15 cm., N=6:0 cm. Ratios: D/R = 1-40, N/R = 0-40. Discussion:

See Danger Bay (fig. VI: 2-3).

542 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Fig. XXXII: 88 (SAM 4738). Piece of a concave, contracted neck with an

overturned, tapered and incorporated rim (max. th. = 7:5 mm.) with a

trimming groove and also a body-neck junction step with inside reinforcement.

There are also horizontally pierced, internally reinforced lugs with rounded

conical bridges and bent, biconical channels, apertured = 14mm. The material

is light brown with a dark grey core and a fine quartz sand admixture. Thickness

= 5:5-6-5 mm. The vessel was built up in rings. There are also a few conical,

drilled holes (d = 5-12 mm.). The surface is not burnished but gritty. Dimen-

sions: R = 16 cm., N = 3:0 cm. Ratio: N/R = 0-187. Discussion: See Noord-

hoek (fig. XXXII: 64). Biconical lug channels have also been found at Kromme

Bay (fig. XXVI: 1).

Pieces of a coarse bowl with a tapered rounded rim and a comb

stamped pattern were also found at this site. The material is black with a

grass admixture. Thickness = 8-10 mm. This is a Bushman pot, see Port

Elizabeth (fig. XXVII: 5).

All the lugs from this site are horizontally pierced, internally reinforced,

one of them nose-shaped and one ridged.

125. Van Stadens River (25°13’E, 33°58’S)

District: Port Elizabeth.

Site: There are middens among the dunes west of the river mouth and

also on the eastern side at the high water mark. Gess Site 39. Not visited.

Eistorical evidence: Thunberg met Gonaqua Hottentots at this river in 1773

and so did Sparrman in 1775. This was the eastern border for the Damaqua

Hottentots (Maingard, 1931).

Associations: Mossel Bay industry with giant crescents, crude quartzite

industry and also small blade tools, probably Wilton.

Pottery: Remains of 4 pots, 1 almost complete and 1 partly reconstructed.

Fig. XXVI: 3 (Gess Coll.). A reconstructed bagshaped pot of Type Br

with a plain tapered rim and probably a conoid base, which was thickened

(max. th. = 10 mm.). There are no lugs or bosses. There are some conical,

bored holes (d = 3-6 mm.). The material is black with a very slight, probably

natural admixture. It is badly fired and flaky. The thickness varies from 4 mm.

at the rim to 6 mm. at the middle and 10 mm. at the base. There was probably

a brown burnish on both sides. Dimension: D = R = 14 cm. Ratio: D/R =

1:00. This is a small example of the plain bagshaped pot of Type B1 common

farther to the east.

Fig. XXVI: 4 (PEM 1469/65). An almost complete pot of Type C1 with a

convex contracted neck and a plain tapered and squared rim. The opening is

slightly elliptical. The pot has horizontally pierced, internally reinforced lugs

(broken) and a conical base. The material is black with a fine or no admixture.

Thickness = 7 mm. There is a light brown burnish. Dimensions: H = 30:0 cm.,

D = 24-4 cm., R = 16-5-17°5 cm., N = 9:0 cm. Ratios: H/D. = 1-23, D/R =

1:48-1:39, N/R = 0°51-0°55. This is another transitional type between necked

and bagshaped pots. It slightly resembles the pots from Alexander Bay and

Kleinsee (fig. IV: 1), also maybe the pot from Rufane River (fig. XXVIII: 6).

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 543

126. Maitland River (25°17’E, 34°00’S)

District: Port Elizabeth.

Site: On the western side of the river mouth there is a plateau with dunes

and middens czrca 150-200 feet above sea-level. Gess Site 13. Visited 1963.

Associations: Mossel Bay industry and Magosian industry.

Pottery: Remains of 8 pots, none complete or reconstructed.

(Gess Coll.). Three pieces of necks are decorated with grooved horizontal

lines while one neck piece has grooved diagonal almost vertical lines and a

body-neck junction groove. There are also two pointed bases, one with a

flattened nipple.

127. Sea View (25°31’E, 34°02’S)

District: Port Elizabeth.

Sites: There are middens of old Patella and fresh-looking Donax 3-5 km.

west of Sea View Hotel, approximately 30-100 feet above sea-level. This is

Gess Site 5. There are other middens of old Patella 500 m. east of the hotel.

Gess Site 33. These sites are now built over. Not visited.

Associations : Mossel Bay industry, possibly also a Later Stone Age industry.

Pottery: Remains of 21 pots, 1 complete and 1 partly reconstructed.

Fig. XXVII: 1 (PEM 1434/4). The complete pot is of Type C1 and has a

straight vertical neck with a plain squared rim and is decorated with grooved

horizontal lines. On the shoulder are four vertical ridge-shaped bosses, probably

pressed-out (h = 6 mm.). There is a row of impressed dots around the shoulder

just below the body-neck junction and two rows around each of the bosses. The

base is globular. The material is black, probably with little or no admixture.

Neck thickness = 5 mm. There is a mottled red, brown and black burnish

outside and also inside the neck. Dimensions: H = 21:0 cm., D = 21-9 cm.,

ine—a-Ovems:,Ni— 4-0 cm. Ratios: H/D'= 0:93, D/R = 1-74, N/R = 0:318.

Decorated pots of Type C1 are fairly rare but do occur, e.g. Kleinsee (fig. IV: 2),

Ysterfontein (fig. X: 1) and Modderrivier (fig. XI: 5). The shape is somewhat

similar to pots from Die Lagoon (fig. XIX: 3) and Lambert’s Bay (fig. V: 5).

Fig. XX VII: 2 (Gess Coll.). Gess Site 5. A small bagshaped pot with a

straight vertical neck and an overturned, tapered and incorporated rim (max.

th. = 5 mm.) with a trimming groove and also a body-neck junction groove.

The lugs are horizontally pierced, internally reinforced with conical bridges

and straight channels aperture d = 8 mm. The material is red-brown with a

black core and almost no admixture. Thickness = 3-4 mm. There is a red

burnish outside and inside the pot. Dimensions: D = 10-0 cm., R = 8-0 cm.,

N = 4:0 cm. Ratios: D/R = 1-25, N/R = 0-50. Similar small bagshaped pots

come from Buffels Bay (fig. XVII: 5-6) and Kleinemonde (fig. XXVIII: 5).

Fig. XXXII: 89 (Gess Coll.) Gess Site 33. Piece of a short straight vertical

neck with a plain rounded, almost squared rim. There is a body-neck junction

groove and below it on the shoulder a row of oblique shallow S-impressions,

then a grooved line and finally a row of semicircular impressions. The material

is salmon pink with a coarse quartz admixture, possibly pounded (see Hangklip,

544 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

etc.). Dimension: N = 2-0 cm. This unusual decoration has not been found at

any other site.

From Sea View also comes a rim from a bagshaped pot or bowl with a

grooved line just below the lip and below the line a row of impressed dots.

128. Sardinia Bay (25°33’E, 34°02’S)

District: Port Elizabeth.

Site: A poor midden site on the eastern side of Sardinia Bay. Gess Site 48.

Not visited.

Associations: Mossel Bay, or quartzite flake industry.

Pottery: Remains of 2 pots, none complete or reconstructed.

(Gess Coll.). There is a rim from a pot with a straight contracted neck which

is decorated with grooved horizontal lines. The rim is overturned and rounded

with a pronounced trimming groove. Another rim is plain and tapered.

129. Cape Recife (25°42’E, 34°02’S)

District: Port Elizabeth.

Site: There is a small white mussel midden 2-5 km. towards Willows.

Gess Site 26. Not visited.

Associations: Not known.

Pottery: Remains of 2 pots, 1 of them partly reconstructed.

Fig. XXVII: 6 (Gess Coll.). The reconstructed upper part of a pot of

Type C2 with a concave contracted neck and an overturned rounded and

incorporated rim with a trimming groove. There is also a body-neck junction

groove. The neck is decorated with grooved horizontal lines. The material is

dark grey with a coarse quartz admixture, possibly pounded. Thickness = 5

mm. There is a bright red burnish on both sides.

Another piece of neck has an overturned and tapered rim with a trimming

groove. The base is ovoid or globular with bored holes.

130. Port Elizabeth (25°39’E, 33°59'S)

District: Port Elizabeth.

Sites: Algoa Bay was fringed with middens in patches and belts up to 400 m.

long and 100 m. wide. Humewood is built on extensive middens. A few middens

still remain in dunes near Port Elizabeth. Strandlopers are said to have lived

here till about 1800 (Laidler, 1935). Visited 1963.

Historical evidence: Dias reported that two women at Algoa Bay were collec-

ting shellfish (Axelsson, 1940).

Associations: Laidler (1935) reported that Stone Age cultures, Hottentot

and Bantu cultural remains can be recognized here.

Pottery: Remains of 41 pots, none complete but some partly reconstructed.

Fig. XX VII: 5 (PEM 351). Drift sands near Port Elizabeth. Reconstructed

shouldered bowl with a plain rounded rim and the whole body decorated with

horizontal rows of circular comb impressions, intruding upon each other. The

material is black with a grass admixture and is of uneven thickness = about

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 545

10 mm. The inside has a black very smooth burnish, while the outside is covered

with fatty carbon deposit. Dimensions: D = 26 cm., R = 24 cm. Ratio:

D/R = 1:08. This is a typical Bushman pot as described by Dunn (1931) and

often found on inland Smithfield sites (Inland Report). Two more such pots

were found at Port Elizabeth (see also fig. XXXII: 91), one at Gamtoos River

and one at East London. They probably indicate that the Strandlopers some-

times married Bushman women, a theory supported by the presence of Bush

features among the Strandlopers; see the skeleton from Bokbaai midden

(Singer, 1955).

Fig. XXVII: 7 (PEM 64). Port Elizabeth middens, probably Humewood.

The upper part of a pot of Type C2 with a straight contracted neck, an over-

turned, rounded, incorporated and slightly everted rim with a trimming groove.

There is a slight body-neck junction groove and horizontally pierced, internally

reinforced lugs (max. th. = 33 mm.) with low ridged bridges and bent channels,

aperture d = 20 mm. The material is red-brown with a black core and a slight

fine quartz sand admixture, probably natural. Thickness = 5-6 mm. There is a

mottled red and black burnish on both sides. Dimensions: R = 15 cm.,

N = 5-2 cm. Ratio: N/R = 0-346. Discussion: See Danger Bay (fig. VI: 2-3).

Fig. XXXII: 90 (PEM 64). Site as above. Part of a concave contracted

neck with a plain tapered, rounded and everted rim and a trimming groove.

The neck is decorated with an unusual combination of grooved horizontal

and diagonal lines. The material is light brown with a black core and some

coarse quartz sand admixture. Thickness = 5 mm. There is a dark red burnish

outside and a light brown one inside. Dimensions: R = 16 cm., N = 7:0 cm.

Ratio: N/R = 0-436.

Fig. XXXII: 91 (PEM 865). Midden on Port Elizabeth sea-shore. Piece

of a bowl or possibly bagshaped pot with a plain rounded rim. The whole piece

is decorated with horizontal rows of deep comb-stamp impressions. The material

is black with a grass admixture. Thickness = 8-g mm. It has a fine black

burnish on both sides. Dimension: R = 18 cm. This is certainly also a Bushman

pot, see fig. XXVIII: 5.

Fig. XXXIII: 16 (PEM 351). Site as above. Part of a vertical, applied

ridged boss (h = 5 mm.), surrounded by a row of impressed triangular dots.

The material is brown with a black core and no admixture. Thickness = 4 mm.

There is a red to brown burnish on both sides. This decorated ridge boss is

similar to one from Port Alfred (fig. XX XIII: 17).

From the dune site (PEM 351) also comes part of a shoulder and a contrac-

ted neck. The former is decorated at the break with a vertical row of impressed

drop marks, while the neck is decorated with incised horizontal lines and a

pronounced body-neck junction groove. This pot also has horizontally pierced,

internally reinforced lugs with flat bridges not projecting outside the pot wall.

Another piece of contracted neck has an overturned, thinly tapered and everted

rim and is decorated with very close, incised horizontal lines.

From middens near Port Elizabeth (PEM 349) come tapered rims from

at least two tall bagshaped pots of Type Bi. There are also parts of three

546 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

contracted necks with overturned rims and trimming grooves. One of these

necks is decorated with horizontal lines, probably grooved.

From the Port Elizabeth middens (PEM 64) comes a concave contracted

neck with an overturned, tapered (outwards bevelled) and incorporated rim

with a trimming groove. The bevelled part is decorated with short vertical

incised lines while the neck is decorated with broad grooved horizontal lines,

the rectangular grooves being somewhat deeper on the lower side (groove width

= 2mm.). Another neck is similar to the one from Gamtoos River (fig. XXXII:

88) and another overturned and tapered rim probably comes from a bagshaped

pot. There are also four horizontally pierced, internally reinforced lugs from

this site, two of them with burnished channels.

From Port Elizabeth middens (PEM 865) come several neck and rim pieces

of different types. Only one of them is decorated with incised slightly sloping

lines. There is also another piece of Bushman pottery decorated with horizontal

rows of comb-stamped pattern. A horizontally pierced, slightly reinforced lug

has a slightly up-turned, horn-shaped bridge; see Kromme Bay (fig.

XXXII: 15).

From Port Elizabeth beach (AM/C 92-5, 261-271) come other neck and

rim pieces. One is similar to the one from Robberg Cave (fig. XXXII: 81).

Two other rims have drilled parallel holes (d = 5 mm.) not far below the rim.

Two plain tapered rims probably come from bagshaped pots of Type B1. One

of these pots has horizontally pierced, externally applied ear lugs with straight

channels, aperture d = 16 mm., of similar type as lug from Walvis Bay

(fig. XX XIII: 3).

Reports: Bliss wrote in 1924 (SAM Corr.) that he had pieces of pottery

collected in 1903 from the beach middens. They included pieces of overturned,

rounded and tapered rims with the overturned part decorated with impressed

dots and the neck with broad grooved horizontal lines. Another rim had the

overturned part decorated with cross-hatched lines (string pattern) and the

neck with incised horizontal lines (see Kromme Bay, fig. XXXIV: 32).

Laidler (1929) gave as his opinion that Algoa Bay and district had a

considerable colony of Hottentots who showed unusual artistic inclination.

‘Pot making appears in this district to reach its apotheosis, and ornamentation

is nowhere so varied.’

131. Zwartkops River (25°38’E, 33°53’S)

District: Port Elizabeth.

Site: There is a midden area south of the mouth among the dunes. Gess

Site 32. Not visited.

Associations: This site is rich in pottery but very poor in tools. Human

skeletons have been found here and are now at Witwatersrand University.

Pottery: Remains of 8 pots, 2 of them complete.

Fig. XXVII: 3 (ELM 393). A complete pot of Type C2 with a straight

contracted neck and an overturned, rounded and incorporated rim (max. th. =

5'5 mm.) with a trimming groove. The lugs are horizontally pierced, internally

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 547

reinforced (max. th. = 33 mm.) with rounded conical bridges and bent

burnished channels, aperture d = 20 mm. The base is ovoid and slightly

thickened (max. th. = 9 mm.). The material is black with a little coarse sand

admixture. Thickness = 5 mm. There is a red burnish outside, black inside.

There are some drilled holes, both parallel and conical. Dimensions: H = 21-4

ear 115-5,cm., hk — 13-0 cm.y N= 4:0 cm. Ratios: H/D = 1-23, D/R —

1:42, N/R = 0-307. Discussion: See Danger Bay (fig. VI: 2-3).

Fig. XX VII: 4 (PEM 62). A bowl with a plain tapered rim and a globular

base (max. th. = 15 mm.). The material is black and uneven with some

admixture, certainly natural. Thickness = about 12 mm. There is a brown

burnish on both sides. Dimensions: H = 11:6 cm., D = 15:5 cm., R = 14'5

cm., Ratios: H/D = 0-75, D/R = 1:07. This type of bowl is found in the eastern

areas, e.g. Rufane River (fig. XXVIII: 4), Qulu River (fig. XXIX: 3),

East London (fig. XXIX: 6) and Kei River (fig. XXX: 5).

From the same site come one, possibly three, rims from bagshaped pots.

There are also three horizontally pierced, internally reinforced lugs.

132. St. Georges Strand (25°40’E, 33°50’S)

District: Port Elizabeth.

Site: There are middens among the dunes north of the village. Gess Site 42.

Not visited.

Associations: Possibly a Mossel Bay industry.

Pottery: Remains of 12 pots, 1 of them partly reconstructed.

(Gess Coll.). The reconstructed upper part of a pot of Type C2 has a

concavo-convex, contracted neck and an overturned, tapered and incorporated

rim (max. th. = 7 mm.) with a trimming groove. The neck is decorated with

fairly fine, grooved, horizontal lines and very pronounced body-neck junction

groove. The pot has horizontally pierced, internally reinforced lugs and a

reinforced probably ovoid base. The material is light brown with a black core

and no admixture. Thickness = 4-6 mm. There is a fine bright dark red

burnish outside and a light brown one inside. Dimensions: D = 22 cm.,

het onem.- Ni 7 cm. Ratios: D/R = 1-83, N/R = 0-582.

133. Hougham Park Beach (24°46’E, 33°46’S)

District: Port Elizabeth.

Site: North-east of the Coega River mouth and half-way to the Sundays

River mouth are middens among the dunes along the sea. Gess Site 6. Not

visited.

Associations: Possibly Mossel Bay and Magosian industries.

Pottery: Remains of 4. pots, none complete or reconstructed.

(Gess Coll.). A plain tapered rim comes from a pot with a straight contrac-

ted neck and a tubular spout, while a plain tapered and an overturned, tapered

and incorporated rim with a trimming groove come from necked or bagshaped

pots.

548 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

134. Sundays River (25°49’E, 33°43’S)

District: Port Elizabeth.

Site: There are middens between the loop of the river and the sea on the

southern side of the mouth. Gess Site 30. Not visited.

Associations: A few Mossel Bay tools.

Pottery: Remains of 3 pots, none complete or reconstructed.

(PEM and Gess Coll.). Two pieces of contracted necks with overturned

rims, also a Strandloper lug.

J. PORT ALFRED

135. Congoskraal (25°59’E, 33°42’S)

District: Alexandria.

Site: There are middens among the dunes 6 km. from the farm-house and

situated on a calcrete floor. The middens consist of Donax serra. There is an old

Bantu kraal near by. Gess Site 25. Not visited.

Associations: A few Mossel Bay and Later Stone Age tools.

Pottery: Remains of 13 pots, none complete or reconstructed.

(Gess Coll.). There are eleven pieces of rims, of which probably at least

seven come from bagshaped pots. One neck is straight contracted with a plain

tapered and slightly everted rim. Another neck with an overturned rim and a

trimming groove is decorated with grooved diagonal lines. There are also two

Strandloper lugs.

136. Springmount (26°02’E, 33°42’S)

District: Alexandria.

Site: There are shell middens on the slopes of the dunes at the sea. Not

visited.

Associations: Mossel Bay industry, Magosian (?) and Later Stone Age

industries found here.

Pottery: Remains of 10 pots, none complete or reconstructed.

(AM 2768 and AM/C 1175). There are six pieces of decorated necks.

One comes from a pot with a convex contracted neck and an overturned,

tapered and incorporated rim with a trimming groove. The neck is decorated

with grooved horizontal lines and finished off with a body-neck junction

groove, reinforced on the inside. The pot also has horizontally pierced, inter-

nally reinforced lugs with rounded conical bridges and bent channels, aperture

d = 15 mm. The other five necks are decorated with grooved horizontal lines.

Two rims are probably from bagshaped pots, one is plain tapered, the other is

overturned, sharply tapered and incorporated with a pronounced trimming

groove. There is also a horizontally pierced, externally applied nose-shaped

conical lug (max. th. = 28 mm.) with a straight channel, aperture d = 7 mm.

This lug probably comes from a bagshaped pot.

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 549

137. Paardevlei (26°12’E, 33°44’S)

District: Alexandria.

Site: There are shell middens of Donax serra and a few mussels in a 6 to

12-inch layer. Not visited.

Associations: Mossel Bay industry with giant crescents.

Pottery: Remains of 6 pots, none complete or reconstructed.

(AM 1206). Parts of necks from six pots, only one of them decorated with

grooved horizontal lines. There is also part of an ovoid or conoid base (max.

th. = 11 mm.) with an ammonite spiral.

138. Woody Cape (26°19’E, 33°46’S)

District: Alexandria.

Site: There are shell middens east of the point. Not visited.

Associations : Mossel Bay industry with giant crescents found in the midden,

silcrete flakes suggesting Wilton found near the midden.

Pottery: Remains of 11 pots, none complete but 1 partly reconstructed.

Fig. XXVIII: 3 (AM/C 1154). The reconstructed upper part of a pot of

Type Ce2 with a short straight vertical neck, an overturned, tapered, rounded

and incorporated rim (max. th. = 5 mm.) with a trimming groove. The neck

is decorated with six grooved shallow horizontal lines and below them a row of

impressed oblique drop marks and a body-neck junction groove. From the latter

runs a diagonal row of drop marks down on one side of the horizontally pierced,

internally reinforced lug (max. th. = 28 mm.). Only a piece of this part was

found. The lug has an almost flat bridge and a bent channel, aperture d =

12-14 mm. The material is light brown with a black core and no admixture.

Thickness = 4 mm. There is a red burnish on both sides. This is a very good

quality pot. Dimensions: R = 13 cm., N = 4:0 cm. Ratio: N/O = 0-306.

Discussion: See Mossel Bay (fig. XXII: 7).

There are four more necks decorated with grooved horizontal lines and

two of them have in addition a row of impressed prick marks at the body-neck

junction. One piece of pottery probably comes from a shoulder and is decorated

with impressed round prick marks (d = 1:5 mm.). There are also five Strand-

loper lugs.

139. Perdekloof (26°22’E, 33°45’S)

District: Alexandria.

Site: There are middens among the sand dunes along the sea. Visited 1961.

Associations : Crude quartzite tools.

Pottery: Remains of 6 pots, none complete but 1 partly reconstructed.

(Rudner). The partly reconstructed pot is a plain bagshaped pot of

Type Bi with an overturned, sharply tapered and incorporated rim with a

trimming groove, resembling the rim from Waterloo Bay (fig. XXXII: 93).

The material is black with an admixture of medium sand. Thickness = 10-11

mm. The surface is crudely smoothed. There are a couple of drilled conical

holes (d = 6-13 mm.). Dimensions: D = 22 cm., R = 20 cm. Ratio: D/R =

550 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

1:10. This is a tall beaker-shaped pot of Type Br.

There are five more neck pieces from this site, of which at least two are

from bagshaped pots. A probably bagshaped pot with a plain squared rim is

made of very coarse crackling and flaking black material with an admixture

of some sand plus what appears to be pounded pottery. This piece and a piece

of neck from Cannon Rocks are the only instances where an admixture of

pounded pottery was found during the survey.

140. Gannon Rocks (26°33’E, 33°45’S)

District: Alexandria.

Site: There are midden sites between Cape Padrone and Cannon Rocks

on the plateau. Not visited.

Associations: Mossel Bay industry with giant crescents, also nines quartzite

flakes. |

Potiery: Remains of 5 pots, none complete or reconstructed.

(AM/C 1153 and AM 2008). Four pieces of necks, one with a plain tapered

rim, possibly from a bagshaped pot, and one plain squared with a slight

trimming ridge. One piece of neck has a body-neck junction groove and is

decorated with a deeply incised (in wet clay), cross-hatching pattern. The

material is coarse with an admixture of sand and possibly pounded pottery.

Another piece of neck is decorated with a deeply incised (also in wet clay)

herringbone pattern. Both these last neck pieces have a decoration, and in one

case an admixture, of a type which suggests that they are of Bantu origin

(see also Perdekloof). This type of decoration, boldly executed in the wet clay,

is found on Early Natal Coastal Pottery (Schofield, 1948).

141. Bushmans River (26°40'E, 33°42’S)

District: Alexandria.

Site: ‘There are middens at Quihoek. Not visited.

Associations: Probably Mossel Bay industry and possibly Magosian.

Pottery: Remains of 1 pot, not whole or reconstructed.

(ELM 248). One piece of neck with a plain rounded and slightly squared

rim from a necked or bagshaped pot. The material is brown with a slight

admixture. Thickness = 9 mm. There is a black burnish outside and a red one

inside.

142. Kariega River (26°42’E, 33°41’S)

District: Bathurst.

Site: There is a midden site between Bushmans and Kariega River mouths

near Fishermans Cave. Not visited.

Associations: Probably a Magosian industry including points and Kasouga

flakes on the floor next to the midden.

Pottery: Remains of 3 pots, none whole or reconstructed.

(AM 2106). One plain tapered and rounded rim from a bagshaped pot

of Type B1 (R = 20 cm.). Another piece of a straight contracted neck with an

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 551

overturned, tapered and incorporated rim with a deep trimming groove and

also a body-neck junction groove. A third piece of neck is decorated with

grooved horizontal lines and from the same pot comes a piece of conoid or

ovoid base, slightly thickened (max. th. = 10 mm.).

Reports: Dr. Atherstone (1858) reported that on the coast between the

Kariega and Bushmans Rivers he found pottery and the fossilized bones of a

Boselaphus in the sand by a spring. The pottery has a conical base and ears

with holes. A kraal of ‘Wild Hottentots and Bushmen’ lived among these sand

hills up to about between 1750 and 1800. He added that there are shell middens

all along this coast.

143. Kasouga River (26°44’E, 33°39’S)

District: Bathurst.

Site: There are shell middens among the sand dunes west of the river mouth.

Not visited.

Associations: Wilton and Magosian industries.

Pottery: Remains of 3 pots, none complete but 1 partly reconstructed.

(SAM F. Taylor and AM). A partly reconstructed bagshaped pot or

possibly a bowl has a plain squared and slightly everted rim. The upper part

of the neck is decorated with a band of incised diagonal cross-hatched lines.

The material is black with a little sand admixture, probably natural. Thickness

= 8 mm. The outside has a dark red burnish or possibly a slip. This also seems

to be a Bantu pot (see Cannon Rocks).

A piece of concave vertical neck has a plain tapered rim and is decorated

with a check pattern of crudely grooved lines. This may also be a Bantu pot.

Another piece of plain tapered rim probably comes from a plain bagshaped

pot.

144. Port Alfred (26°53’E, 33°37’S)

District: Bathurst.

Sztes : ‘There is an old shell midden near Shelly Beach and Soutvlei (Kowie

West) and another midden at Kowie East. Not visited.

Associations: At Kowie West is a Mossel Bay industry with giant crescents

and also a Magosian industry. There is also a Wilton industry at Kowie East.

Pottery: Remains of 28 pots, 1 of them complete and 2 partly reconstructed.

Fig. XXVIII: 2 (AM/C 276). A complete pot found upside down in a

midden 6-5 km. east of Kowie mouth, actually near the Rufane River site.

It is a tall pot of Type Ce2 with a straight contracted neck, an overturned,

squared and incorporated rim (max. th. = 5 mm.) with a trimming groove

and a conical base but no lugs or bosses. The neck is decorated with fine

incised horizontal lines finished off with a body-neck junction line. The

material is fine with a very fine burnish on both sides. Dimensions: H = 37°5

em Dy —2r-6 cm., R — 14:0'cm.; N = 4-5 cm. Ratios: H/D = 1-46, D/R =

1°84, N/R = 0-321. This is the most elegant vessel covered by the survey. It

resembles the beautiful pot from Kromme Bay (fig. XX VI: 1), which however

552 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

has lugs, and more so the pot from Waterloo Bay (fig. XXVIII: 1), which may

not have had lugs.

Fig. XXXIII: 17 (AM/C 503). Piece of an applied ridged boss (h = 10

mm.) from a shoulder and surrounded by two to three rows of impressed oval

prick marks. The material is brown with a grey core and a coarse mixed sand

admixture. Thickness = 5 mm. There is a brown burnish on both sides.

From Port Alfred come six neck pieces decorated with grooved horizontal

lines, two with a combination of grooved horizontal and diagonal lines, one

with incised horizontal lines, one with a combination of grooved horizontal

lines and short vertical or diagonal lines at the body-neck junction and 2 with

a combination of grooved horizontal lines and an impressed body-neck junction

prick pattern. Two shoulder pieces are also decorated with rows of impressed

drop marks. There are also 2 rims from bagshaped pots, 1 plain tapered

and the other one overturned, tapered and incorporated with a trimming groove.

The latter has a drilled conical hole (d = 6-10 mm.) just below the rim. There

are also a piece of a pointed, reinforced base (max. th. = 17 mm.) and 6

typical Strandloper lugs, one of them slightly ridged. A small tapered and

rounded piece of pottery, length = 30 mm., d = 7 mm., is possibly the leg of

a figurine and comes from the same site as the complete pot.

Reports: Schonland (1906) reported that Mr. Bowker told him that when

his father settled near Port Alfred in 1820 there were still Strandlopers there,

whom his father employed in lime burning. Laidler stated (1929) that “certain

shell mound pottery in this area was recognized as Gonaqua by the natives’.

145. Rufane River (26°56’E, 33°35’S)

Disirict: Bathurst.

Site: There are middens about 100 feet above sea-level on the eastern side

of the river mouth, consisting mostly of mussels etc. Not visited.

Associations : Mossel Bay industry and Magosian.

Pottery: Remains of 7 pots, 2 of them complete and 1 almost completely

reconstructed.

Fig. XXVIII: 4 (AM/C 107). Found in midden. A small complete bowl

with a plain tapered and very uneven rim. The material is black with a slight

or no admixture. The thickness varies about 7 mm. The base is globular and

reinforced (max. th. = 12 mm.). The outside and inside of the pot is crudely

smoothed. Dimensions: H = 5:2 cm., D = R = 10-0 cm. Ratios: H/D = 0°52,

D/R = 1-00. Discussion: See Zwartkops River (fig. XX VII: 4).

Fig. XXVIII: 6 (AM/C 108 and 110). In midden. A reconstructed

bagshaped pot of Type B: with a plain tapered rim and a conical base (max.

th. = 12 mm.). The pot probably did not have any lugs or bosses. The material

is crude and the pot is built up in rings. Thickness = 7-8 mm. It has a coarse

sand admixture and the surface is red and black and crudely smoothed.

Dimensions: H = about 29 cm., D = 25 cm., R = 185 cm. Ratios: H/D =

1:16, D/R = 1-35. Similar to the pot from Krause Beach (fig. XXX: 4).

Fig. XXVIII: 7 (AM). Excavated from midden. A complete pot of Type

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 553

C2 with a straight vertical neck, an overturned, rounded, incorporated and

slightly everted-rim (max. th. = 6 mm.) with a trimming groove and also a

body-neck junction step. The lugs are horizontally pierced, internally reinforced,

aperture d = 14 mm., and the base is ovoid. The material is red with a black

core and there is a slight or no admixture. Thickness = 5-6 mm. There is a red

burnish on both sides. Dimensions: H = 27:0 cm., D = 22:6 cm., R = 14:0

em N — 4-0 cm. Ratios: H/D — 1-20, D/R = 1-62, N/R = 0-285. Discussion:

See Kromme Bay (fig. XXVI: 1).

There is also a plain tapered rim from a large plain bagshaped pot (R =

26 cm.) and part of a concave contracted neck with an overturned, rounded and

incorporated rim with a trimming groove and the neck decorated with grooved

shallow horizontal lines finished off at the body-neck junction with a row of

grooved short diagonal lines. Another piece of neck is decorated with crudely

grooved horizontal lines and yet another with grooved horizontal lines is

finished off with a row of impressed round prick marks (d = 2 mm.) on the

shoulder.

146. Sea View, Bathurst (not known)

District: Bathurst.

Site: Midden site. The actual location is not known. Not visited.

Associations : Grinding stones.

Pottery: Remains of 1 pot, not complete or reconstructed.

(AM/C 1080). A horizontally pierced, externally applied disc lug, aperture

d = 10 mm., which probably comes from a large plain bagshaped pot of Type

Br. It is similar to disc lugs from Walvis Bay (fig. XX XIII: 4) and Port

Nolloth (fig. XXXII: 6).

147. Kleinemonde (27°03’E, 33°32’S)

District: Bathurst.

Site: There is a large midden area east of the village. Middens of limpets

etc. Not visited.

Associations: Complete Wilton and Magosian assemblages have been found

on the calcrete floor between the middens. A Mossel Bay industry has been

found on sand away from the middens.

Pottery: Remains of 7 pots, 1 of them complete and 4 partly reconstructed.

Fig. XXVIII: 5 (AM/C 1424). A complete small pot of Type C2 with a

straight contracted, almost vertical, neck and a plain, tapered and everted rim

with a trimming groove. The neck is decorated with slightly sloping incised

lines and is finished off at the body-neck junction with a groove. The lugs are

horizontally pierced, internally reinforced with rounded bridges, aperture

d = 10 mm. The base is globular. The material is brown with a black core

and a slight sand admixture. Thickness = 5 mm. There is a red burnish on the

outside. Dimensions: H = 14:2 cm., D = 12-7 cm., R = 8-8-9:2 cm., N = 4:2

cm. Ratios: H/D = 1-12, D/R = 1-41, N/R = 0-466. Discussion: See Sea View

(fig. XXVIT: 2).

554 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Fig. XXXII: 92 (ELM 368). Piece of rim from a large bagshaped pot of

Type Bi. The rim is plain, tapered and decorated along the edge with semi-

circular dentitions. The material is black with an occasional stone in it. Thick-

ness = 10-11 mm. The surface is dark red and crudely smoothed. Dimensions:

D = 34 cm., R = 32 cm. Ratio: D/R = 1-06. Large vessels of Type Bi are

typical for this area; see also Qulu River (fig. XXIX: 5) and Krause Beach

(fig. XXX: 4). The notched rim also occurs on two pots from East London.

This feature also occurs on Strandloper pottery from Durban (Schoute-

Vanneck etc., 1958). Schofield (1948) associated notched rims with NC2

pottery from the Natal and Transkei coast, made by the first Bantu inhabitants

with Sotho affinities.

There is another bagshaped pot of Type Bi from the same site, smaller

than the one described above and with a plain tapered rim. Two other pots are

probably also bagshaped with plain tapered rims and uneven material. One

piece of neck has an overturned, rounded and badly incorporated rim with a

trimming groove. The neck is decorated with grooved horizontal lines.

Reports: Bowker (1870) reported that there are shell middens midway

between Kleinemonde and Fish River and thence all along the coast to Bashee

River. Large mounds 3 to 4 miles inland show shell, pottery, etc., which shows

that the people came from the inland.

149. Waterloo Bay (27°10’E, 33°28’S)

District: Peddie.

Site: There are middens at Stalwart Point north of Waterloo Bay. The site

was investigated by H. and J. Deacon in 1963. Not visited.

Associations: Magosian and Middle Stone Age industries.

Pottery: Remains of 13 pots, none complete but 1 partly reconstructed.

Fig. XXVIII: 1 (AM/P 63/1 Deacon). The reconstructed upper part of a

pot of Type C2 with a straight contracted neck and an overturned, squared,

incorporated and everted rim (max. th. = 5 mm.) with a trimming groove.

The neck is decorated with grooved horizontal lines and finished off at the

body-neck junction with a row of grooved short diagonal lines. It is not known

whether the pot had any lugs, but probably not. The material is brown with an

admixture of coarse black sand, consisting of iron and manganese oxide

concretions. Thickness = 4 mm. There is a brown burnish on both sides.

Dimensions: D = 22 cm., R = 13:5 cm., N = 4°5 cm. Ratios: D/R = 1-63,

N/R = 0:345. A very beautiful pot of the same type as the pot from Port

Alfred (fig. XXVIII: 2). The neck decoration is the same as one from Rufane

River and one from Woody Cape. Discussion: See also Kromme Bay (fig.

XXVI: 1).

Fig. XXXII: 93 (AM/P 63/1 Deacon). A piece of rim, probably from a

bagshaped pot. The rim is overturned, sharply tapered and incorporated

(max. th. = 8 mm.) with a slight trimming groove. The material is brown to

grey with a coarse brown sand admixture. Thickness = 9 mm. The pot is

brown and coarsely smoothed on both sides. Dimension: R = 20 cm. Discus-

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 555

sion: See similar rim from Vanputtensvlei (fig. XX XI: 28).

Fig. XX XIII: 18 (AM/P 63/1 Deacon). A horizontally pierced, internally

reinforced lug with a conical bridge (max. th. = 36 mm.) decorated with a

vertical row of short horizontal lines. The channel is bent with fingernail

impressions, aperture d = 16 mm. There is also part of a body-neck junction

groove above the lug. The material is brown with a coarse brown sand admix-

ture. Thickness = 7 mm. There is a red burnish on both sides. It is very similar

to a lug from Blaauwberg (fig. XIII: 1), but decorated lugs also occur at

Mossel Bay (fig. XX XIII: 12) and Port Nolloth (fig. XX XIII: 7).

A piece of contracted neck with a plain, tapered rim is decorated with

grooved shallow horizontal lines and finished off at the body-neck junction

with a row of grooved short vertical lines; see also Port Alfred and Noordhoek

(fig. XXXII: 65). There are also rims from six other, probably bagshaped, pots.

150. Umtana River (27°16’E, 33°26’S)

District: Peddie.

Site: Not known.

Associations: A grinder and a few crude scrapers.

Pottery: Remains of 3 pots, none complete or reconstructed.

(AM/C 1278 and ELM 366). A piece of plain tapered rim from a bowl or

bagshaped pot of crude black, thick material. Thickness = 9-11 mm. Dimen-

sion: R = 11 cm. Another plain tapered rim comes from a bagshaped pot and

also is in crude black material. ‘Thickness = 8 mm. Both are coarsely smoothed

on both sides. From the same site also comes a typical Strandloper lug with a

very flat bridge (max. th. = 21 mm.) and bent channel, aperture d = 15 mm,

K. EAST LONDON AND THE TRANSKEI

151. Kaysers Beach (27°36’E, 33°13’S)

District: East London.

Sites: There are large middens on the slope of an overgrown dune just

south of the village. It consists of limpets, turban shells, etc. Farther south are

small flat middens on the northern side of a small river mouth. They consist

of limpets, mussels, etc. Visited 1963.

Historical evidence: In 1622 a ship was wrecked near Keiskamma River

mouth in the Gonaqua country. The inhabitants were described by the crew

as whiter than mulattoes and speaking a language full of clicks. They lived on

shellfish, roots and game, though they possessed cattle (Maingard, 1931).

Associations : First site has Later Stone Age and Middle Stone Age industries

and much pottery. The second group of sites has a Wilton (?) and Magosian

industries.

Pottery: Remains of 13 pots, none complete but 1 completely and 1 partly

reconstructed.

Fig. XXIX: 1 (AS). Also illustrated in Trans. roy. Soc. S. Afr. XXVI, 1938,

Pl. XIII: 4. A spouted pot of Type D1 with a concave vertical neck and a

556 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

plain squared rim. The neck is decorated with slightly sloping incised lines

finished off with a body-neck junction groove and from it some vertical grooves

down the shoulder. ‘The tubular spout is not complete, but was also decorated

with sloping parallel lines and finished off with a groove and from it a vertical

line downwards from the lowest point. The base was probably globular. The

horizontal section of the pot is slightly elliptical. The material is black inside

and red-brown outside with a slight quartz admixture. Thickness = 6-8 mm.

It has a dark red-brown burnish outside. Dimensions: D = 28-30 cm., R = 12

cm., N = 7°5 cm. Ratios: D/R = 2-42-2:55, N/R = 0-624. This spouted pot

and the following one both belong to Type D1 as do also the spouted pots from

Jeffreys Bay (fig. XXV: 1-3), but are superiorly decorated. A very similar

pot comes from Committees Drift on the Great Fish River with a diameter

D = about 20-5 cm. (see Schofield, 1948, PII: 1).

Fig. XXIX: 2 (AM/C 1242). A fully reconstructed spouted pot almost

identical to the previous one but slightly smaller. It has a concave vertical neck

with a plain squared rim. The neck is decorated with fine grooved horizontal

lines, while the body-neck junction groove and the vertical lines from it are

broad grooves. The tubular spout is decorated like the neck. The base is

ovoid. The material is black at the base, grading to reddish at the neck and

has a medium quartz admixture. Thickness = 5 mm. The pot is coarsely

smoothed. Dimensions: H = 19 cm., D = 17:5 cm.,R = 90 cm Ni co

Spout outer d= 36 mm. Ratios: H/D = 1-08, D/R — 1-94) Ni Re 0-50:

Discussion: See previous pot. It is possible that this pot also had an elliptical

section.

Fig. XXXII: 94 (AS). See report in Trans. roy. Soc. S. Afr. XXVI, 1938,

Pl. XIV: 11 (Laidler, 1938). Piece of an almost straight vertical neck with an

overturned, tapered and incorporated rim. The edge was possibly decorated

with hatching (string pattern). The neck is decorated with vertical triple rows of

triangular impressions. The material is light brown with a light grey core and a

sand admixture. Thickness = 5 mm. Dimension: R = 12 cm. Only at Swakop-

mund has a similar decoration been found (fig. XX XI: 2) and also around a

boss at Port Elizabeth (fig. XX XIIT: 16).

From the same site comes a straight vertical neck with a plain squared rim

and decorated with one grooved horizontal line. Another short straight vertical

neck has a plain tapered rim and is decorated with shallow grooved horizontal

lines. Another short contracted neck has a plain, squared and everted rim and is

decorated with incised horizontal lines and below them a row of short diagonal

lines. A piece of shoulder is decorated with a vertical band of three rows of

impressed circular marks, probably made with a reed as they are raised in the

middle. The material is red-brown with a black core and a slight sand admixture.

It appears to have a red slip. This may be a piece of Bantu pottery. There is also

a piece of short concave vertical neck with a plain squared rim, R = 12 cm.

At the body-neck junction is a row of impressed squarish prick marks (d = 2

mm.). There are also two typical Strandloper lugs.

Reports: Laidler (1931, 1935, 1938) has written several reports on this site,

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 557

where he collected sherds from 31 different pots. He divided the pottery into

seven types.

152. Qulu River (27°45’E, 33°07’S)

District: East London.

Site: There are large shell middens among the sand dunes. This site is also

called Gulu or Gxulu River. Not visited.

Associations: Not known.

Pottery : Remains of 8 pots, 2 of them complete and 1 partly reconstructed.

Fig. XXIX: 3 (ELM 250). A crude bowl with a plain tapered rim, in one

spot provided with a rounded and thickened extension (1 = 30 mm., h = 10

mm., th. = 10 mm.). The base is globular and slightly thickened (max. th. =

10 mm.). The material is crude and has a coarse sand admixture. Thickness

==8mm. There is a red burnish. Dimensions: H = 12-5 cm., D = R = 19 cm.

Ratios: H/D = 0-68, D/R = 1-00. Discussion: See Zwartkops River (fig.

XXVITI: 4) and Rufane River (fig. XXVIII: 4).

Fig. XXIX: 4 (ELM 250). The reconstructed lower part of a pot of

Type Ce2 with a contracted neck, a body-neck junction step, a thickened ovoid

base (max. th. = 10 mm.) and horizontally pierced, internally reinforced lugs

with flat, rounded bridges and bent channels, aperture d = 16 mm. The

material is black with a sparse coarse quartz sand admixture. Thickness = 6

mm. There is a red burnish outside and a black one inside. Dimension: D =

19°5 cm. One of the last ‘typical’ Strandloper pots of Type C2; see Danger Bay

(fig. VI: 2-3).

Fig. XXIX: 5 (ELM 250). A very large bagshaped pot of Type B1 with a

plain and tapered rim and a globular base (max. th. = 12 mm.). There is a

drilled parallel hole (d = 8 mm.) near the rim. The material is red-brown

with a medium sand admixture. Thickness = 8-g mm. The pot was probably

built up in slabs, but there is a waist joint. There is a red-brown burnish on the

outside. Dimensions: H = 40:0 cm., D = 44:0 cm., R = 41-0 cm. Ratios:

H/D = 0-91, D/R = 1:07. Discussion: See Van der Walt Cave (fig. XXIV: 2).

There are also sherds from another large bowl or bagshaped pot with a

plain tapered rim, D = 38 cm., and crude black material, and also from a

smaller bagshaped pot, D = 26 cm. There are pieces of three necked pots.

One neck is decorated with grooved horizontal lines and a body-neck junction

groove. Another straight vertical neck has a grooved horizontal line just below

the plain tapered rim and also a body-neck junction groove. There are also

two typical Strandloper lugs.

153. Cove Rock (27°50’E, 33°05’S)

District: Hast London.

Site: Among the beach dunes opposite the rock are some middens. Visited

IQ5I.

Associations: A few crude flakes.

Pottery: Remains of 8 pots, none complete, 2 partly reconstructed.

558 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Fig. XXX: 3 (Rudner). The reconstructed upper part of a pot with a short

concave contracted neck and a plain squared rim. The lower part of the neck

at the body-neck junction is decorated with two grooved horizontal lines and

groups of three grooved vertical lines running down the shoulder. The material

is light brown with a grey core and with a medium to coarse manganese oxide

and white quartz sand admixture. Thickness = 6-5—7-5 mm. There is a very

fine dark red burnish on the outside and also inside the neck. Dimensions:

D = 36 cm., R = 20 cm., N = 3°5 cm. Ratios: D/R — Teo, NiRe 0.75,

The very fine burnish of this pot is reminiscent of modern Bantu ware. The

decoration is similar to that of the spouted pots from Kaysers Beach (fig.

XXIX: 1-2). This is not a typical Strandloper pot and may be of Bantu origin.

A concave contracted neck with a plain tapered and squared rim has a

slight trimming groove and is decorated on the lower part of the neck with

grooved horizontal lines and between them a hatching of grooved diagonal

lines. From the bottom line at the body-neck junction run some grooved vertical

lines down the shoulder, as in the previous pot. There are also two other neck

pieces decorated in a similar way. There are two more pieces of plain squared

rim. One piece of plain tapered rim probably comes from a very small bowl,

R = 9 cm., with a drilled parallel hole (d = 5 mm.) near the rim. There is

also part of a conoid or ovoid base (max. th. = 9 mm.) from a pot with a

contracted neck.

154. Blind River (27°52’E, 33°04’S)

District: East London.

Sites: There are middens at the Blind River mouth and also at Leach Bay.

The latter site visited 1951.

Associations: Not known.

Pottery: Remains of 5 pots, none complete but 4 partly reconstructed.

(AM/C 1263 and Rudner). Three pots are probably bagshaped of Type

Bi. Two of the rims are plain tapered, one of them is notched, R = 16 cm.,

as at Kleinemonde (fig. XXXII: 92), the other one is larger, R = 26 cm.

The third rim is overturned, rounded and incorporated with a trimming

groove, R = 22 cm. The fourth pot has a straight contracted neck with a plain,

tapered and slightly everted rim. There is also a body-neck junction groove.

155. Shelly Beach (27°54’E, 33°03’S)

District: East London.

Sites: There are middens at Shelly Beach and at Westbank. Visited 1951.

Associations: Not known.

Pottery: Remains of 5 pots, none complete, 1 partly reconstructed.

(ELM 36/E and Rudner). The partly reconstructed pot is bagshaped or a

bowl with a plain tapered rim. The material is black with some sand admixture

and is of a good quality. It was built up in rings. Thickness = 6 mm. There is a

black burnish outside, a brown one inside. Dimensions: D = 17 cm., R = 16

cm. Ratio: D/R = 1-06.

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 559

A part of a concave vertical neck with a plain squared rim and decorated

with a deeply incised chevron pattern, channelled in the wet clay. The material

is brown-black with some coarse brown sand admixture. Thickness = g-10 mm.

R = 30 cm. This is probably a Bantu pot.

Report: Laidler (1929, 1935) has described this site.

156. Buffalo River (27°55’E, 33°02’S)

District: East London.

Sites: There were large middens at the Buffalo River mouth now removed,

and also on Signal Hill, East London.

Associations: Magosian and Middle Stone Age industries.

Pottery: Remains of 37 pots, 1 of them complete, a few partly reconstructed.

Fig. XXIX: 6 (AM/C 1253). A complete small crude bowl with a plain

tapered rim and with a small rounded and thinned extension of the rim at one

spot. The base is globular and slightly thickened (max. th. = 8 mm.). The

material is dark brown with a slight admixture. Thickness = 6 mm. The surface

is crudely smoothed. Dimensions: H = 5:8 cm., D = R=og:0 cm. Ratio:

H/D = 0-645, D/R = 1-00. Discussion: See Rufane River (fig. XXVIII: 4).

Fig. XXXII: 95 (ELM 64). East London harbour. Piece of a contracted

neck with a plain rounded rim and three horizontal rather deeply grooved

lines. The material is dark grey with a slight admixture. Thickness = 7 mm.

There is a dark brown burnish on both sides. Dimension: R = 14 cm.

From the same site comes an almost identical neck piece to the one just

mentioned. Ten other neck pieces are decorated with grooved horizontal lines

(some of them striated), one of them finished off with a row of impressed round

prick marks on the shoulder. One other neck has two grooved horizontal lines

and below them a cross-hatched pattern of incised lines. This is probably Bantu

ware. Another neck is decorated with incised horizontal lines. A piece of shoulder

from another pot is decorated with crudely scratched horizontal and diagonal

lines. The material in this pot is grey-brown with a grass admixture. Thickness =

6-10 mm. This is probably also Bantu ware. Four different shoulder pieces are

decorated with impressed round or small prick marks. One piece of neck is also

decorated with such impressions. One plain, tapered and squared rim, R = 14

cm., comes from a bowl or bagshaped pot.

From Signal Hill (AM/C 1158) comes a plain tapered rim, R = 22 cm.,

from a bagshaped pot made of coarse material, thickness = 10 mm., which is

crudely smoothed. From the same site comes another plain tapered and slightly

everted rim, R = 18 cm., from a bagshaped pot made of coarse material,

thickness = 8-9 mm., which is crudely smoothed.

From the harbour site (ELM 64) comes an almost overturned, tapered

but not incorporated rim, R = 24 cm., from a bagshaped pot made of crude

black uneven material, badly baked with no admixture, thickness = 8 mm.

There is also a plain tapered and squared rim, R = 32 cm. The square edge

of the rim is decorated with fine incised cross-lines, the only time this was found.

The material is black with no admixture, thickness = 7-10 mm. The pot is

560 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

crudely smoothed. Only one horizontally pierced, internally reinforced lug was

found at this site.

Also from East London (SAM 1206 Wood, 1909) comes a plain tapered

rim, R = 20 cm., from a bagshaped pot and a plain, tapered and everted rim,

R = 22 cm., which is serrated; see Kleinemonde (fig. XXXII: 92), also from

a bagshaped pot. The material of the first pot is black with a medium sand

admixture, thickness = 8 mm., while from the second pot it is grey-brown

with a medium brown sand admixture, thickness = 9 mm.

Reports: Laidler (1929). The better material is found only near the Buffalo

and Keiskama Rivers. At the Buffalo River mouth there are three midden

layers. The top layer has coarse, thick-based but also thin Hottentot type

sherds, while the lower layer (15 feet down) produced only fine Hottentot ware.

In a later report (Laidler, 1938) he subdivided the pottery from this area into

seven classes, ranging from Recent Bantu to pure Hottentot ware.

157. Eastern Beach (27°57’E, 33°01’S)

District: Hast London.

Site: Midden. Not visited.

Associations: Bones and Dutch clay pipe found. Otherwise not known.

Pottery: Remains of 2 pots, 1 of them partly reconstructed.

(ELM 466). The partly reconstructed pot, probably of Type C2, has a

straight vertical neck with an overturned, sharply tapered and incorporated

rim with a trimming groove. The neck is decorated with two groups of grooved

horizontal lines, four in each group. The material is black with a slight admix-

ture. Thickness = 7 mm. There is a red burnish on both sides. Dimensions:

R= tems. oN —5:5emsRatio: N/R 0-392"

From the same site comes a piece of a globular base with a nipple (max.

th. = 20 mm.). The material is black with a slight or no admixture. ‘Thickness

= 8-9 mm. It has a black burnish.

158. Bonza Bay (27°58’E, 32°58’S)

District: East London.

Site: Middens among the dunes. Not visited.

Associations : Not known.

Pottery: Remains of 1 pot, partly reconstructed.

(ELM 251). It is the upper part of a large bagshaped pot of Type Bi witha

plain, tapered and squared rim, R = 32 cm. The material is brown with some

coarse quartz admixture and is well fired. Thickness = 8-10 mm. The pot is

crudely smoothed.

159. Gonubie River (28°02’E, 32°56’S)

District: East London.

Site: Middens. Not visited.

Associations: One big scraper of Smithfield type.

Pottery: Remains of 1 pot, partly reconstructed.

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 561

(ELM 398). It is part of a large bagshaped pot of Type Bi with a plain

tapered rim, R = 26 cm. The material is black with an admixture of mixed

sand and stones. Thickness = 13 mm. The pot was crudely smoothed.

160. Krause Beach (not known)

District: East London.

Site: There are middens situated between the Gonubie and Cintza River

mouths. The exact situation is not known. Not visited.

Associations: Not known.

Pottery: Remains of 1 pot, wholly reconstructed.

Fig. XXX: 4 (ELM 588). This is a large bagshaped pot of Type Bi with a

plain tapered and rounded rim and a globular base (max. th. = 20 mm.). The

material is dark brown to black, badly fired and with some coarse sand admix-

ture. Thickness = 10-11 mm. The surface is crudely smoothed. Dimensions:

fy 36-0.cm., |) — 36:5 cm., R-— 30-5 cm. Ratios: H/D = 0-99;D/R = 1-20.

This is a good example of Type B1 pottery.

161. Cintza River (28°07’E, 32°50’S)

District: East London.

Site: There are middens at the mouth. Not visited.

Associations: Crude indurated shale flakes (Smithfield?), glass beads,

Chinese and European pottery. A flask-shaped pot with a very narrow neck

(on show in ELM) either comes from the East or is a Strandloper imitation.

Pottery: Remains of 8 pots, 4 of them partly reconstructed. All the recon-

structed pots are bagshaped of Type Br. One of them (ELM 247) has a plain,

tapered and slightly everted rim (D = 28 cm., R = 26 cm., D/R = 1-08) and

horizontally pierced, externally applied conical lugs with straight channels,

aperture d = 15 mm. The material is red-brown outside, black inside with

some coarse sand admixture. Thickness = 7-10 mm. There is a red burnish

outside, a brown to black one inside. Another bagshaped pot (ELM 245) has a

plain tapered rim (D = 22 cm., R = 20 cm., D/R = 1°10) and two others

have plain tapered and squared rims (R = 26 cm., and R = 24 cm.). The

second rim is decorated with a few notches. There is also an overturned,

rounded and incorporated rim with a trimming groove (R = 14 cm.) from a

necked pot and also a horizontally pierced, internally reinforced lug (max. th. =

33 mm.), the last one found in this survey.

162. Kefani River (28°08’E, 32°48’S)

District: East London.

Site: There are shell middens on the eastern bank of the mouth. Not

visited.

Associations : Smithfield industry (Sm.P?) with concavo-convex scrapers in

indurated shale.

Pottery: Remains of 7 pots, none complete or reconstructed.

Fig. XXXII: 96 (ELM 335). Piece of a neck with a plain, tapered and

562 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

inverted rim. It is decorated with a pattern of impressed vertical slightly

crescentic, lines, possibly made with a finger-nail. The material is brown with a

coarse sand admixture. Thickness = 7 mm. There is a red-brown burnish on

both sides. Dimension: R = 12 cm. Neither the rim nor the decoration is

typical of Strandloper pottery. The decoration is similar to that of Bushman

pottery; see Port Elizabeth (fig. XXXII: 91). Schofield (1945) associated

nail-marked surface decoration with the NC2 pottery of Natal and the Transkei

and with the first Bantu inhabitants of Sotho origin.

There is also part of a straight contracted neck with an overturned,

tapered and incorporated rim, R = 12 cm., with a trimming groove. The neck

is decorated with deep incised horizontal lines. Another piece of neck with a

plain, tapered and squared rim, R = 18 cm., is decorated with boldly incised

diagonal cross-hatching of Early Bantu type (see Shelly Beach, Kasouga River

and Cannon Rocks) made in wet clay. A piece of neck with a plain rounded

rim, R = 12 cm., is decorated with grooved horizontal lines. There are also a

plain rounded rim, R = 9 cm., and a plain, tapered and squared rim, R = 18

cm. One plain, tapered rim comes from a large bagshaped pot of Type Br. It

was made of black material with some sand admixture. Thickness = 12 mm.

163. Kei River

District: Komgha.

Sites: Morgan Bay (28°20’E, 32°43’S). Middens. Not visited.

Bruce Bay (28°23'E, 32°41’S). Middens at Kei River mouth. Not

visited.

Associations: Not known.

Pottery: Remains of 2 pots, 1 complete and 1 partly reconstructed.

Fig. XXX: 5 (ELM 2/A). Bruce Bay. A complete bowl with a plain,

tapered rim, slightly elliptical in plan, and a globular base. The material,

which is crude and uneven, is black with a fine or no admixture. Thickness =

8-10 mm. Dimensions: H = 11-0 cm., D = 15:0-16-0 cm., R = 14:0—16-0 cm.

Ratios: H/D = 0:69-0:73, D/R = 0:94-1:14. Discussion: See Zwartkops

River (fig. XXVIT: 4).

From Morgan Bay (ELM 472) comes a piece of a large bagshaped pot

with a plain tapered rim (D = 26 cm., R = 24 cm., D/R = 1-08). The

uneven material is brown with some sand admixture. Thickness = 8-10 mm.

Both sides are crudely smoothed.

Reports: Laidler (1929). Kei River-mouth mounds have lugged pottery of

coarse type. Later (Laidler, 1938) he distinguishes between four different types

in this area.

164. Mazeppa Bay (28°39’E, 32°28’S)

District: Willowvale.

S2te: Middens among dunes. Not visited.

Associations : Not known.

Pottery: Remains of 1 pot, partly reconstructed.

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 563

(AM/C 1032). This is a bagshaped pot of Type Bi with a plain tapered

rim, R = 16 cm. The material is black with a medium to coarse mixed sand

admixture. Thickness = 7 mm. It probably had a red burnish on both sides.

165. Dwessa (28°48’E, 32°20’S)

District: Willowvale.

Site: There are shell middens on the beach about 25 m. above high tide

mark. The surface is strewn with shells and there are signs of old fire places in

the middle. In a short trench, 12-18 inches deep, there is no pottery below

3 inches. Investigated by G. Isaac. Not visited.

Associations : Not known.

Pottery: Remains of 5 pots, 1 almost completely reconstructed and 3 partly.

Fig. XXX: 1 (SAM Isaac). The reconstructed pot of Type B1 is bagshaped

with a plain tapered rim and horizontally pierced, externally applied disc

lugs (max. th. = 49 mm.). The bridge is ridged with a straight channel,

aperture d = 20 mm. The base was probably globular and reinforced (max.

th. = 18 mm.). The well-fired material is brown with a grey core and a fine to

medium quartz sand admixture. Thickness = 11-12 mm. There is a brown

burnish on both sides. Dimensions: D = 27 cm., R = 24 cm. Ratio: D/R =

1:12. The bagshaped pots of Type Br occasionally have lugs; see M’bolompo

Point (fig. XX XIII: 19), Cintza River and Port Elizabeth. Two pots of the

same shape were found at Otto’s Bluff in Natal (Chubb and Schofield, 1932).

There are also a plain tapered and slightly squared rim, R = 40 cm., from

a large bagshaped pot of Type Bi (wall thickness = 10 mm.) with some drilled

conical holes (d = 4-8 mm.) and what looks like a plain, tapered rim but

actually is an overturned tapered and incorporated rim, R = more than 40 cm.,

from a large bagshaped pot of Type Bi (wall thickness = 8 mm.). Another rim

is overturned, tapered and incorporated with a trimming groove (D = 30 cm.,

R = 26cm., D/R = 1°15), also from a bagshaped pot of Type B1.

166. Bashee River (28°55’E, 32°14’S)

District: Willowvale.

Site: Midden. Not visited.

Associations: Not known.

Pottery: 1 complete pot.

Fig. XXX: 2 (ELM 1). A complete bowl with a plain tapered rim and

vertically pierced, externally applied conical lugs. The channels are straight

vertical, aperture d = 3 mm. The base is globular and reinforced (max. th. =

20 mm.). The material is black with a fine or no admixture and probably built

up in rings. Thickness = 8-10 mm. There is a red-brown burnish on both sides.

Dimensions: H = 9:0 cm., D = R = 13:0-13'5 cm. Ratios H/D = 0-68,

D/R = 1-00. The only other pots of the survey with vertically pierced lugs were

found at Arniston (fig. XIX: 4) and Walvis Bay (fig. XX XIII: 1-2). An almost

identical lug was found in Durban (Schofield, 1936, fig. 3: 3). Schofield assigned

it with some reservation to Class NC2 which he associated with an early Sotho

564 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

people. Identical lugs were also found on a carinated pot from Bushmanland

and similar lugs on a pot from Koffiefontein in the Orange Free State associated

with a Smithfield assemblage (Inland Report).

167. M’bolompo Point (29°05’E, 32°05’S)

District: Elliotdale.

Site: A dune area with a scattered midden. Not visited.

Associations: A Smithfield industry (Smithfield P?) with large scrapers,

points, grinding stones and much pottery.

Pottery: Remains of 1 pot, partly reconstructed, and 1 pottery pipe.

Fig. XXXIIT: 19 (ELM 436). The reconstructed upper part of a necked

pot, which should rather be regarded as bagshaped of Type B1, with a concave

contracted neck, a plain tapered and rather uneven rim and horizontally

pierced, externally applied rounded conical lugs, (h = 20 mm.), aperture

d = 7 mm. The material is black, badly fired and coarse with some coarse sand

admixture. Thickness = 8 mm. The pot is dark brown and crudely smoothed.

Dimensions: D — 26 cm., R = 18 cm:, (N = 3°5 em. Katioss yoke 1-0.

N/R = 0-195. This is a necked pot according to its proportions, but in type it is

a bagshaped pot of Type Bi and similar to the pot from Dwessa (fig. XXX: 1)

but with a smaller opening.

Fig. XX XIII: 20 (ELM 436). Part of a pottery pipe bowl made of black

material with some coarse and fine sand admixture. It has a red burnish.

Dimensions: H = 50 mm., D = 37 mm., larger R — 32 mm., smallern— 19

mm. This is the only pottery pipe in the survey, but others have been reported

from the East London area and from Natal (Schoute-Vanneck, 1958). Goodwin

(1929) reported one from Burnt Kraal, Grahamstown, in a Wilton assemblage.

Schofield (1948) associated pipe bowls with NC2 pottery of the Natal and

Transkei coast.

8. HisTORICAL EVIDENCE

The earliest seafarers to the Cape sometimes described the indigenous

population in their chronicles but did not mention the use of pottery. It was

only after 1652, when the Dutch established a settlement at Table Bay, that

earthenware pots were casually mentioned in the Journal of jan van Riebeeck

(1952). There is an entry on 24 November 1652 reporting that some men from

the fort visited the Saldanhars (Hottentots) encamped near the fort. They were

‘offered milk, which our men, seeing that the pots were very dirty and unsuitable

for drinking from, declined genteely and politely’. On 29 January 1654 an

entry reads: ‘In the afternoon again sent our sick-comforter to the Saldanhars

(who were encamped near the fort) to see what cattle could be traded from

them, and also, if possible, to barter some pots from them in which to attempt

smelting the said material which looks as if it contains silver and gold.’ Another

entry from 6 March 1654 reads: ‘These Hottentots (a mile from the fort) were

busily engaged in boiling down train-oil from the blubber of the dead whale

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 565

washed ashore in the bay.’ This boiling down was probably done in an earthen-

ware pot.

Laidler and Schofield have quoted some of the historical evidence in their

reports on pottery, but it may be worth repeating some of it here plus some

additional sources not quoted by them. Johann Schreyer (Reisebeschreibungen,

1931), a German who visited the Cape in 1669-77, describes the Hottentots

and mentions that their household equipment consisted of one to two earthen-

ware pots, which they made by hand, each for himself, out of clay and which

they let harden in the sun.

Ten Ryne in 1686 (Schofield, 1948) states that the richer among the

Hottentots made most beautiful pots for use in cooking, and another Dutchman,

Grevenbroek, describes in 1695 how the Hottentots made their pottery:

“The women also make earthenware vessels quite skilfully out of moistened clay

They dig up the clay and carry it home, where it is cut up into portions the size

of a walnut. These are placed on a skin and sprinkled with a little water from

time to time to prevent their getting too dry. They are then kneaded into little

cylinders, like bottles, each an ell long. The first step is to mould the clay into

a circle to form the bottom of the pot; then by further modelling they make a

deep or wide vessel as suits their fancy and the law of proportion. This is

polished and smoothed inside and out with the fingers and with a sea-shell,

and smeared all over with a red colouring matter rather like minium (red lead).

The pot is then left for a day or two in the same house in which it was made,

well covered over with a skin or mat, lest it gets too much air or wind, and so

dry too quickly and fall into cracks. Finally the pot is stuffed with dry cowdung,

provided with handles and placed on a bright fire. After baking it is ready for

various uses.’ This account agrees well with out knowledge of the pottery,

although it seems improbable that the lugs were added at such a late stage.

The red colouring matter added after the smoothing was certainly red ochre

(haematite).

Peter Kolben (1731), a German visiting the Cape from 1704 to 1713, also

describes pottery making but in a slightly different manner. ‘I shall now shew

the Reader how the Hottentots make earthen vessels. All the Hottentots are

potters, every family making its own pots. And their earthen vessels of every

kind are made only of the mould of ant hills. This mould they take off even with

the surface of the ground and having cleared it of every particle of sand or

gravel they can discover in it, they knead it tightly, bruising and incorporating

with it the ant-eggs that are scattered up and down it. Bruised ant-eggs are

such a cement, as not many in Europe, perhaps, are aware of. Of this mould,

now a clay or dough, they take such a quantity as will make a pot of their

desired bigness: and upon a smooth flat stone rear and fashion the pot by hand

only to the shape of such an urn as the old Romans preferred the Ashes of the

Dead in. All their earthen vessels are in the shape of the Roman urn. They then

smooth it, inside and out, with a very careful hand; leaving not the least

pimple or uneveness in any part. This done they set it for a couple of days in

the sun. It is still on the stone on which it was reared. In two days time, the pot

566 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

is thoroughly dry: when they separate it from the stone, by drawing a dried

sinew to and fro, as a saw, between the stone and the bottom of the pot. They

then put the pot in the oven: a hole, as deep as the pot is high, but of twice

the circumference or more, in the ground. And over and above the pot they

make a quick fire, which they leave to burn till it goes out of itself.’ “The colour

of the pots both within and without, is jetblack: which they acquire, say the

Hottentots, not from the smoke of the fire, but from the ant-eggs.’ He finally

comments on the beauty and quality of Hottentot pottery. Kolben’s description

of the shape of Hottentot pottery shows that he knew it and his information

about how the clay was collected and worked sounds authentic. His description

of how the pot was removed from the stone probably refers to the upper half

of the vessel, which was then turned over and the pointed base added. The way

of firing the pot is probably correctly described and the short, reduced firing

in a pit would result in black material, which is often found along the coast.

O. F. Mentzel (1944), another German visitor to the Cape between

1732 and 1741, published another description of the Hottentots in 1778, where

he also mentions their pottery: “The women also make the cooking pots. These

pots are so unsuitable and unwieldy that they are more round than flat-

bottomed and cannot stand upright, but have to be put in sand both when

fire is made and on other occasions to prevent them from falling over. To make

such a pot, the woman selects a piece of clay of suitable size and removes the

small stones from it; she gives the clay a round shape and hollows it out with

her hands. Then she holds a piece of wood against the inside of the pot and

beats the outside with another piece of wood until it is equally thick all around.

Next it is dried first in the shade, and then in the sun, and if in this process it

does not break or crack, it is filled with chips and plenty of twigs are packed

round it. The wood is set on fire and the pot baked this way.’ This is the only

evidence of the paddle and anvil technique being used for pottery making by the

Hottentots. It is quite possible that this technique was used, but no signs of it

have been detected on the pots, although this would be difficult.

In the eastern Cape at the time of Sparrman’s visit, 1772-6 (Sparrman,

1785), pottery was already becoming rare and he remarks that it is ‘an uncom-

mon thing for a Hottentot to have earthen vessels of his own manufacture for

the purpose of boiling or stewing his victuals’. According to Le Vaillant (1790),

who travelled in the eastern Cape between 1780 and 1782, the Gonaqua had

pots which they used for the purpose of melting grease and also made pipe

bowls of pottery or soft stone.

Strandloper pottery must have died out in the southern Cape in the latter

half of the eighteenth century and in the eastern Cape in the beginning of the

nineteenth century. Laidler (1929) states that there were still Strandlopers in

Algoa Bay in 1800. M. Bowker told Schénland (1906) that when his father

settled near Port Alfred in 1820 there were still Strandlopers there, who were

employed by his father for lime burning. As the Strandlopers became employed

on the farms along the coast they probably forgot the art of pottery making, but

up to this day they have gone on using the vywers (fish-traps) built by their

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 567

forefathers. At the Cape Peninsula the Hottentots must have lost their ceramic

art soon after the arrival of the Europeans or well before 1700 (Laidler, 1938).

In Namaqualand and South West Africa both the Strandloper way of life

and the pottery survived much longer. P. D. Martin wrote in the Cape Monthly

Magazine (1872) that ‘Namaqua Bushmen still (1858) live from such shell fish

as they can procure from the sea shore and carry them to their dens, caves, or

bush, as the case may be’. L. Schultze (1907) visited Port Nolloth some time

between 1903 and 1905 and found numerous potsherds among the coastal

dunes there. He also went to the Hottentot huts in the neighbourhood to see

whether pots were still used, but could only find one. According to his illustra-

tion (see also Sydow, in press) this pot is reminiscent of the inland Namaqua ware

(see Inland Report) with a globular base, possibly nippled, externally applied

and horizontally pierced lugs, overturned rim and a concave contracted neck

decorated with fingernail (?) impressions. R. Colson wrote a report on the Port

Nolloth middens in Man (1905), describing the sites and also pottery found there,

including part of a pot now in the South African Museum (fig. III: 1), which

was half filled with magnetic iron sand. Somewhat later (1909) a geologist,

W. E. Giffen, wrote to the South African Museum about his observations at

Port Nolloth. He noted that the Strandloper pottery contained small specks of

mica and also sand. The only place he could find clay with mica was 17 miles

away. He added: “The older natives (Namaqua) have informed me that the

clay was kneaded mixed with the juice from the milkbush (Euphorbia gummifera)

with a little river sand added to keep the pot from cracking and that some of the

pots have not the ancient origin attributed to them. The mixing with the gum

would account for the peculiar charred appearance even in a fresh fracture,

in a piece of their pottery’. This is the only account in the early reports of river

sand being added to the clay. Laidler (1938) described the manufacture of

pottery in Namaqualand as related to him by an old Namaqua Hottentot in

1921, whose mother was a potter. The clay was beaten with a stone, then rolled

into cylinders and the pot was built with rings, carefully incorporated with

each other. After sun-drying for two to three days the pot was fired in an open

fire. The pots were used for storage and cooking, and were of such hardness that

they could be used for rendering fat.

If we turn to the inland part of Namaqualand, Meerhof (Journal of Van

Riebeeck, 1952) reported in 1661 that the Namaqua had ‘large wooden vessels

with narrow necks, hollowed out from a piece of solid wood’. It appears there-

fore that already at this early date some of the Hottentot tribes had replaced

their earthen vessels with wooden ones. H. J. Wikar (1935), a Swede who lived

among the Hottentots along the Lower Orange River between 1775 and 1779,

only mentions ‘bowls’ bartered by the Hottentots from the Bantu (BaThlapin)

north of the river. M. H. C. Lichtenstein (1928), who travelled in the Cape

between 1803 and 1806 mentions only wooden bowls among the Korana along

the Orange River. W. J. Burchell (1822) also only describes wooden vessels

from the same area in 1811-12 and considers them to be among the aboriginal

utensils of the Korana. He does not mention any earthenware.

568 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

The only detailed description of pottery comes from E. J. Dunn (1931),

a geologist who spent the years 1871 to 1886 prospecting in the Cape. He

travelled through Namaqualand and Bushmanland in 1871 and 1872 where

he also had an opportunity to study the Bushmen and Hottentots. His report on

pottery is quoted in detail in the Inland Report and here it is sufficient to say

that he met Hottentots at Zendelings Drift near the mouth of the Orange River

in 1871 and described their different types of pottery. “Besides the large ones

used for cooking, or for holding water, were smaller ones like basins for holding

food or for drinking from.’ He also visited Port Nolloth and describes the pottery

he found there. “The Strandloper pottery was of a very coarse description. In

size 1t was intermediate between that of the Bushman and that of the Hottentot,

but was inferior to both of these in shape, quality and firing; the clay was

carelessly mixed, was much coarser, and often contained rough grains of sand,

or much mica. In shape the Strandloper pottery (of Port Nolloth) somewhat

resembled that of the Hottentot, but the base was more rounded and less

conical.’ The lug was entirely different from that made by the Hottentots and

consisted of projecting bosses which stood out at right angles to the pot. A hole

was made horizontally through these for a thong. ‘I did not come across any

remains of Strandloper pottery that had been ornamented. Fragments of this

pottery were not uncommon when I was in South Africa; these, and occasionally

whole pots, were to be found in the enormous shell heaps that testify to the former

presence of the Strandloper all round the coast of South Africa.’ The pottery

Dunn describes from Port Nolloth is of Namaqua type (Inland Report). It

appears that during his visit there were no Strandlopers left in this area.

J. E. Alexander (1838) who travelled through Namaqualand and South

West Africa to Walvis Bay in 1836 mentions that the Little Namaquas (of

Namaqualand) only have wooden pots while the Great Namaquas (of Great

Namaland) have earthenware pots. There were still Strandlopers (Topnaars)

at Walvis Bay during his visit and they have later also been mentioned by other

travellers such as J. Chapman (photograph with notes at SAM) in 1855,

G. McKiernan (1954) in 1874-9 and G. Giirich (1891) in 1888-9. A mission

station for the Topnaars had already been established at Rooibank in 1845.

Strandlopers were still active at Liideritz in 1903, according to Schultze (1907).

North of Swakopmund on the southern side of the Ugab River mouth, H.

Martin (pers. comm.) saw shell middens and the still standing remains of five

whale-bone huts in 1938. Three surviving Strandlopers have been reported

from Sessfontein in the Kaokoveld (Dart, 1955) and in southern Angola

Strandlopers are still said to be active on the coast south of Mocamedes.

From this evidence it seems that the Hottentots in Namaqualand stopped

making pottery in the seventeenth century while the tradition survived among

the poorer Strandlopers till the middle of the nineteenth century. In South West

Africa the Strandlopers and inland Hottentots probably continued making

pottery at least up to the end of the nineteenth century.

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 560

g. Review oF EARLIER REPORTS

In the Cape Monthly Magazine there was in the 1870's a heated discussion

whether the shell deposits of the coastal caves were man-made or natural.

Among those advocating the human origin of these middens and reporting

cultural material, including pottery, from them, were Sir Langham Dale (1870),

P. D. Martin (1872), Dr. Comrie (1874) and others. The first to report on

Strandloper pottery in more detail was W. Gooch (1881), who divided the

prehistoric pottery of South Africa into two groups. The first group from the

Cape Peninsula and the mountains of the eastern Cape (Stormsberg, etc.)

approximated the forms of Bushman and Hottentot pottery. He noted that the

pottery from the Cape Flats was common and ‘offers no great divergence from

the ordinary types at present in use among the Hottentots and Korannas’.

He added that there were in the British Museum three or four pots from the

Cape Flats and Fort Beaufort, which were of identical type and manufacture

with horizontally pierced lugs for suspension with cords or thongs of twisted

grass or plaited hide. The clay from the Cape Flats was badly mixed and fired

and contained coarse granite sand grains, which he did not think were intro-

duced purposely. The second group of pottery came from the coast of Natal and

was reminiscent of pottery from West Central Africa.

G. Leith (1898) remarked on the coastal shell mounds: ‘From the character

of the pottery found in them and other indications I am inclined, however, to

attribute the non-implement-bearing shell-mounds at Mossel Bay, Port Eliza-

beth and East London to Hottentots who doubtlessly paid periodical visits to

the sea-coast when times were bad on land, or for a change in the diet.’

The caves along the Cape south coast aroused interest at an early date

and numerous amateur archaeologists or mere treasure hunters dug through

large parts of the deposits causing irreparable damage to the archaeological

evidence. Some of the former did at least report their discoveries and some of

the excavated material, including pottery, ultimately found its way to museum

collections.

The Mossel Bay Cave on Cape St. Blaize had been visited some time

between 1803 and 1806 by Lichtenstein (1928), who commented on the sheil

deposit and suggested that Hottentots had lived there. Dr. Atherstone (1871)

supported the contention that this deposit was man-made and so did Kanne-

meyer (1890) and Leith (1898). The latter dug a trench through the cave, which

was eventually scientifically excavated in the 1930’s by Goodwin and Malan

(1935).

About 1890 a cave at the mouth of the Touw River near Wilderness was

excavated by R. E. Dumbleton (1892), who apart from human skeletons and

other material found a mounted stone implement here. Dumbleton also found

the Oakhurst Shelter, later excavated by Goodwin (1938), which also contained

some pottery (Schofield, 1938).

A cave at the Knysna Eastern Head was discovered and excavated in

1872 by Chevallier (1872, SAM Corr.), who discovered two painted stones

there. Thos. Bain (1880) described this and other Knysna caves, reporting also

570 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

the finding by George Rex jr. of a lion shoulder blade with paintings on it

showing sea birds and a seal. His friend, A. W. Robinson, excavated several

small caves around Knysna Lagoon in the 1890’s and found much pottery.

Farther east the Robberg Caves at Plettenberg Bay have been known since

early times and farmers removed much guano (‘shell-guano’ or bat guano)

from them. In 1880 Newdigate (1880, SAM Corr.) reported the caves to the

South African Museum and Dumbleton (1892) was asked to investigate them.

Both excavated material there and later so did Kingston (1900) and R. Atkin-

son (Péringuey, 1911) who found fourteen skeletons in fourteen days. J. S.

Henkel investigated the caves in 1913 and reported on them to the museum.

Then Dr. Péringuey asked the Rev. W. Sharples to excavate the caves, which

was done during the First World War. Most of the excavated material including

painted burial stones and pottery is now in the South African Museum. In 1924

Major J. P. Marais excavated one of the large caves and so did J. A. Engel-

brecht of Stellenbosch University in 1932. Since 1964 a scientific excavation

of a smaller cave is still in progress, led by R. Inskeep of the University of

Cape Town.

East of Plettenberg Bay, caves have been excavated at the Matjes River

mouth by Dreyer (1933), at the Groot River mouth first in 1884 by Kingston

(1900) and later in 1921 by FitzSimons (1923 and 1926), who mainly searched for

human skeletons but also found some pottery. He included this cave among

his Tsitsikama Caves. At the Coldstream mouth J. Drury from the South

African Museum excavated a cave in 1909-11 (Péringuey, 1911) and found

seventeen skeletons and three painted burial stones. A complete pot (fig. XXIV:

3) discovered by FitzSimons probably comes from this cave.

S. Schénland (1906) published a special report on the pottery in the

Collection of the Albany Museum in Grahamstown. Most of this pottery had

come from shell middens along the coast, among it the beautiful Port Alfred pot

(fig. XXVIII: 2) which he described and illustrated, remarking: ‘In contem-

plating and handling it one cannot help sharing Kolben’s enthusiasm for the

Hottentots’ art of making pots.’ He also noted that the material in the pot was

‘black on the fractures, thus indicating that it is very well burnt of clay taking

from termite heaps with which the pupae of termites has been mixed’. This

latter conclusion is certainly also taken from Kolben. He reported that there

were middens all along the coast from Namaqualand to the Bashee River and

that probably both Bushmen and Hottentots made these middens as well as a

mixed breed of Hottentot men and captured Bushman women living along

the coast.

In the previous chapter we mentioned the reports by Colson (1905) and

Giffen (1909, SAM Corr.) about the shell middens and pottery at Port Nolloth

~in Namaqualand.

Dr. L. Péringuey (1911) devoted a chapter in his Stone Ages of South Africa

to the pottery. He compared it with the Neolithic pottery in Europe, but noted

that while in Europe no truly primitive type of pottery had been found, the

pottery of the South African ‘middens of the littoral, or even in up-country

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 571

shelters, is of a style that, to me, seems to point to the survival of a most primitive

kind, if it is not the precursor, of earthenware manufacture’. He also compared

it with the prehistoric pottery of Egypt, which he found to be much superior

to the South African ware although with a superficial similarity in shape.

He then went on to describe Strandloper pottery and remarked, znter alia, on

the externally applied lugs of South West Africa in contrast with the internally

reinforced lugs of the Cape coast. He also discussed the use of pots for cooking

and storage. The former was indicated by the black-burnt base, while the latter

was proved by the specular iron sand and remains of fatty substance found in

some pots. He did not, however, believe that the pots were used for water

storage, as ostrich eggshell bottles were often found on the middens and these

were probably used for that purpose. He stated finally: ‘One thing is established,

and that is that this shape (ovoid-conical pots) prevails all along the littoral,

in nearly all cases is it found, connected with the culture of the Hottentot race

which we call Strandlopers.’ “The homogenity of this race or branch of the

Hottentots is pretty conclusively established. The primitiveness of their culture,

as shown by their relics, is indeed great, but not so their pottery, which has not

only a facies of its own, but the execution of which has demanded great skill.’

This latter remark is in some contrast to what he had said earlier in the chapter.

In 1929 A. J. H. Goodwin’s and C. van Riet Lowe’s The Stone Age Cultures

of South Africa was published. Here Goodwin described the Wilton industry

and included ‘pottery of the eared and pointed-base type’ in the normal

associations. In discussing the Wilton shelter he suggests that possibly ‘both

pottery and the bored stone belong primarily to the Smithfield Industry and

were only introduced into this area at the end of the Wilton period’.

The first detailed study of Hottentot pottery was made by P. W. Laidler

(1929) who published a paper on ‘Hottentot and Bushman Pottery of South

Africa’. He notes here that the pre-Bantu pottery follows the Hottentot settle-

ments in a series of oases along the coast and also along the large rivers, the

majority of pottery being found in or near the shell mounds which line the coast

of South Africa. He then quotes the theory that the Hottentots came down the

west coast, becoming more and more intermixed with Bushmen the farther

south and.east he migrated. “As the Hottentot trekked along the African coast

his [pottery] technique, which, when he turned southwards at the mouth of the

Kunene River had been crystallized by tradition, degenerated as he became

bastardized, and there was a consequent loss of standard. Always excepting the

extraordinary renaissance which took place in the Albany—Port Elizabeth

section.’ Laidler then analyses the ornamentation, marks from the pot-making

technique, admixtures of the clay, the different elements of the pot and the use

of pots. He goes on to describe local developments and characteristics from

different areas between Walvis Bay and Natal and finally suggests a classifica-

tion of the pottery into five types: Hottentot, Degenerate Hottentot, Bush-

Hottentot mixture of the coast, Bushman and Bantu. He finishes his report

with a discussion on pottery making in other parts of Africa. In Kenya the

Kikuyo make pottery with ovoid bases in a way similar to the Hottentots, i.e.

572 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

mixing the clay with sand and building the pot upside down with rings. This

type of pottery still survives on the African west coast, in Uganda, in East

Africa and even in modern northern Egypt. Some of the pottery from the Pre-

Dynastic Period in Egypt is of exactly the same shape as in South Africa but is

generally smaller with conical base, neck and everted rims, internal ammonite

spiral and ribbon technique but no admixture. There are also specimens eared

with perforated cylinders. The pure Hottentot Type is, in Laidler’s opinion,

‘a direct offshoot of the Pre-Dynastic Egyptian Culture, which has travelled

southward, and the course followed by the migrating Hottentot along the

Highlands of Central Africa is an indication for the lines of future research’.

In a later report (1931) Laidler goes on to describe some of the coastal

pottery areas in more detail. He also remarks on the marked difference in

technique between Hottentot and Bushman pottery, which precludes his

earlier suggestion (1929) that the Bushman learnt to make pottery from the

Hottentots, and he now suggests that the Bushman rather received the initiative

to make pottery from the Bantu in the north-east. For the same reason he

refutes Goodwin’s suggestion that pottery was introduced from the Smithfield

industry (Bushmen) to the Wilton industry (Strandlopers). He is also doubtful

about the association between the Strandloper Wilton industry and pottery

as some pots show fatty deposits, which Laidler associates with products of

pastoral peoples. We know, however, from the present report that there is

evidence that the Strandlopers rendered fat from whale and seal blubber in

their pots and also stored it there.

In the next report (1932) Laidler goes a step further and suggests that

although the Hottentots first brought pottery into South Africa via the Cape

west coast, thereby accounting for the association of Wilton and pottery at

Port Nolloth, in origin both Hottentot and Bushman pottery industries are

due to impacts of Bantu civilization of the stone-building (Zimbabwe) period

somewhere in the north. The Albany Renaissance was due to the reunion of

long-separated Bantu influences with their more direct descendants. -

Laidler’s final work on pottery (1938) treated the whole subject of South

African Native Ceramics: Their Characteristics and Classification. Here he

sums up all his knowledge of the indigenous pottery, beginning with the still

living pottery tradition of the Bantu and continuing with the prehistoric

pottery of Rhodesia, Bechuanaland, South West Africa, Transvaal and the

Free State, finishing off with the pottery from coastal and near-by inland areas

and from Bushman caves. His final classification of South African Native

Ceramics contains three main periods—Early African or Pre-Zimbabwe,

Middle African, including the Zimbabwe Period, and Late African.

He treats the Hottentot pottery in the Early African Type XXII which

includes the better ware of Hottentot type round the eastern and western edges

of the Cape coast. The pottery of this class does not appear to present the

variety in shape and size that the Bantu series does. The vessels were egg-shaped

and were used mainly for storage. The thinness of wall, down to 4 mm., in large

pots of several gallons capacity is distinctive. The typical Hottentot internally

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 573

reinforced, horizontally pierced lug occurs along the coastal areas as far east

as the Nghdhla River in the southern Transkei and along the great rivers, but

rarely in South West Africa and never north of the Vaal River. This distribution

relieves it of any direct connection with the Bantu, for fewer are found along the

line of meeting, but instead more perforated and not perforated bosses, a Bantu

influence, occur more commonly along that line and in the Gonaqua area.

The typical Hottentot lug is distinctively South African in distribution and

origin and is commonly found in shouldered pots of neck-body junction tech-

nique (Type C2 of this report). In Egypt, where most prototypes of African

design may be found, nothing of this type exists. The Hottentot lug is probably

a development from the early Bantu cylinder. Cylinders perforated vertically

occur only within Bantu areas. The scraped string-mark follows the distribution

of the lug, the sites pointing to a widespread Hottentot occupation south of the

stone-building culture areas and fanning out from the Free State mostly to east

and west. Spouted pots have been found on sites along the coast but also at

Tinley Manor in Natal, Mapungubwe and Bambata. The coastal sites are

definitely pastoral Hottentots, while the remainder equally certainly belong to

the stone-building culture people and their offshoots. “This points to the origin

of Hottentot pottery, and to the necessity for the accepted traditions of Hotten-

tot migration being revised, because it appears to have radiated from the Free

State, probably along the great rivers, to south-east and south-west, from the

period of Type III (Early Rhodesian). Of their history between these two

phases and places, there is at present no suggestion. There is no certain ceramic

evidence supporting the accepted theory of a Hottentot migration west to the

coast and then north and south’ (should have read south and north).

The Middle African Type XXIII includes the degenerate Gonaqua ware,

much influenced by the Bantu, while the Late African Type XXIV includes

the bagshaped pottery from the Transkei. The Late African Type XXV covers

the Bushman pottery near Basutoland, which imitates the Bantu techniques in

using slip and close-set ornamentation made with notched sticks.

Later on, Laidler states that ‘there is no evidence for the use of pottery by

Stone Age man in Africa south of the Zambezi, except possibly within a limited

area in close contact with Bantu (Late Smithfield in the Free State) and during

recent periods’. He summarizes: ‘In the west the Hottentot ceramic art disap-

peared with the appearance of the Europeans and fresh Bantu influence came

in [from the] north-east, too late to affect it. In the east the Hottentot type of

pottery was superseded by a potting industry showing Bantu affinities and

gradually developed away from the Hottentot fine thin types to the thick coarse

ones of the Gonaqua. The Bushman of the Late Stone Age knew no pottery.

True Wilton in the Eastern Cape is free from pottery. The only Bushman

pottery is that in the east evolved from contact with the Bantu of the stone-

building culture and consequent imitation. The essentially similar origin of all

native forms of South African ceramic art is shown by the affinities between

early Hottentot and early cave Type III (Early Rhodesian), the strong pre-

dilection for Early and Middle African patterns and methods in all areas in

574 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

which natives were in contact with that virile and artistic race. South African

indigenous ceramic art begins with Early African and ends with the Bantu.

Hottentot and Bushman pottery showed virility and close affinities for a while.

Bantu alone remains.’

J. F. Schofield was more or less contemporary with Laidler and published

numerous papers on pottery. In his book Primitive Pottery (1948) he summarized

all that was known about protohistoric and modern South African pottery,

linking the two together. In Rhodesian painted and unpainted caves

pottery fragments have been found in the upper layers, generally in association

with a Wilton industry, but Schofield regards this pottery as imported by the

Wilton people from the more advanced Hottentots or Bantu. The pottery from

the Umgazana Cave on the Pondoland coast is associated with a Smithfield

industry and is of a type (Schofield’s NC2) associated with the first Bantu

invaders of this area, while the pottery from the Oakhurst Shelter in the George

District associated with a Developed Wilton industry is of Hottentot type. He

notes about the latter that whether the pottery had been used ‘by the Wilton

inhabitants of the cave, or by a wandering Hottentot, it is impossible to say.

We can, however, be very certain that none of the pottery was made by the

cave dwellers who were responsible for the lithic industry.’

In the next chapter Schofield describes Bushman pottery and considers

the sole diagnostic feature of this pottery to be the pounded grass that was

sometimes mixed with the clay. Otherwise the pottery of their Hottentot or

Bantu neighbours was used or imitated.

Schofield also discards the theory that the Hottentots arrived in South

Africa via the west coast and instead forwards the theory that a people similar

in culture to the Saan tribes of South West Africa at some time before the Bantu

and their Sanga cattle had reached South Africa came in contact with a people

owning Zebu cattle and living in what is now the Orange Free State. They

followed the example of this people and became cattle-owners. From the Free

State they spread along the river valleys to the coast.

‘Hottentot pottery has certain distinguishing features that set it aside from

all other primitive wares in South Africa: the thin, well-burnt fabric, the oval

section, the internally reinforced lugs, and, to a less extent, the pointed base.’

The pointed base is also found among the Bergdama, Herero and Ovambo, and

Schofield suggests it ‘likely that the Hottentots, and also the Dama, received

their initial impulse in pottery making from such people as the Ovambo or the

Herero’. He continues: ‘The great variety of detail found in such a relatively

small amount of material, and the entire absence of any evidence of the con-

tinued use of Hottentot pottery over a long period of time, all combine to give

the impression that it never attained any degree of fixity, either of form or

decoration, but actually ceased to be made before it had emerged from the

experimental stage. It seems very probable that the introduction of pottery

amongst the Hottentots did not antedate the European occupation by any

lengthy period, and it is suggested that the three centuries between c. 1470 and

1770 would allow ample time for the accumulation of the deposits in which it

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 575

is known to occur.’

In further chapters Schofield describes the prehistoric pottery from

Rhodesia, Botswana and South Africa and the recent pottery of the

Shona, Sotho, Ovambo, etc. Among the ancient pottery from the coast

of Natal he distinguishes between three classes. Class NC1r includes all pre-

Bantu pottery. Only two pieces of undoubted Hottentot pottery have come to

light, one at Umhloti and the other at Umgababa. Class NC2 has notched rim-

edges, point-mark designs and closely set surface decoration. These are also

distinguishing features of the Class ST2 ware of the stone-hut settlements in

the Free State. Both these classes probably belong to the Fokeng or closely

related people who were established on the coast before the middle of the

sixteenth century. Class NC3 consists of globular or bagshaped pots decorated

with bands of diagonal cross-hatching, herringbone or groups of parallel lines

carried out with great vigour on the wet surface. The material has a natural

admixture or one of pounded potsherds and the surface is crudely smoothed.

This class of pottery is associated with a people called the Lala and related to

the Shona people of Rhodesia and were established in southern Zululand

during the last decade of the sixteenth century. They were destroyed by the

Zulu about 1820.

Since 1948 several papers have been published on the Rhodesian Iron

Age and its pottery, but in South Africa the main discussion on pottery has

concerned the finds at Mapungubwe in the northern Transvaal. A first volume

on the excavation at Mapungubwe had been published in 1937 (Fouché, 1937)

and in it Schofield had discussed the pottery finds, classifying them as of Bantu

manufacture. In only one fragment did he find any similarity to Hottentot

ware. Among the three pottery groups M1—Msg described by Schofield, Class

Mg2 contained pots with channelled or tubular spouts and pots with vertically

pierced, external lugs. Holes near the rims, probably made before the firing,

were also common. External bosses were also found and one pot had a nipple-

shaped boss surrounded by two rows of prick impressions (Fouché, 1937,

pl. XXX: 10). It is almost identical to a boss from Port Alfred illustrated by

Laidler (1938, pl. XII: 4) and one from Scott’s Cave in the Gamtoos Valley

(Deacon, 1963, fig. 11c). This might be the piece of pottery referred to as

similar to Hottentot pottery, but Schofield quotes Hall (1905) : “The Makalanga

have always decorated their pottery with protruding bosses of shapes and

designs peculiar to themselves, the female breast pattern predominating. There

are at least fifty different sorts of such protruding designs found on undoubted

Makalanga floors.’ Some of the rims of Class M2 are identical with material

from the Natal coastal shell middens. Schofield suggests that Class M2 should

be linked to the Sotho group.

G. A. Gardner, who between 1935 and 1940 excavated the site Bambandya-

nalo (K2) adjoining the Mapungubwe Hill, objected to Schofield’s classification

of all the Mapungubwe pottery as Bantu (Gardner, 1949 and 1963). He

considered that Bambandyanalo was originally a Hottentot site which was

later overrun by Bantu invaders, who then settled on Mapungubwe Hill. The

576 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

skeletons excavated at K2 were of Bush-Boskop type, i.e. Hottentot, according

to Galloway (1959). The pottery was also in Gardner’s opinion of Hottentot

type; he refers especially to spouted pots, etc., obviously Schofield’s Class Ma.

He forwarded the theory that at some time numerous communities of settled

Hottentots lived in Rhodesia on their cattle and on hunting and did

not know iron. ‘These peaceful communities appear to have been overwhelmed

and driven south by the waves of Bantu invasion, until the sea stopped their

further progress, when they commenced to drift up the east and west coasts of

South Africa.’ “We may deduce that the Bantu (who eventually mingled their

blood with that of the Hottentots) owe what little they know of ceramic art

to the women of Hottentot extraction.’ This last was obviously stated in defiance

to Schofield who had suggested that the Hottentots learnt to make their

pottery from the Bantu. .

In 1955 Gardner (1955) gave a more detailed description of his finds at

Ke and Mapungubwe. He now calls the K2 people Proto-Hottentots and again

describes some of their pottery (Schofield’s M2), which he had found asso-

ciated with cattle burials, relics of an old Hamitic cult. Excavating part of the

Mapungubwe Hill in 1939 Gardner had found his K2 ceramics (M2) at the

bottom superimposed by two layers of Bantu occupation (Sotho and Venda)

followed by a Hottentot—Bantu occupation with beautiful pottery and numerous

bone arrow-points.

In 1963 the second volume of Mapungubwe (Gardner, 1963) finally

appeared with Gardner’s detailed report on his excavations. Of special interest

was a Carbon 14 dating for the K2 pre-Bantu settlement of 900 + 65 B.P.,

while the Sotho and Venda periods on the Mapungubwe Hill were dated to

570 + 60 B.P. and 530 + 50 B.P. respectively. Gardner estimated that the

Proto-Hottentot settlement at K2 was overrun by the Bantu in about A.D. 1250.

J. Walton has questioned Gardner’s labelling of the Ka pottery as

Hottentot and in his book African Village (1956) he gives his views on the

Mapungubwe riddle. Schofield had divided the pottery into two main groups,

Mi and Mg, each associated with a distinct Bantu culture. At Bambanyanalo

the latter group was associated with human figurines and garden-roller beads.

Walton writes: ‘This culture is markedly similar to the Early Rhodesian Iron

Age A Culture which has generally been regarded as Proto-Sotho.’ The

skeletal material on the other hand represents a ‘homogenous Boskop-Bush

population physically akin to the post-Boskop inhabitants of the coastal caves’

(Galloway, 1959). Walton gives two possible solutions to this riddle. “The

bearers of the Bambanyanalo culture may have been Proto-Hottentots who

had adopted a Bantu culture. If this is the case they must have been related to

the Sandawe and to Kakamas man and while Kakamas man was moving

southwards to the Orange River Valley other sections of the Nama must have

acquired a Bantu culture from the earliest Sotho and settled in Southern

Rhodesia. This seems the more satisfactory explanation. A detailed comparison

of the Bambanyanalo material culture with that from Kakamas on the one

hand and with that of the Sandawe and the Gumban on the other would be of

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA Bed,

greatest importance. ... Bambanyanalo does appear to represent a link in the

southwards migration of the Nama but not in the sense postulated by Gardner.’

R. Mason also criticized Gardner’s theories in the Prehistory of the Transvaal

(1962) and put forward his own theories about the origin of the Hottentots.

‘There is every possibility that Bush-Boskopoids may have been living in the

final stages of the Stone Age when people physically similar to them were

flourishing in Iron Age communities near Mapungubwe and elsewhere. A

similar non-Negro community also lived at Hatfield, near Salisbury in Southern

Rhodesia. There may have been a reservoir occupied by Bush-Boskopoid people

of the Mapungubwe-Hatfield type in north-east Africa whence different bands

migrated southwards at irregular intervals from about ten thousand years ago

onwards; the first group leaving near the end of the Stone Age before the idea

of food-production reached them, the second, after they had become cattle,

sheep and goat-owning nomads who could make pottery but not metal. The

third and last wave may have reached Hatfield, Mapungubwe and elsewhere

some time in the first millennium A.D. They were the most progressive Bush-

Boskopoid group who gained their food, pot and metal-making techniques in the

far north-east thousands of years after their Stone Age ancestors had moved

south.’ “The Mapungubwe and neighbouring Bambanyanalo (Ke) Bush-

Boskopoids may have resembled the Cape Hottentot nomads in physical

appearance but their culture was different.’ There is, according to Mason,

certainly no evidence to support Gardner’s claim that the K2 people had a

primitive Hottentot civilization. “There are only very slight resemblances in

the Mapungubwe area material cultures and those associated with the Hotten-

tots. Comparison of the published Bambanyanalo pottery with pottery associa-

ted with the Cape Hottentots suggests that resemblances between the two pottery

traditions were confined to the use of suspension lugs. There is no counterpart

for the rich decoration and varied forms of the Bambanyanalo pottery in the

“Cape Hottentot’’ series and the pointed bases of the latter are not present at

Bambanyanalo or Mapungubwe so far as published evidence shows.’

10. CHARACTERISTICS OF SITES AND AREAS

By using the information obtained from the Inventory and the Schedules,

it is possible to describe the local characteristics of the Strandloper pottery

from different sites and areas. Laidler has already tentatively done this in his

reports (1929, 1931, 1938), but it is now possible to do this in more detail,

thanks to the vastly greater amount of pottery and sites, among the latter the

rich Saldanha area which has not been reported on previously.

A. SOUTH WEST AFRICA (65 POTS IN ALL)

Laidler (1929) mentions some pottery from Walvis Bay in the South African

Museum Collection, classifying the pottery as of late and degenerate facies.

Most of the South West African material in the present survey comes from

Walvis Bay (28), which was a Strandloper centre of importance until the begin-

ning of this century. The historical Strandlopers of Walvis Bay belonged to the

578 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Topnaars, a poor Hottentot tribe which, according to Giirich (1892), was

originally widespread in Damaraland but was at the end of the eighteenth

century driven out of that country by the Hereros. Parts of the tribe then settled

at Walvis Bay, in the Kaokoveld and in Ovamboland. At Walvis Bay they

intermarried with the local Saan Strandlopers (Namib Bushmen) and lived

from fish, shellfish and narras melons (Vedder, 1938). They caught fish with

long spears tipped with gemsbok horns (McKiernan, 1954). They also kept a

few cattle, probably at Rooibank where there was water and grass. The pottery,

which is all found on the surface between the dunes, must probably have

belonged to this tribe, which may also have visited Swakopmund as there are

two almost identical pot bases from these two sites. The find of copper stitching

of a cracked pot shows that these Strandlopers also knew the use of copper.

Liideritz Bay or Angra Pequena was another Strandloper oasis and Dias

had met Strandlopers there in 1487 (Vedder, 1938). They were later described

in more detail after a Dutch ship from Cape Town had arrived there in 1677

and Hottentot interpreters found that they could converse with the Strandlopers

(Vedder, 1938). As late as 1903 Schultze (1907) reported that Saan Strandlopers

at Liideritz eat shellfish (Patella, Cominella and Donax sp.), stranded whales,

crayfish and seals. None of these sources mentions any pottery. We can only

assume that pottery was used at least until iron pots became more common,

especially after the German occupation in 1885.

The writer has not yet investigated the coast between Walvis Bay and

Liideritz, but south of Liideritz there are Strandloper sites which have yielded

pottery right down to the mouth of the Orange River (Rudner and Grattan-

Bellew, 1964), where W. Paterson (1789) met Nama-speaking Strandlopers in

1777, and Dias had seen them already in 1487.

Nothing has been reported about the other cultural material from the

middens at Swakopmund and Walvis Bay, but Liideritz Bay, Elizabeth Bay

and Buntveldschuh all have beautiful Wilton industries, while Claratal and

Chameis have industries more reminiscent of the Cape Smithfield C (Rudner

and Grattan-Bellew, 1964).

No bowls have been found among the pottery from the South West Africa

coast but there are remains of three bagshaped pots and sixteen necked ones.

Most of the necked pots, however, are bagshaped in appearance with very

short necks, at Walvis Bay often consisting only of wide overturned and decora-

ted rims. None of the necked pots has a body-neck junction groove, which

probably shows that the neck was not constructed separately. There are also

three spouted pots from the coast, the one from Walvis Bay (fig. II: 1) being

unique at the coast, but Sydow (in press) has reported this type from the inland.

All except one of the pots have pointed bases, and the typical lug is disc-shaped

and externally applied. No certain internally reinforced lugs are known from

the South West Africa coast. Two vessels from Walvis Bay have vertically pierced

lugs, which are very rare among Strandloper pottery. Typical for this site and

not found anywhere else along the coast are also, as mentioned above, the wide

overturned, almost vertical, rims decorated with impressed patterns. Also

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 579

unique for this part of the country is a decoration consisting of rows of short

horizontal lines and also one of circular impressions in a groove. Compared

with South West Africa as a whole Walvis Bay has a high percentage (41:0%)

of very thin-walled pots, almost the same percentage as the coast of Namaqua-

land (west coast area), while the percentage of material with no admixture is

very low (7°7%), medium size admixture instead being the common one

(46-2%), showing that the Walvis Bay potters (Topnaars?) were superior to the

other potters of this coast. Walvis Bay also has the highest percentage (80-0%)

of overturned rims of any Strandloper site.

For the South West African coast as a whole the percentage of very thin

walls is low (22:99), while three-quarters of the pots have thin walls. In the

material the percentage of no admixture is high (36-2), indicating that little

trouble was taken in preparing the clay. The lack of care is also shown by the

high percentage of unburnished vessels (30°8%). Apart from the superior

pottery at Walvis Bay there is also a very fine spouted pot from Liideritz Bay

illustrated by Sydow (in press).

The pottery of South West Africa has been discussed in detail in the

Inland Report (Rudner, in press). It is sufficient to say here that the basic

pottery type in South West Africa is the Namaqua type, found mainly in

southern Great Namaland (see Oranjemund, fig. V: 2) and in northern

Namaqualand. It is bagshaped or near bagshaped with a very low waist and a

pointed or rounded and nippled base. The generally disc-shaped lugs are

horizontally pierced and externally applied. A northern variation of this type

possibly associated with Topnaar Hottentots and Bergdamas is found in

Damaraland, especially in the Brandberg and Erongo mountains, and in

northern Great Namaland. It is simple and bagshaped (a truncated egg-shape)

with a pointed base and externally applied disc lugs often not pierced (see

Liideritz, fig. V: 1). Sometimes there are holes just below the rim on opposite

sides of the pot, probably for suspension, and some vessels have lug-spouts (see

Walvis Bay, fig. II: 1). Some of the vessels of this type have decoration of a kind

not found anywhere else along the coast and some have a broad overturned

rim which is decorated with impressions (see Walvis Bay, fig. XXXI: 3-6).

There are also in South West Africa spouted pots of a superior type without

any obvious relationship to the local ware but similar to spouted vessels in

South Africa (Inland Report). A few internally reinforced lugs have also been

found in the inland of Great Namaland and in the Erongo mountains (Sydow,

in press).

B. WEST COAST AREA (III)

Laidler (1929, 1938) reported that half of the pottery from Port Nolloth

and district was of the highest degree of workmanship, one-third intermediate

and the rest crude.

Port Nolloth (52) is the richest site in this area and is one of the first

Strandloper sites described (see Historical Evidence). Strandlopers were still

active in this area in 1858 (Martin, 1872), and pottery was made by the local

580 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Namaqua till the beginning of this century (Schultze, 1907). Most of the pottery

has been found at McDougal Bay south of the town in apparent association

with a Wilton industry. Much pottery has also been found at Kleinsee (13) at

the mouth of the Buffels River and also at Vanputtensvlei (16) and Elands

Bay (16) in the south. All these sites also have a rich Wilton industry and the

two last sites in addition include some rock paintings in probable association

with the shell middens.

Two small nippled bowls, one of them decorated, have been found at

Port Nolloth (fig. III: 2) and Kleinsee (fig. V: 3), and one has also later been

reported from Hondeklip Bay (not included in survey). Only one bagshaped

pot was found and three spouted vessels, one of which from Kleinsee (fig. V: 4)

is almost bagshaped. Necked pots make up the majority (90-4%) and Type C1

appears as the main type. One pot from Port Nolloth (fig. III: 3) may be

related to Type C2. It has bosses instead of internally reinforced lugs and a

reversed body-neck junction step. An almost identical pot, possibly made by the

same potter, comes from Okiep (SAM 5348) about go km. inland from Kleinsee.

All the necked pots from Port Nolloth have pointed bases and most of them

(73°4%) also have nipples. The horizontally pierced, internally reinforced

lug appears for the first time at Port Nolloth and from now on becomes the

typical Strandloper lug, while the disc lug, the common lug in South West

Africa and in northern Namaqualand, is found for the last time at Port Nolloth.

Both pressed-out and applied bosses occur in this area. Three-quarters of the

pottery from Port Nolloth is decorated, the highest percentage from any site,

and numerous types of decoration are represented. It is generally reminiscent

of the ware from the Orange River (see Inland Report) and patterns like the

string-decorated rims will also appear farther south in the Saldanha area, etc.

The material is more well-made than in South West Africa and the walls are

thin (58-7%) or very thin (41:3°%). Bored holes, which are fairly common in

South West Africa, appear for the last time in this area before they, with one

exception on the Cape Flats, reappear again on the Cape south coast.

The pottery from the west coast has a character of its own with some

strikingly beautiful vessels. It has little or no relationship with the pottery of

South West Africa, while a few pots belong to types which are common farther

south. One pot has a ‘brother’ inland and some of the Kleinsee pots are very

similar to pots from the Orange River in Gordonia (Inland Report), but it is

striking that no pots of Namaqua type have been found along the coast, as in

South West Africa.

Movements along the coast are indicated by the two very similar pots

from Alexander Bay and Kleinsee, and by the three unique nippled bowls from

Port Nolloth, Kleinsee and Hondeklip Bay. The distance between the mouth of

the Orange River (Alexander Bay) and Hondeklip Bay is over 200 km. and

might represent the movement of a tribe. The similarity between two pots

from Port Nolloth and Okiep also points to a (seasonal?) movement between

the inland and the coast. We already know from historical evidence about the

movements of the pastoral Hottentots.

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 581

- Of interest is the find at Port Nolloth (fig. III: 1) of a buried pot containing

specular iron powder. Sydow (1966) has reported several such finds in South

West Africa and the author knows of others along the Orange River (Inland

Report). Bechuanas, Koranas and even Bushmen used it in their hair to make it

shine, and it was obviously a product of commercial value stored in pots and

sometimes buried for safety. Also interesting is the apparent association between

rock-paintings and middens with pottery at Zoutpans Klipheuwel, Vanputtens-

vlei and Elands Bay. On an old English map (The Dutch Colony MDCCXCV),

certainly based on an earlier Dutch one, Kochoquas’ (Hottentots) kraals are

shown on the Berg River approximately where midden sites 22-23 were found.

C. SALDANHA AREA (108)

Laidler did not describe any pottery from the Saldanha area. The richest

site in this area is Danger Bay (22), but much pottery has also been found at

St. Helena Bay, especially at Stompneus Point (12) and Britannia Point (11),

and in addition on the northern extremity of the Saldanha Schiereiland (15).

Da Gama landed at St. Helena Bay in 1497 and described the local

Strandlopers (Axelson, 1954). In the Journal of Van Riebeeck (1952) a French

sea-captain reported having seen Saldanhars with thousands of cattle at St.

Helena Bay. He had also seen Hottentots hunting seals at a certain point jutting

into the sea, certainly Stompneus Point. The Journal also reported that there

were both Strandlopers and cattle-owning Hottentots at Saldanha Bay. It is

also mentioned that the Saldanhars had pots (see Historical Evidence). We do

- not know how long the Strandlopers remained in the Saldanha area, but it was

probably not longer than till about 1700. The complete pot from Churchhaven

or Geelbek (fig. VIII: 1) is of the Namaqua type and may have been left there

on one of the visits by the Namaqua to the south-western Cape, described in the

Journal.

Only one bowl comes from this area and four bagshaped pots, three of

them from Schiereiland. All the other pots (9g1:8%) are necked, five of them in

addition spouted. A special spouted pot type, D2, developed around Britannia

Point (fig. VI: 1) and marks a local climax of pottery tradition as far as both

shape, decoration and quality is concerned. The amphora-shaped body and

string-decorated rim are not found in the other spouted type, D1, from the

Cape south coast and East London areas. Intermediate between these two types

are spouted pots from the Orange River (Grootdrink, Boegoeberg) and South

West Africa (Liideritz, Helmeringshausen and the Erongo mountains).

The first elliptical section occurs on a pot from Danger Bay and also on

this site appear the first necked pots of Type C2, which hereafter are to become

the most typical Strandloper pots of the South African coast, continuing right

up to East London. In association with this type appears the thick overturned

and rounded rim. Type Cr is also represented at Danger Bay and remains a

common. type. While the horizontally pierced, internally reinforced lug is the

most common lug (53°4%) and generally is associated with Type C2 pots,

bosses are more common in this area than in any other (38:0%), mostly

582 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

appearing with Type C1 pottery. An interesting example comes from the

Schiereiland (fig. VIII: 3) where two pressed-out bosses imitate horizontally

pierced, internally reinforced lugs. The bases are pointed, mostly ovoid, and

sometimes nippled (25:9%). Decoration is becoming more scarce (22:7%),

but rim trimming grooves and body-neck junction steps are the rule with Type

C2 pottery. The walls are mostly thin (735%) or very thin (20°4%) and are

always burnished. A medium or coarse admixture is the rule (84:9%) in this

area.

In the Saldanha area we find the Strandloper pottery tradition in full

bloom with very few crude exceptions; two bagshaped pots from the Schierei-

land are among these latter. This pottery must have belonged to the local

Kochoquas with the exception perhaps for the pot from Churchhaven which

is of Namaqua type. Also in this area two of the richest pottery sites, Stomp-

neus and Danger Bay, are also the richest Wilton sites.

D. SOUTH-WESTERN COAST (167)

Laidler comments (1929) that the Peninsula-Blaauwberg area was a

Hottentot oasis, but adds that ‘a progressive bastardisation (with the Bushmen

of the mountains) affected the standard of the high grade industry introduced

by the Hottentots’.

Maingard (1931) records the Hottentot tribes of this area to be Kochoquas

(Saldanhars) from Saldanha Bay to False Bay, the Goringhaikonas or Strand-

lopers of the Cape Peninsula and the Goringhaiquas or Kaepman behind

Tygerberg.

The south-western coast, i.e. the sandy beach between the Saldanha

Schiereiland and Table Bay, comprises four large sites of which the first one,

Ysterfontein, is our richest pottery site (81). Ysterfontein, Bokbaai, Melk-

boschstrand and Blaauwbergstrand are all situated at the southern extremity of

large sand-dune areas. Ysterfontein has a very rich Wilton industry and Wilton

has also been found at Modderrivier and Bokbaai, while very few stone imple-

ments have been found at Blaauwberg.

Only one certain bowl comes from this area, the last one before the Port

Elizabeth area, while bagshaped pots of Type B2 become temporarily more

common (6:2%), e.g. Ysterfontein (fig. IX: 1). This type is closely related to

the necked Type Ca, into which it merges without a line of demarcation. Necked

pots dominate this area (92:19) and Types C1 and C2 occur on most of the

sites. Spouted pots are more common in this area (15:9%) than in any other

area. The beautiful spouted pots of Type D2 do not appear again, but instead

we find the first pots of Type D1, which will reappear again and reach its

climax on the Cape south coast and in the East London area. One spouted and

decorated pot from Ysterfontein (fig. X: 6) shows features of both these types,

but the only other pot similar to it comes from Grootdrink (Boegoeberg) on the

Orange River (see Inland Report).

Vertical necks are common (45°3%) in this area, but decoration is rare

(170%). The lugs are generally horizontally pierced and internally reinforced

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 583

(705%), but there are also many bosses (24:6%), only the Saldanha area having

more. The bases are mostly ovoid (43°2%), the highest percentage in any area,

and nipples are still common (16-:9%). Medium and coarse admixtures reach

their highest percentage (93°3°%) while thick walls are at their rarest (2°5%).

Only one pot has a crudely smoothed surface.

Comparing the four large sites of the area with each other, they match

fairly well with variations expected in such relatively small assemblages. Yster-

fontein and Modderrivier have decorated rims and impressed patterns, e.g.

decorated bosses, and flared necks not found on the two other sites and also

similar pots, e.g. fig. X:1 and fig. XI:5. Ysterfontein and Blaauwberg also

have similar pots in common, e.g. fig. IX: 1 and fig. XIV: 1, also fig. IX: 2

and fig XIV: 4. Blaauwberg is the only site of the four without any spouted pot.

Bokbaai has only vertical necks with almost no decoration (7:2%), no over-

turned tapered rims and only medium to coarse admixture. Ysterfontein and

Modderrivier, and probably also Blaauwberg, were possibly visited by the same

tribe. The bowl from Bokbaai (fig. XII: 3) is almost identical to the one from

Danger Bay (fig. VII: 2) and a pot from Ysterfontein (fig. IX: 6) is very similar

to one from Danger Bay (fig. VII: 1). The assemblage from the Saldanha

Schiereiland is also similar to those from Ysterfontein—Modderrivier. It is possi-

ble that the area covered by the seasonal movements of a tribe stretched from

Danger Bay to Hout Bay and even Noordhoek. We have historical evidence

that the Kochoquas (Saldanhars) seasonally moved between Saldanha Bay and

Hout Bay.

There are some unusual pots from this area. A pot from Ysterfontein

(fig. X: 1) and one from Modderrivier (fig. XI: 5) have short decorated necks

probably more or less globular bodies (in one case certain) and no lugs but in

one case instead pressed-out horizontally ridged bosses. The only other pot

found similar to these comes from Kleinsee (fig. IV: 2). Another interesting

pot from Ysterfontein (fig. X:5) has a flared neck and no lugs, but instead two

pairs of impressed finger-marks. Such impressions have in addition only been

found at Sandy Bay—Hout Bay on the Cape Peninsula and also in Southern

Rhodesia. A small pot from Modderrivier (fig. XI: 1) has such a flared neck

that it fails within the range of bagshaped pots and also a decoration not found

anywhere else along the coast. Bokbaai has a beautiful example of a Type Be

bagshaped pot (fig. XII: 1) and also a very good example of a Type Cr necked

pot (fig. XII: 2). From this site also comes a twice overturned rim (fig. XII: 6),

which has in addition only been found at Goedgeloof near Jeffreys Bay on the

Cape south coast. Blaauwberg also has some interesting pots, among them a

small necked pot with an interesting decoration of rows of short incised vertical

lines, covering neck, shoulder and lugs. A large pot from this site (fig. XIII: 3)

found in 1891 has an unusual shape with an elliptical section and two pressed-

out ridged bosses. A hole on the base was repaired with a small limpet shell

glued to the hole with a black cement.

584 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

E. CAPE PENINSULA (176)

Table Bay was known as a Strandloper settlement by the Portuguese,

although the famous fight between Hottentots and Portuguese there in 1510,

when D’Almeida and several Portuguese nobles were killed, was probably

fought by one of the cattle-owning tribes visiting the bay seasonally (Axelsson,

1954). The Journal of Van Riebeeck (1952) reported that the Strandlopers or

Goringhaikona, who lived on the Peninsula permanently, were a small group of

40-50 people. They lived on shellfish, stranded fish and whales, seals, etc.

which shows that the local shell middens were at that time still being formed.

They also visited other sites on the Peninsula, such as Hout Bay, Cape Point, etc.

Table Bay had large shell middens along Paarden Eiland, at the mouth of

the Fresh River (where Adderley Street now is) and in the sand-dune area once

covering Green Point. The shells from these middens were used for lime-burning

by the early settlers and with them went the archaeological material. A com-

plete pot was found at the excavation of the foundations for Stuttaford’s building

in Adderley Street (the Fresh River) in 1910, but it is not certain whether it is

of Strandloper origin, as it is of a rather unusual form (fig. XV: 1). Its where-

about is not known but it was reported by Péringuey (1911).

The richest sites on the Peninsula are in the sand-dune areas at Sandy

Bay—Hout Bay and Noordhoek-Kommetjie—Fish Hoek. Much pottery has also

been found in a smaller sand area at Buffels Bay (25) near Cape Point.

No bowls and few bagshaped pots have been found on the Peninsula. Two

of the latter come from Buffels Bay and are small and necked, not belonging to

either of the two bagshaped pot types. Only two spouts have been found in this

area. The bulk of the pottery is necked (94:9°) and most of the pots belong to

Type Ca, of which the best specimens come from Noordhoek (fig. XVI: 1-3). A

typical C1 pot comes from the Cape Flats (fig. XVII: 7) and links up with the

southwestern coast and Saldanha, while an unusual pot of the same type from

Llandudno (fig. XV: 2) is only similar to a pot from Kleinsee (fig. 1V: 3). A

very interesting pot of Type C2 comes from Buffels Bay (fig. XVII: 4). It is a

transitional form to Type Bez and is the heaviest and most thick-walled pot of

this type found. In spite of the thick walls it is very well fired to a light brown

colour and contains a rich admixture of coarse quartz.

The necks are mostly contracted (69:8%) and provided with trimming

grooves and body-neck junction steps (32°5°%), less often with decoration

(22:8%). The lugs are mostly horizontally pierced, internally reinforced

(84:0%), but there are still some bosses (11:2%). The bases are almost evenly

distributed between the three pointed types, but nipples are rare (9°4%).

Second to the south-western coast the Peninsula has the lowest occurrence of

thick walls (3:6%). The majority of the pots have brown to red material

(55°2%), but light colours are fairly common (16-3%). The admixture is

coarse (48:8%) and almost all the pots are burnished (991%). A piece of

pottery from the Cape Flats has a row of parallel bored holes along the edge.

These are not repair holes, but possibly tie-on holes at the base of a pottery neck

for fixing to a leather body. These are the only bored holes found between

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 585

Lambert’s Bay and Fish Bay.

Rich Wilton and Sandy Bay industries have been found at Sandy Bay,

Hout Bay, Noordhoek and Simonstown.

There is in the south-western coast and Cape Peninsula areas no sign of the

deterioration noted by Laidler (1929), rather a local climax of pottery tradition.

It is important that in these areas the pottery can hardly be less than 250 years

old, in contrast to the pottery of Namaqualand and South West Africa, much

of which must be of much later date.

F, HANGKLIP AREA (10Q)

The Hangklip area covers the coastline between False Bay and Walker

Bay north-west of Danger Point. The richest sites here are the large midden area

on and around the Hangklip Peninsula (67) and the midden area among the

sand dunes at Hawston (16). At both these sites and at Hermanus rich Wilton

and Sandy Bay industries have been found.

Type C2 necked pottery is the common type found in this area, but Types

Ci and Ba have also been found on the False Bay coast. No bowls and only one

certain bagshaped pot were found in the area, and only one spouted pot. The

bagshaped pot and the spouted one both come from the False Bay coast, which

appears to link with the south-western coast rather than with the Cape Penin-

sula. The bagshaped pot from Steenbras River (fig. XVIII: 1) is similar to the

Namaqua type. The decorated rims found at Rooiels and Hangklip (fig.

XXXII: 67-68) are of the same type as those found at St. Helena Bay and also

at Modderrivier. The decorated rim from Hermanus (fig. XXXII: 74) is one

of the finest found in the survey.

The necked pots actually constitute a higher percentage (96-4%) here

than in any other area. Plain rims (76:0%) also reach a maximum in this area,

only exceeded by the East London area (80-2°%), where, however, most of the

plain rims belong to bagshaped pots. Neck shapes are almost evenly divided

between vertical and contracted necks, plus three flared ones. Most of the

overturned rims have trimming grooves while body-neck junction grooves are

not so common and neither is decoration (22:0%). All lugs are horizontally

pierced, internally reinforced (94:7°4) and only two bosses were found (5:3%),

the highest and lowest figures respectively for any area in the survey. All the

bases are pointed, three of them in addition nippled. The admixture is in this

area generally medium to coarse (81-5°%) and all pots are burnished.

Among the interesting pots from this area is the small bagshaped and

nippled pot from the Steenbras River mouth (fig. XVIII: 1). This is the last of

the pots of the Namaqua Type and might mark the extremity of the seasonal

movements of the Namaqua Hottentots. The pot from Rooiels Cave (fig.

XVIII: 2) is a transitional type between C1 and Ca, while the pot from Hang-

klip East (fig. XVIII: 5) is of Type Cr but with an overturned rim. The pots

from Hangklip West (fig. XVIII: 3) and Hermanus (fig. XVIII: 4) are deco-

rated vessels of Type Ca, the first ones of a type which will appear farther east

on the Cape south coast.

586 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

According to Schapera (1930) the Caledon district was the area of the

Hessequa Hottentots, but Maingard (1931) maps the Chainoquas (Soeswaqua)

as occupants of the Hangklip—Agulhas area.

G. AGULHAS AREA (80).

The Agulhas area stretches from Die Kelders at Walker Bay past Cape

Agulhas to the mouth of the Breede River. This is a large area with vast sand-

dune areas and a fair amount of middens but with relatively little pottery or

other cultural material. The richest sites are at Pearly Beach (24), Asfontein,

including Die Lagoon (17), and Arniston—Ryspunt (11), all situated in sand-

dune areas. Rich Wilton industries have been found at Arniston and De Hoop.

There are no certain bowls and only three bagshaped and two spouted

pots from this area. Most of the pots are necked (90:0%) and belong to Type

C1. The necks are contracted (68-1°%) or vertical (31-9°) and most of the rims

are plain (73°3%), usually plain tapered. Only one neck is decorated (2°5%),

the lowest percentage of decoration for the whole coast. The lugs are horizon-

tally pierced, internally reinforced (70:09), except one which is vertically

pierced and internally reinforced. As expected with Type C1 pottery, there is a

fair amount of bosses (25:094). The bases are pointed (8-2%) or globular, the

latter ones more common here than in any other area west of the East London

area. All the pots are burnished, and the material generally contains a medium

to coarse admixture of quartz (85:0%). Light-coloured material (20°3%) is

more common here than in any other area.

Among the interesting pots from this area is one from Arniston (fig.

XIX: 4) with vertically pierced, internally reinforced lugs and pairs of pressed-

out vertical ridges between the lugs. Lugs of this type have been found only at

Walvis Bay (fig. XXXIII: 1), at Gibeon in South West Africa and on a pot

from inland Namaqualand (Inland Report) while the ridged bosses have been

found at neighbouring Ryspunt and also at Blaauwberg and Bokbaai on the

south-western coast. The elegant long-necked and bossed pot from Die Lagoon

(fig. XIX: 3) is somewhat similar to a pot from Lambert’s Bay (fig. V: 5) and

to a pot from the Oakhurst Shelter (fig. XXII: 1). It is also similar to

the long-necked pots from the Lower Orange River (Inland Report).

In this same area Goodwin (1952) excavated a small cave, 8 miles inland

from Skipskop. It contained fragments of a typical Strandloper C2 pot in

association with a polished stone axe, stone tools of Smithfield C or Wilton type,

and some European material dating the deposit to between 150 and 300 years.

A human skull from the deposit was described by Grobbelaar (1952) as Bos-

kopoid, i.e. of Hottentot type similar to cave-dwellers at Oakhurst and Tsitsi-

kama (Za 3). The Windhoek cave-dwellers probably belonged to the Hessequa

or Chainoqua Hottentot tribes, according to Goodwin.

H. CAPE SOUTH COAST (289)

This area extends from the mouth of the Breede River to the Gamtoos

River mouth. It is mostly a rocky and partly a well-wooded coast with many

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 587

rock shelters east of George. Maingard (1931) maps the Hessequas as occupants

between the Breede River and Duivenhoek River, the Goriquas east of them

approximately to Mossel Bay and then the Houteniquas as far east as the

Kromme River.

Laidler (1938) divides the pottery from between the Cape Peninsula and

Mossel Bay into three groups: Early (Hottentot), Gonaqua (nipples, spouts,

etc.) and Late Gonaqua (heavy and coarse, e.g. the Tsitsikama pot).

The richest sites are at Fish Bay (21) and Kromme Bay (76), both situated

in sand-dune areas, and also the Oakhurst Shelter (24), Robberg (27) and

Tsitsikama Caves (20). Jeffreys Bay (25) is also a rich pottery site.

No bowls have been found in this area, but bagshaped pots occur (7:0 of),

mainly of Type Ba, but the first pot of Type Bi was also found in this area. —

Among the necked pots (92-79%) both Types C1 and Ce occur, mostly the

latter, and there are also a few spouted pots (5°5°%) of Type D1.

Along the south coast the necks are mostly contracted (81-3%), and for

the first time since South West Africa overturned rims (55:3°%) are more

common than plain ones. Rim trimming grooves and body-neck junction

grooves are also the rule and decoration has increased to its highest level (29°4.%)

since South West Africa and the west coast. The decoration consists mostly of

grooved horizontal or diagonal lines on the necks, while impressed patterns

are becoming rarer and then generally appear in combination with the grooved

lines. The lugs are still mostly horizontally pierced, internally reinforced

(90:5°%), but bosses are becoming rare (26%). The bases are generally pointed

(92:7%). The material is brown to red but the admixture has in this area

changed from coarse and medium to fine or no admixture (54:7%). All the

pots except one are burnished. Bored holes appear again in this area.

Among the pots from this area should be mentioned the two beautiful and

complete pots from Mossel Bay (fig. XXII: 6-7). They were given to the South

African Museum in 1856 together with a Portuguese inscription, and the dona-

tor thought the pots were also Portuguese. Labels stuck to them with the years

became fatty, showing that the walls still must have contained some fat origi-

nally stored in them. They are the first complete examples of the urn-shaped

and decorated subtype of Type C2, which reaches its climax in the Waterloo

Bay and Port Alfred pots (fig. XXVIII: 1-2). The Type C2 undecorated

ware from this area is generally smaller and more delicate than the prototype

from Danger Bay (fig. VI: 2-3), e.g. Blombos (fig. XX:5), Fish Bay (fig.

XXI: 4), Flesh Bay (fig. XXI:5) and Robberg (fig. XXII: 4). Large pots of

Type C2 are, however, also found at Matjes River and in the Coldstream Cave.

The former, found in Piet se Bank Cave at Matjes River (fig. XXII: 93), is of

the same almost bagshaped type as found between Ysterfontein (fig. IX: 1 and

5) and Buffels Bay (fig. XVII: 4), which can be regarded as a subtype of Type

C2. The Coldstream Cave pot (fig. XXIV: 3), also sometimes (Laidler, 1938)

referred to as the Tsitsikama pot, and the Piet se Bank Cave pot are the two

largest pots in the survey. Laidler (1938) considers the former to be a typical

late Gonaqua vessel. In shape it is typical C2, except that the neck-body

588 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

junction step is missing, but it is larger and heavier than the Noordhoek (fig.

XVI: 2-3) and Danger Bay (fig. VI: 3) specimens. A very much smaller pot

but of a similar shape comes from Fish Bay (fig. X XI: 2). The last pots of

Type C1 subtype with the very short neck are found at Rietvlei (fig. XX: 2-4)

and at Robberg (fig. XXII: 5).

I. PORT ELIZABETH (123)

This area covers the coast between the Gamtoos and the Sundays River

mouths, once the land of the Damaqua and Damasonqua Hottentots and later

also of the Gonaquas (Maingard, 1931).

At the mouth of the Gamtoos River (28) is a rich pottery site and at Sea

View (21) another. Both these sites have a quartzite lithic industry. The richest

site is, however, Port Elizabeth (41) which is partly built on middens, especially

Humewood. Dias reported Strandloper women collecting shellfish here (Axels-

son, 1954), and Laidler (1929) states that Strandlopers still lived here in 1800.

He adds that this area must have had ‘a very considerable colony of Hottentots

who showed unusual artistic inclination. In fact, pot-making appears in this

district to reach its apotheosis and ornamentation is nowhere so varied.’

There are three bowls from this area and bagshaped pots are becoming

more common (14°7%). Both Types B1 and Bz are represented among the bag-

shaped pots. Only one spouted pot was found in this area. The necked pots

(81-8%) include pots of both Types C1 and C2. One of the last pots of Type C1

is found at Sea View.

Necks in this area are mostly contracted (81-3°%) and the rims mostly plain

and tapered (32:6%) or overturned and tapered (31-3%), the latter having

rim trimming grooves. There are also many body-neck junction grooves or

steps (27:1°%). Between a third and a quarter of the necks (28-8) are decorated,

mostly with grooved horizontal lines. The lugs are generally horizontally

pierced, internally reinforced (88-094) and the bases mostly conoid (41:0%).

There is a higher percentage of very thin walls (49:1°%) than in any other area.

The material is black (48-794) or brown to red (47:9%) and has no or a fine

admixture (70:0%), the highest percentage of no or fine admixture found in

the survey. All pots except one are burnished.

Among the interesting pots from this area is a bowl from Port Elizabeth

(fig. XX VII: 5) which is certainly of Bushman origin, while another bowl

from the Zwartkop River mouth (fig. XX VII: 4) is of the ordinary midden

type. A bagshaped pot from Van Stadens River (fig. XXVI: 3) is a good

example of Type B1. A beautiful, decorated pot of Type C1 from Sea View

(fig. XX VII: 1) is the last certain pot of this type. A small bagshaped pot, also

from Sea View (fig. XX VII: 2), is very similar both in size and shape to one

from Buffels Bay (fig. XVII: 5) on the Cape Peninsula.

J. PORT ALFRED (117)

The Port Alfred area covers the coast between the Sundays and the

Keiskama Rivers. There are some good pottery sites in the Alexandria district,

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 589

e.g. Congoskraal (13), Springmount (10) and Woody Cape (11). The richest

site is, however, between Port Alfred (28) and the Rufane River mouth (7).

Farther up the coast Waterloo Bay is another rich site (13).

This was the area of the Damasonqua Hottentots, but they were later

absorbed by the Gonaqua (Maingard, 1931). Dr. Atherstone (1858) reported

that there was a kraal of ‘wild Hottentots and Bushmen’ among the sand-hills

between the Kariega and Bushman Rivers up to some time between 1750 and

1800, and Mr. Bowker (Schénland, 1906) said that there were still Strandlopers

at Port Alfred in 1820.

There is only one bowl from this area, but the bagshaped pots have

increased to become more than a third of the assemblage (36-8%), all belonging

to Type Bi. There are no spouted pots and the necked pots reach their lowest

percentage (60:-9%). Only Type C2 is now represented but instead reaches a

qualitative climax.

Most of the necked pots have straight contracted necks (46-6%) and over-

turned tapered rims (24:7%), while the bagshaped pots have plain tapered

rims (34°5°%). The bagshaped pots are not decorated but almost half of the

necked ones are (43:0%), the highest percentage of decorated pottery outside

South West Africa and the west coast. The decoration mostly consists of

grooved horizontal lines, finished off at the body-neck junction with a groove

or occasionally with an impressed pattern. Practically all the overturned rims

(97°3%) have a trimming groove. The first notched rim of a bagshaped pot

appears in this area.

Three of the necked pots have no lugs, only one pot has bosses, while most

of the lugs are horizontally pierced, internally reinforced (76:0%). The bases

are still generally pointed (81-3%), the walls thin (44-3°%) or very thin (39°4%),

burnished on the necked pots but often only smoothed on the bagshaped ones

(15°4%). The material is red to brown (71:9%) and either there is no admixture

(43°7%), 1.e. in the bagshaped pots, or a coarse one (37°5°%) in the necked ones.

Among the interesting pots from this area are firstly the two beautiful

amphora-like vessels of Type C2 from Waterloo Bay and Port Alfred (fig.

XXVIII: 1-2), the latter one complete. Laidler (1938) remarked about Port

Alfred: ‘Here the apotheosis of the Hottentot potter’s art took place and pro-

duced the Port Alfred pot.’ The pot from Woody Cape (fig. XXVIII: 3) pro-

bably had the same body shape as the necked pot from the Rufane River

(fig. XXVIII: 7).

It is possible that the necked pots represent the tradition of the original

Damasonqua tribe while the bagshaped ones belong to the Gonaqua who later

took over the area.

K. EAST LONDON AND THE TRANSKEI (107)

This area stretches from the Keiskama River to M’Bolompo Point in the

Transkei and includes the Buffalo River mouth, East London (52), which is the

richest midden and pottery group of sites in this area. Kaysers Beach in the

south is also a good pottery site (13), extensively explored by Laidler.

590 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Laidler (1929) reported that though at every river mouth in the district

there are shell mounds the pottery content is usually of a low type. The

better material is found only in the proximity to the Buffalo and Keiskama

Rivers.

The quartz admixture which appeared at the Cape has in this area been’

almost completely replaced by an admixture of gravel which might be natural,

or of no admixture at all, which is an indication of lack of preparation of the

clay.

At East London where there are three layers of midden with intervening

layers of wind-blown sand, the top layer produced coarse, thick-based, hand-

raised from lump sherds but also thin Hottentot-type sherds, while the lower

layers produced only fine Hottentot-type sherds with incised string patterns

and overturned rims (Laidler, 1929).

In this area, which was the Gonaqua country, bowls are more common

(9:2%) than anywhere else, and bagshaped pots (29:3%) of Type Bi are only

surpassed by the Port Alfred area. Necked pots, mostly of Type Ca, still consti-

tute the majority (61:-5°%). Spouted pots have only been found at Kaysers

Beach. The necked pots mostly have contracted necks (64:3%) and plain or

overturned rims, while the bowls and bagshaped pots have plain tapered or

plain squared rims. All overturned rims have trimming grooves, while body-

neck junction grooves or steps are less common. Less than half (40-1%) of the

necks are decorated, mostly with grooved horizontal lines. Three of the bag-

shaped pots have notched rims.

Four necked pots have no lugs and only seven (46:6%) horizontally

pierced, internally reinforced lugs were found, the most northerly at Cintza

Beach. At this latter site and along the Transkei coast three lugs of other types

were also found. The bases are now for the first time mostly globular (63-6%) and

for the first time thick walls constitute almost a quarter (24:5°%) of the assemb-

lage. Apart from South West Africa the number of unburnished pots also

reached its maximum (18:8%) here. Half of the material has no admixture

(47°5%) (this includes all the bagshaped pots), while the rest has a medium or

coarse admixture.

Among the interesting pots from this area are the two spouted pots from

Kaysers Beach (fig. XXIX: 1-2), which are the finest Type D1 pots found.

They are very similar to the spouted pots from Jeffreys Bay (fig. XXV: 1-3).

Laidler (1938), who collected much pottery at Kaysers Beach, described these

spouted pots as typical Gonaqua ware, while large bagshaped pots of Type B1

are described as Recent Bantu.

At Qulu River we find the traditional necked Strandloper pot of Eye C2

(fig. XXIX: 4), the bowl (fig. XXIX: 3) and the bagshaped pot of Type Br

(fig. XXIX:5). At Cove Rock is a very different type of a necked pot (fig.

XXX: 3), reminiscent of some modern Bantu ware in the shape, while the

decoration is somewhat similar to that of the spouted pots from Kaysers Beach.

From Dwessa comes a thickwalled, bagshaped pot (fig. XXX: 1) with exter-

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 591

nally applied heavy disc lugs and from the Bashee River mouth a small bowl

(fig. XXX: 2) with vertically pierced lugs, the only lugged bowl found.

11. Discussion

A, POTTERY DISTRIBUTION AND ASSOCIATIONS (Tables 5—10)

This survey covers the coast of Southern Africa from Swakopmund in

South West Africa to M’bolompo Point in the Transkei. Strandloper shell

middens are found all along this coast and pottery has been found on practically

every midden site, on or close to the actual middens. The richest pottery sites

are the sites most obviously suited to the life of the Strandlopers, i.e. where,

apart from a supply of food and fresh water, there is shelter from the wind,

especially along the windy shores of the Atlantic, and also the sandy ground

favoured for the actual camp sites. These sites, with a few exceptions, have also

produced the richest Stone Age assemblages.

To the north of Swakopmund there are middens on the coast of the

Kaokoveld and also in southern Angola (Green, 1958) but nothing is as yet

known about the cultural material in these middens. It is said that Strand-

lopers are still living south of Mocamedes in southern Angola (pers. comm.).

They probably belong to the Kuroca (Kwadi) tribe, a people which may be

related to the Bergdama of South West Africa. At Sesfontein in the Kaokoveld

there lived until recently (1953) four survivors of an earlier larger group of Strand-

lopers (Dart, 1955). According to these people their predecessors lived along

the coast as far north as Rocky Point, but the group had originally branched off

from a Hottentot tribe (the Topnaar?) somewhere near the Brandberg. Three

old Strandloper men used to visit the coast around Rocky Point for several

-months every year to live on narras melons and sea food. For the rest of the

year they lived with the Topnaar Hottentots at Sesfontein as their servants. The

five whalebone huts and Donax middens found by Dr. H. Martin in 1938

(pers. comm.) at the mouth of the Ugab River probably belonged to these

people. Giirich (1891) stated that both the Walvis Bay Strandlopers and those

from Cape Frio in the Kaokoveld were originally Topnaar Hottentots driven

away from the Damaraland inland areas by the Hereros.

At Walvis Bay only pottery, grinding stones and some bone tools have as

yet been found on the large midden area south of the town and these are proba-

bly the cultural remains of the Topnaar Strandlopers reported by early travel-

lers. At Liideritz there are middens with a rich Wilton industry and pottery in

apparent association for the first time and this apparent association continues

right around the coast as far as Kleinemonde in the Port Alfred area. This

association has also been found in Pre-Bantu middens at a few sites in Natal

(see further on). At Port Nolloth, Laidler (1935) in 1913 found a Wilton

industry in the middens while the ‘pottery occurred mainly on those mounds

on which stone implements were scarcest’.

From the Berg River sites on the west coast to Fish Bay on the Cape south

coast the Sandy Bay industry is often found on midden sites as well as pottery

592 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

and occasionally a Wilton industry. The stratification between Wilton and

Sandy Bay has not yet been established by excavation, but we know from

excavations that there is an association between pottery and a Late Wilton.

At the Bonteberg Shelter Excavation (Beaumont, 1963) on the Cape Penin-

sula, pottery sherds were only found in the upper part of the Wilton deposit.

At Simonstown (Gracie, 1946) Type C2 pottery was only found in the top layer

of the Wilton midden. In the Fish Hoek. Cave second excavation (Jolly, 1947)

pottery was found below a layer containing Wilton tools and European gun-

flints, but above a layer containing Howieson’s Poort material. In the Wind-

hoek Cave (Goodwin, Grobbelaar, 1952) near the Bredasdorp coast Type C2

pottery was found in association with a polished stone axe, stone tools of

Smithfield C or Wilton type and some European material.

From Fish Bay eastwards to East London a crude quartzite flake industry

or an industry similar to Mossel Bay with ‘giant’ crescents has also been found on

middens with pottery. These industries have not yet been studied but the current

University of Cape Town excavation at Robberg will ultimately provide

information about them. At many of these sites, however, a Wilton industry

has also been found.

The Oakhurst Shelter excavation (Goodwin, 1938) near George yielded

pottery of Types C1 and C2 only from the surface or from the top layer contain-

ing a Developed Wilton industry. At the Matjes River Shelter excavation

(Louw, 1960) farther east in the same area two potsherds each were found in

the top layer containing a Late Smithfield industry (?) and in the underlying

layer containing a Late Smithfield B industry. In the underlying Wilton no

pottery was found. At Scott’s Cave (Deacon, 1963) in the Gamtoos River Valley

not far from the coast, pottery of Strandloper type (C1, etc.) was found in

a thin layer containing a Later Stone Age industry. The base of this layer has

now been C 14 dated to A.D. 760 + 100 (pers. comm.).

In East London at the Buffalo River mouth (Laidler, 1929) coarse, thick-

based pottery but also thin Hottentot ware was found in the top layer of a

midden, while a lower layer, 15 feet down, produced only fine Hottentot ware.

No stone implements were recognized.

Along the coasts of the Transkei, Natal and Mozambique shell middens are

also common. In the Umgazana Cave excavation (Chubb and King, 1933 and

1934) on the Pondoland coast, Bantu pottery of Schofield’s Class NC2 was found

right through the upper half of the deposit, which contained a Smithfield P

industry. Schofield (1948) refers to four classes of pottery from the Natal

middens, of which the oldest Class NC1 is Pre-Bantu and includes a few sherds

of definite Hottentot ware. The later classes are all of Bantu ware. He states

further that ‘only two pieces of undoubted Hottentot pottery have come to light

[on the Natal coast], one at Umhloti and the other at Umgababa’. The piece

from Umhloti Dune site north of Durban is a horizontally pierced, internally

reinforced lug while the piece from Umgababa on the Natal south coast is not

specified. From Tinley Manor Dune site north of Durban come four spouts

(Schofield, 1935). Walsh and Swan (1952) reported a Wilton industry from

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 593

Umgababa and also from other sites along the Natal coast including Umhloti.

Excavated middens at Ingane River mouth (Schoute-Vanneck and Walsh,

1959) near Umgababa and at Tongaat (Schoute-Vanneck and Walsh, 1960a)

yielded Wilton industries but no pottery. We know as yet nothing about the

cultural remains in the middens of Mozambique (Barradas, 1949), except for

some glass beads and receni pottery, probably Thonga, from the coast

just north of Lourenco Marques (Juta, 1956).

For the most part of the area under survey the Hottentot Strandloper

pottery appears to be associated with a Late Wilton industry extending from

possibly more than a thousand years back in time (Scott’s Gave, Gamtoos R.)

into the European period (Windhoek Cave, Bredasdorp). It may also be

associated with the Sandy Bay industry and possibly with the crude quartzite

midden industry of the Cape south coast; however, it does not appear to be

associated with certainty with any Smithfield industry. Only Strandloper

pottery of Bantu type has been found in association with a Smithfield P industry

in Pondoland outside the area covered by this survey. On the Cape south coast

pottery has been found in caves with shell deposits where painted burial stones

have also been found, but it is not known whether in association with each other.

On the Cape west coast pottery has also been found in painted shelters with

shell middens.

Pottery of Strandloper Type C2 has been collected in the painted shelters

of the coastal belt from Vanrhynsdorp in the west to Albany district in the east

(Inland Report). In, for example, the famous Wilton Cave near Grahamstown

a decorated pot neck of Type C2 was found in the Wilton deposit, but pottery

of Bushman type is also said to have been found here (Inland Report).

In Namaqualand, pottery has mainly been found in the northern part

around the old Hottentot settlements, e.g. Steinkopf and Pella. The pottery

of this area is of Namaqua type and of Type C1, the latter type probably the

older one. The richest area for inland Hottentot pottery is along the Orange

River between the Aughrabies Falls and Prieska in Gordonia and in northern

Bushmanland (Rudner, 1959). Some of the most beautiful Hottentot pots

(spouted and Type C1) ever found come from Grootdrink in the Boegoeberg

Irrigation Scheme and also from Keimoes. Higher up the river simple pots,

probably of Hottentot origin, have been found mainly around the confluence

with the Vaal River, e.g. at Douglas, and also around Kimberley and in

the western Free State (Inland Report).

In the South West Africa inland regions odd pots have been found mostly

along the escarpment in Great Namaland but also in the Erongo mountains

and in the Brandberg in southern Damaraland (Inland Report and Sydow,

in press). Most of the pottery in the south is of Namaqua type, but there are also

spouted pots and a few strange-shaped pots with typical internally reinforced

lugs of Hottentot type. One pot from Rehoboth is of the long-necked Type C1

found along the Orange River and also has typical Hottentot lugs. Such lugs

have also been found in the Erongo mountains. In Damaraland there is a

pottery type related to the Namaqua type but also a few spouted pots. This

594 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

pottery was probably associated with the local Topnaar Hottentots and possibly

also with the Bergdama people. A Wilton deposit in a painted cave in the

Brandberg containing a few sherds of thin-walled pottery has been C-14 dated

to A.D. 1080 + 100 (MacCalman, 1965), showing that here also pottery was

associated with a Wilton industry and covered a considerable period (Inland

Report). Near Lake Ngami in northern Bechuanaland the so-called Masarwa

Bushmen, who are Nama-speaking, until the beginning of this century made

pottery of crude Hottentot type (AM Collection).

B. THE POT MAKERS (STRANDLOPERS, HOTTENTOTS, BUSHMEN AND BANTU)

While the historical records refer to the Hottentots as pottery makers the

vast majority of ‘Hottentot’ pots have been found on Strandloper sites. From the

Journal of Van Riebeeck (1952) we know that there were still Strandlopers living

along the coast after 1652, i.e. the shell middens were still being formed during

the early European period. There is, however, no conclusive evidence that the

Strandlopers still made pottery during the European period. The Journal only

mentions pots in connection with the pastoral Saldanhars (Kochoqua), but also

indirectly refers to pots when mentioning the boiling down of whale blubber,

which was probably done by the Strandlopers. The archaeological evidence

is also only indirect. Pottery has only been found on the top of or in the top layer

of the middens. In the Bonteberg Shelter excavations (Beaumont, 1963; Maggs

and Speed, in press) a piece of lead and a few pieces of glass were found in the top

layer also containing some pottery, but it is not certain whether the lead and

the glass were later intrusions. In the Windhoek Cave at Bredasdorp (Goodwin

and Grobbelaar, 1952) pottery and European material were found together,

but it is not certain whether the occupants of this cave can be accepted as

Strandlopers as the cave is 8 miles from the coast, although ‘sea shells in small

quantity’ were also found in the deposit. With the evidence of pottery in and on

the shell middens all along the coast we have assumed in this report that the

Strandlopers not only used but also made at least some of the pottery found on

the middens and that they continued making this pottery into the European

period.

We know from the historical records that the pastoral Hottentots made

pots which they carried with them on their oxen, probably suspended as on a

picture from about 1800 by S. Daniell called ‘Korah Hottentots preparing to

move’ (Walton, 1956). As the pastoral Hottentots were nomadic, moving from

camp to camp with their cattle, there is less chance of finding the remains of

their pots than those of the Strandloper ones, which were more easily

preserved in the sandy areas of the coast where the Strandlopers had their

camps. We know, however, from the Journal that the pastoral Kochoquas

(Saldanhars) sometimes also camped at the coast, e.g. near the beach north

of the fort and at Hout Bay. The Hout Bay valley was covered with forest and

the only open ground suited for camping was probably the sand-dune area,

where much pottery has been found but where there are also shell middens

of the Strandlopers. The richest pottery site found near Cape Town is among

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 595

the dunes between Rietvlei and Blaauwberg and it is possible that this was the

camping place of the Kochoquas referred to in the Journal. This evidence

points to the probability that at least some of the Strandloper pottery of this

report is actually pottery of the pastoral Hottentots. It has not, however, been

possible to distinguish between Strandloper and pastoral Hottentot pottery.

The early colonists regarded the Strandlopers as impoverished Hottentots

who had lost their cattle, and in the Journal they are included among the

Hottentot tribes (as are the Bushmen). In October 1652 visiting Kochoquas

are described thus: “They are more robust and stouter than the Strandlopers,

but they wear the same clothing and speak the same language.’ Hunting and

gathering of veldkost was done by both Strandlopers and Hottentots, and the

main difference between the two groups was that while the pastoral Hottentots

had cattle and sheep, providing them with milk and additional meat, the

Strandlopers were dependent upon the sea to provide them with shellfish,

crayfish, stranded whales and fish. There were also seals to be clubbed, providing

much of the necessary fat. The diet of the Strandlopers was therefore hardly

inferior to that of the pastoral Hottentots. The Strandlopers were also Nama-,

i.e. Hottentot-, speaking. This did not only apply to those of the Peninsula,

Saldanha Bay and St. Helena Bay but also to those of the South West African

coast encounted by Dutch ships with Hottentot interpreters sent out from Cape

Town in the seventeenth century (Vedder, 1938). The Orange River mouth

Strandlopers encountered by Paterson in 1777 also spoke Nama (Paterson, 1789).

The Walvis Bay Strandlopers originally belonged to the Topnaar Hottentots

and only became Strandlopers after having been driven away from their inland

grazing-grounds by the Hereros and probably robbed of most of their cattle.

They did, however, still keep some cattle (Giirich, 1891). In the eastern Cape

shipwrecked Portuguese sailors in 1662 described people, probably Gonaqua

Hottentots, living on shellfish, roots and game near the Keiskama River mouth

but also owning some cattle (Maingard, 1931). In 1702 the Gonaqua was a

wealthy nation with much cattle. In 1752, when Ensign Beutler visited the

eastern Cape, the eastern Hottentots had become impoverished by wars and

by robberies by the Bushmen and lived as Strandlopers along the seashore

(Maingard, 1931).

This evidence might tempt us to regard all pottery along the coast as

belonging to the pastoral Hottentots. Schofield (1948) suggested this in his

report on the Oakhurst Shelter. The evidence of association between pottery

and Later Stone Age industries and the persistent occurrence of pottery on

practically every shell midden along the whole coast, including the desert

coast of South West Africa, hardly supports this theory. It is certain, however,

that the Strandlopers originally did not possess pottery but only at a late stage

learnt to make it from some other people.

What is the physical relationship between the Strandlopers and the

Hottentots? Walton (1956) summarizes the evidence of Strandloper remains

from excavated rock shelters (Oakhurst, Matjes River and Fish Hoek Cave)

thus: ‘All the skeletons are of a type which Drennan considers to be closely

596 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

allied to the Hottentots but some do present a mixture of Bush and Hottentot

features. The cave-dwellers were taller, more robust and had bigger heads than

the ordinary Bushmen although the females were very similar to Bush females.

A similar state of affairs was found by Shrubsall in his study of Hottentot

types and Drennan concludes that the Oakhurst skeletons represent the fore-

runners of the Hottentots. They also show a marked similarity to the ‘Wilton’

race described by Dreyer and Meiring from the Matjes River Cave which Keith

considers to be a local development from Boskop man. Two almost complete

female skeletons from the Skildergat (Peers) Cave at Fish Hoek were examined by

Keen (1942) who linked them with the skeletons from the Oakhurst Shelter. They

were much taller than either Bush or Hottentot women. These early precursors

of the Hottentots, as represented by Oakhurst, Skildergat and ‘Wilton’ man,

were, then, a tall, gaunt people with large heads.’ The skeletal remains from

the Windhoek Cave at Bredasdorp were ascribed by Grobbelaar (1952) to a

Hottentot type, very similar to the Oakhurst cave-dwellers and similar to the

Tsitsikama Strandlopers as exemplified by the Za 3 skull. On the other hand a

Strandloper skeleton from a midden at Bokbaai was described by Singer (1955)

as a female southern Bushman.

This leads us to the question whether there is any evidence of Bushman

Strandlopers. If we define Bushmen as people speaking a Bushman language,

not understandable to Nama-speaking people, then there is no historical evidence

of such Strandlopers. In South West Africa the former coastal population has

generally been called Namib Bushmen, but historical evidence, quoted above,

from Walvis Bay, Liideritz Bay and the Orange River mouth records them as

being Nama-speaking and sometimes even having some cattle (Walvis Bay and

Liideritz Bay). Vedder (1938) includes them among the Nama-speaking Saan.

Along the coast of South Africa there is no evidence of Bushman-speaking

Strandlopers.

The Smithfield B and C industries have been associated with the Bushmen

of the inland plateau (Clark, 1959) and another way to find Bushman Strand-

lopers would be to search for Smithfield industries among the shell middens.

In the southern Cape, Dreyer (Louw, 1960) in the Matjes River Shelter exca-

vation found two Smithfield layers containing each two pottery sherds super-

imposed on a Wilton layer without pottery, while Goodwin (1938) in the

Oakhurst Shelter excavation found Wilton, partly with pottery, superimposed

on a Smithfield C and a Smithfield B industry, neither of which had pottery.

At Windhoek Cave (Goodwin and Grobbelaar, 1952) where pottery was also

found, the lithic material was too sparse to define it as Smithfield C or Wilton,

but as much Wilton but no Smithfiled C material has been found in the area,

e.g. at Arniston and De Hoop, the probability is that it is a Wilton assemblage.

On the southern coast of South West Africa a few Strandloper sites appear to

have a Smithfield-like industry (Rudner and Grattan-Bellew, 1964) and some

pottery was found here. No pottery has with certainty been associated with

Smithfield deposits, except at Umgazana where the association is with Bantu

pottery, as the association at Matjes River and in South West Africa is doubtful.

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 597

While there appears at times to have been Strandlopers practising Smith-

field industries, this was before pottery was introduced, or, as at Umgazana,

while pottery was being introduced by the Bantu. The Bushmen of the inland

plateau, however, had their own pottery type, described by Dunn (1931) and

Schofield (1948), and the distribution of this type has been reported on in the

Inland Report. It was characterized by a fine black slip and a stamp decoration

covering the whole body of the bowl-shaped vessel. Typical also was the

admixture of grass. Sherds of four certain such vessels have been found in the

survey, three in the Port Elizabeth area and one at East London. These could

rather represent the work of Bushman women intermarried with the Hottentot

Strandlopers than of inland Bushmen on a temporary shellfish-eating expedition

to the coast.

In the east, mainly on the coasts of Natal and the Transkei, different Bantu

tribes at times also lived as Strandlopers (Schofield, 1948; Schoute-Vanneck,

1958). Coastal Bantu kraals have actually been observed as far south as Congos-

kraal just north of the Sundays River mouth while Bantu raids penetrated as

far south-west as Knysna. A few Strandloper sites from the coast of the Transkei,

where only pottery of Bantu type has been collected, have not been included in

this survey.

C3) THE POTTERY

With what information does the Strandloper pottery itself provide us?

In earlier chapters the features and distribution of the research material have

been described and analysed. It is only necessary here to add a summary of

what we have learnt about its characteristics and manufacture.

Typical characteristics for Strandloper pottery are the pointed base and

contracted neck with the greatest diameter of the vessel approximating its

height, the internally reinforced, horizontally pierced lugs, the pressed-out

bosses, the occasional use of spouts often in combination with an elliptical

horizontal section of the pots, the thin, well-fired material with an often

coarse quartz admixture, the well-burnished walls and the preference for

grooved horizontal lines around the neck if the vessel is decorated. Among these

features, only the internally reinforced lugs, which apart froma few cases in South

West Africa and the Free State have not been found north of the Orange River,

can be considered exclusive for this pottery and also for the inland Hottentot

ware. Although the same combination of these features does not occur in

other ware, the pointed bases occur among Bergdama and Bantu ware in

northern South West Africa (Schofield, 1948); spouts have been found among

some Early Bantu ware in the Transvaal (Mapungubwe), Natal (Class NC2),

Rhodesia (Bambata) and East Africa (Hyrax Hill); thin, well-fired material is

also found among some of the Bantu tribes in northern South West Africa and

Botswana; quartz and coarse sand admixture have been found among some

Early Bantu ware in South Africa, e.g. at Buispoort (Hoepen and Hoffman,

1935), although it appears to be rare; burnishing is common among Bantu ware

and grooved or channelled decoration of the necks is a typical feature for some of

598 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

the earliest Bantu ware in East Africa (channel-decorated ware).

The evidence from the research material of the technique used in the

manufacture of the pots agrees in general with the historical evidence regarding

the manufacture of Hottentot pottery. There were obviously better and simpler

vessels and the latter did not receive the same care in the manufacture as the

former. For the better ware the potter collected local clay which was dried,

pounded and cleaned of sand and other impurities, after which it was mixed

with coarse quartz sand and worked thoroughly. The pot was then generally

built up in rings in two or more parts, which were only joined after they had

dried somewhat. The actual base was made out of a lump of clay. In incorpora-

ting the rings the inside of the pot wall was always worked upwards towards

the opening, while the outside was worked towards the base. We do not know

what tool was used for scraping the walls but it was possibly a sea-shell as

reported by Ten Rhyne (1686) as in a few cases a fine striation has been

observed. After drying to a leather-hard stage the walls were then stained,

generally with haematite (red ochre) and burnished, probably with a smooth

sea pebble, both outside and inside the pot, sometimes even inside the lug

channels. The decoration was also executed at this stage. After drying further,

the pot was then fired in an open fire with the opening upwards. After the

firing and cooling it is possible that the pot was further waterproofed by different

methods. The complete vessel was then used as a cooking-vessel, mainly for

rendering fat from seal and whale blubber, or as a storing vessel for fats,

powdered haematite and magnetic iron ore (blinkklip), possibly also for water.

The simpler vessels, generally bowls or bagshaped ones, were made of the local

clay with its natural admixtures. The bowls were worked up from a jump and

these vessels were not burnished and stained but only smoothed with the hand

before firing.

We have as yet no evidence of the development of the Strandloper pottery.

Apart from at East London and Matjes River we have no stratification of the

pottery itself. At the former site coarse, thick-based ware raised from a lump,

which could be Bantu, was found together with thin Hottentot ware in the

upper shell layer, while only thin Hottentot ware decorated with an incised

line pattern was found in the lower shell layer, 15 feet below the top layer

(Laidler, 1929). At Matjes River two pieces of coarse pottery were found in the

top layer and two thinner pieces in the second layer (Louw, 1960). This does

not help the investigation as the pottery is not described in detail. Until further

excavations provide us with more information it is not possible to prove any

sequence or development of the Strandloper pottery types and features. Of

greatest importance is, however, the excavation at Scott’s Cave in the Gamtoos

River Valley (Deacon, 1963), 29 km. (18 miles) from the coast. Here a thin

(+ 30 cm.) Later Stone Age deposit contained Strandloper Type Cr and C2

pottery right through the deposit, three horizontally pierced, internally

reinforced lugs, two decorated bosses, and one plain one, plain and overturned

rim fragments and neck pieces with overturned rims and decorated with

horizontal and a few diagonally grooved or horizontally incised lines or impressed

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 599

round dots and ovals. The base of this deposit has now been C-14 dated to A.D.

760 + 100 (priv. comm.). At the other end of the time scale is the find of

Type C2 pottery in association with European material in the excavation of

the Windhoek Cave near Bredasdorp (Goodwin and Grobbelaar, 1952).

There is also a kind of rough terminal date for the pottery of different areas

during the historical period, i.e. between approximately 1652 and 1900. With

the arrival of ships and the first European settlers in Table Bay the life and

culture of the local Strandlopers and Hottentots soon became changed. In the

area between Saldanha Bay and False Bay the Kochoquas (Saldanhars), the

Goringhaiquas and Goringhaikonas (Herry’s Strandlopers) either moved away

or became servants to the settlers. Pottery can hardly have survived longer than

say 1680 within this area, and the Strandlopers who had most of the contact

with the ships had probably lost the art of making pottery already before the

arrival of Van Riebeeck. As the settlers spread, the same happened to the

pottery tradition of other tribes. The final death-knell to the western Hottentots

was perhaps the smallpox epidemic of 1713 (Maingard, 1931). Along the coast

from Hangklip to George the pottery could have survived till, say, 1750, while

along the partly rocky and inaccessible coast from George right up to East

London there is evidence of Strandlopers till about 1800. Beutler’s map of 1752

shows most of the coast from Hangklip to Port Elizabeth as unknown. In the

Transkei, Strandlopers of Gonaqua or Bantu origin survived into the beginning

of the 2oth century. In the west in Namaqualand and South West Africa

Strandloper pottery also survived until about 1870 and 1900 respectively. In

the inland on the other hand Meerhof ( Journal of Van Riebeeck, 1952) reported

in 1661 that the Namaqua used wooden pots, which shows that the original

contact between Hottentots and the Iron Age people who supplied them with

knives to carve the vessels must have taken place a very long time earlier,

perhaps centuries earlier, for them to have given up their pottery tradition.

This contact probably took place somewhere along the Orange River where

the Hottentots had material for their wooden pots, as reported in the 1770’s by

Wikar (1935). The vessels pictured by Daniell c.1800 from this area (Walton,

1956), loaded on the back of an ox, are shaped like the Namaqua type and

Type C1, showing that both these types were in use at the time, whether they

were earthenware or wooden.

The pottery from Scott’s Cave, which is the only Hottentot pottery with an

approximate date of manufacture, includes a partly reconstructed pot of Type

Ci and also decorated neck pieces with overturned rims which must have

belonged to Type Ca. In addition internally reinforced lugs and bosses were

found in the deposit. Type C1 is found along the Lower Orange River, where

it reaches its peak of development, from Boegoeberg to the river mouth and then

along the coast as far east as Port Elizabeth. A beautiful pot of this type has also

been found near Fraserburg and a few were discovered in the South West

Africa inland (Inland Report). Type C2 is found from the Saldanha area to

East London both along the coast and in the coastal belt in general, including

the painted shelters of the south-western Cape and Albany, e.g. the Wilton

600 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Cave (Inland Report). Internally reinforced lugs are found in the same area

as Type C2 with an odd lug from Umbhloti Beach north of Durban and a few

from the Free State and the South West Africa inland as far north as Windhoek

and the Erongo mountains.

The Bantu had by about 1750 not reached farther south than the Swakop

River in the west. In the centre of the subcontinent they had reached the Orange

River and in the east they had come as far as the Great Fish River. We also

know from historical and other evidence that at this time the Herero in the

west had driven away the Topnaar Hottentots from southern Damaraland and

forced some of them to become Strandlopers and had also forced the Bergdama

into the mountains. Archaeological evidence from the Brandberg shows that

seven hundred years earlier Wilton people of this area had already had contact

with metal- and pottery-using people and were themselves probably making

pottery; we do not know of which type. We have historical evidence of cultural

contact and intermarriage between Hottentots and Bantu (Early Sotho) at

Upington on the Orange River (Wikar, 1935) and between Bushmen and

Ghoya (Walton, 1965) in the northern Free State. In the east Early Sotho and

later Nguni had overrun the NCr Strandloper settlements along the Natal

coast and farther south along the coast Hottentots and Bantu had intermarried

to form the Gonaqua Hottentots.

What evidence is there of these contacts in the Strandloper pottery? The

pottery of Walvis Bay probably belonged to the Topnaar Strandlopers and has

features not found in other Strandloper pottery. It is, however, difficult to say

to what degree the differences are caused by influences from Herero ware, as

practically no Herero pots have been preserved. According to Vedder (pers.

comm.) the Herero pots were large and urn-shaped with decorated rims to

mark the ownership, but the few Herero pots in German museums are simple,

shouldered pots, one of them, however, provided with four vertically pierced

lugs (Lawton, 1967). At Walvis Bay wide overturned and decorated rims

were found and were of the same type as found inland, e.g. at the Brandberg

(Inland Report). These rims and also patterns of grooved lines and vertically

pierced lugs probably represent a Herero or at least a Bantu influence on the

Walvis Bay pottery, but it does not appear to have spread farther down the

coast.

In the chapter on decoration and in the Inland Report we have already

seen how certain types of decoration such as string pattern on rims and impressed

patterns were probably taken over from Early Bantu by the Hottentots along

the Orange River in Gordonia and from there spread down the river to the

coast of Namaqualand, where the Strandlopers adopted them, and perhaps also

directly through the Cape Thirstland to the Cape Peninsula and to the Cape

south coast. This spread of tradition may have taken place as long as a thousand

years ago as rows of circular and oval impressions are found on pottery from

Scott’s Cave dated earliest at A.D. 760, but probably later. |

Turning to the east we find that the influence of Bantu pottery spread,

probably with the help of the Gonaqua Hottentots, as far west as perhaps Fish

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 601

Bay. The Gonaqua Hottentots were originally living in the Port Alfred and East

London areas but later spread towards Port Elizabeth. As they were of mixed

Hottentot and Bantu origin it could be expected that their pottery industry

would show features of both Hottentot and Bantu origin. There is no historical

evidence of their type of vessel. Laidler (1938) describes as Gonaqua features

bosses, spouts, certain patterns, etc. As typical Gonaqua vessels he mentions the

spouted pots of Type D1 from Kaysers Beach. The distribution of this type

hardly supports this theory as it has also been found at Jeffreys Bay, Fish Bay

and on the south-western coast well outside the Gonaqua area. Spouted pots

in general have their maximum concentration on the south-western coast, and

bosses are mostly found west of Agulhas. Laidler (1938) further describes as

Late Gonaqua the Tsitsikama or Coldstream pot (fig. XXIV: 3) because of

the thickness of its walls, lack of decoration, coarse quartz admixture and

general coarseness of construction, which he considers as Bantu affinities. Lack

of decoration and a coarse quartz admixture are features found especially in the

south-western areas and are typical for Type C2, to which this pot belongs.

Thick walls are found especially in the Port Alfred and East London areas and

point to a Bantu influence, but have also been found on the Cape Peninsula.

They are not out of place in a pot of this size. Studying the Distribution Sche-

dule for types or features mainly within the area of Gonaqua influence, we find

that Type Br fits in rather well with this assumption, the Tsitsikama Caves

being the most western find place. The tall, often ovoid, beaker shape of these

vessels is certainly of Bantu origin. Apart from at Hyrax Hill in Kenya and

Bambanyanalo and Mapungubwe in the northern Transvaal this type of vessel

is also found among recent Basuto (Laidler, 1938; Schofield, 1943b) and Pondo

beer pots. It is also similar to the Bergdama pottery in South West Africa

(Inland Report). Laidler (1938) refers to this type of pottery as ‘of the degenerate

and late stage of the stone-building culture’. Another feature generally asso-

ciated with Type Bi in this area is the notched rim. Schofield (1948) associated

notched rims with NCe2 pottery from the Natal and Transkei coasts made by

the earliest Bantu inhabitants with Sotho affinities (Fokeng). Bored holes also

occur mostly in this area but also in South West Africa and northern Namaqua-

land and the same is the case with disc lugs and a crude smoothing of the sur-

face instead of burnishing, all probably Bantu features.

Bearing in mind the pronounced Bantu influence on the pottery of the

eastern areas and a certain Bantu influence in South West Africa and northern

Namaqualand, the areas between St. Helena Bay and Mossel Bay appear to

be the only ones outside the Bantu sphere of influence, i.e. the areas of the

purest Strandloper pottery. What is then typical for the pottery of the Saldanha,

south-western coast, Cape Peninsula, Hangklip and Agulhas areas? Of the

pottery types found in these areas Type Cr has the widest distribution from the

South West Africa inland, along the lower Orange River and from its mouth

along the coast to Port Elizabeth. Type C2 is found from Danger Bay in the

Saldanha area to East London and also in the painted shelters along the coast.

Type Bea also first appears in the Saldanha area but does not go farther east

602 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

than Port Elizabeth. Type D2 is a local development only found in the Saldanha

area, while Type D1, found in the south-western coast, is also found on a few

sites farther east and inland. Typical of these areas is also the lack of decoration.

Judging from the distribution of these types, the hypothesis may be put

forward that undecorated pottery of Type C1 with bosses, which later may have

developed into internally reinforced lugs, is the oldest type and may have spread

along the Orange River to its mouth already in the first millennium a.p. From

the Orange River the pottery followed the coast southwards fairly rapidly until

it reached the south-western areas where under ideal conditions it developed

into Type C2, which in its turn spread eastwards along the coast as far as

Natal. The Strandlopers of the south-western and southern Cape were also

cave-dwellers, either seasonally spending the rainy winters in rock shelters,

if these were far from the coast as in the south-western coast, or permanently

if the shelters were on the coast as in the Cape south coast area. It is interesting

to note the small number of bagshaped pots in the south-western Cape. Only

Type Be is indigenous to this area and probably developed as a variation of

Type C2, spreading from the Saldanha area to Port Elizabeth. This type may

have been the prototype for the pottery of Namaqualand and southern South

West Africa. Two pots of an intermediate type between Type Bez and the Nama-

qua type have been found in the south-western Cape.

Before leaving the pottery of the south-western Cape something should be

mentioned of a possible European influence on the local Strandloper pottery.

Portuguese, English, French and Dutch ships visited St. Helena Bay, Saldanha

Bay, Table Bay and False Bay since Da Gama in 1497 (St. Helena Bay). We

know little about the pottery vessels used by these ships, but at least the Portu-

guese used spouted pots with pointed bases as drinking vessels. No remains of

such vessels have been found on the middens, however, only broken square

Dutch gin bottles and some round-bottomed bottles plus fragments of East

India and European porcelain and of Dutch clay pipes. The spouted Strand-

loper pots reach their maximum occurrence on the south-western coast, and it is

a possibility that the idea of the spout came through contact with the Portuguese.

It must not be forgotten, however, that spouted pottery has been found at

Bambanyanalo and Mapungubwe in a deposit which is estimated to be about

goo years old (Gardner, 1963).

D. COMPARATIVE NOTES ON THE POTTERY

The Non-Bantu pottery of the inland areas has been discussed in another

report in detail. It is sufficient here to say that the Hottentot pottery of the

coastal belt and escarpment between Vanrhynsdorp in the west and Albany in

the east is generally of the same type, i.e. mostly Type C2, as found along the

coast of these areas and appears to represent an inland extension of the coastal

tradition. Some of this pottery has been found in painted shelters. In South

West Africa pottery of the same types as found at Walvis Bay has also been

found in southern Damaraland, especially in the Brandberg and Erongo

mountains. The pot from Oranjemund is of the Namaqua type, and this type

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 603

is common in Great Namaland and also in northern Namaqualand. However,

there are in the South West Africa inland some vessels which pose some prob-

lems. One simple bagshaped type of vessel may be associated with the Berg-

dama people, who may well have taken it over from the local Wilton people

(see Numas Shelter Excavations, Rudner, 1957). Among these vessels are ones

with opposing pairs of perforations near the rim, made before the firing and

probably meant for suspension, and others with opposing spout-like lugs (Sydow,

in press), probably also for suspension and a development of the previous

type. This type does not, however, appear to be related to the spouted types

of South Africa. Of great interest is that opposing rim perforations have also

been found in the Me2 ware from Mapungubwe and Bambanyanalo (Fouche,

1937) in the northern Transvaal. There are also in the South West Africa inland

a few globular (!) or Type Cr pots with internally reinforced lugs, in one case

vertically pierced. These are the only internally reinforced lugs found at any

distance north of the Orange River.

In northern Namaqualand there is, as already mentioned, pottery of

Namaqua type but in addition of Type C1, also found on the coast of Nama-

‘qualand. This high-necked variation of Type C1 reached a climax along the

Orange River in Gordonia. In only one case has one of these vessels internally

reinforced lugs, otherwise they have applied or pressed-out bosses. A pot of

this type with internally reinforced lugs has been found as far north as in the

Rehoboth district in South West Africa (Sydow, in press). In the section on

decoration the author has discussed patterns of decoration which appear in the

Orange River area and probably spread from here to the coast. In this area

there is on the one hand a strong Bantu influence and on the other hand a close

relationship with the pottery of South West Africa and with the Strandloper

pottery of the west coast. Other features point to contact with the Smithfield

Bushmen of the Free State and possibly also with the first Bantu immigrants

of that area (Inland Report).

We now turn north and east from Gordonia to study the earliest pottery of

southern Botswana, southern Transvaal and the Orange Free State. Schofield

(1948) has described two classes of ancient Bantu pottery from this area,

but Walton (1956) reverses the order of these two classes and adds a third

later group. According to Walton the earliest pottery (Schofield, Class ST2)

belongs to an early Sotho-Tswana tribe called the Fokeng and consists of coarse

round-bottomed pots decorated with richly moulded rim patterns. The second

class (Schofield, Class ST1) belongs to the Ghoya-Taung and consists of bur-

nished, polychrome stamped wares, while a third class (Schofield, Class BP)

belongs to later Tswana and consists of pots which have coloured areas with

incised bands of lattice and herringbone and combed impressions. The origin of

Hottentot pottery is certainly not found among these classes of Early Bantu

ware, but there are some features which the Hottentots probably obtained from

this pottery. To the earliest of these classes belongs the pottery from Buispoort

near Zeerust in the south-western Transvaal (Van Hoepen and Hoffman,

1935). This stone hut settlement was finally destroyed by the Matabele. The

604 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

pottery found here, which probably covers a long period, consists of globular,

wide-mouthed bowls or pots with slightly flared rims and also some beaker-like

vessels. Sometimes the pots are sub-carinated. A number of legs from three-

legged pots were also found. Most of the pottery was undecorated, but occa-

sionally the rims were notched and sometimes the pots were decorated with

rows of impressed circular or oval dots. The material had an admixture of

coarse quartz or mica, the latter probably natural.

The beaker-shape (Type B1) and the notched rim has been taken over by

the Strandlopers on the eastern coast, probably via a branch of the Fokeng

which crossed into Natal towards the end of the sixteenth century and went on to

Tembuland, where their descendants are still living (Schofield, 1948). Thick-

walled pots and bowls have been found at Rouxville and Boegoeberg on the

Orange River, as mentioned in the Inland Report, and so has decoration con-

sisting of rows of impressed dots. The Rouxville pottery also has a coarse admix-

ture, and three-legged pots were made in that area until late in the 19th century

(Inland Report). The stamp decoration of the second group, who built stone

huts in the Free State, was taken over by the Smithfield Bushmen in the eastern

Free State and the eastern Cape, but also by some Wilton people at Rouxville

and Upington (Inland Report).

The earliest pottery from Botswana (Schofield, 1948) has overturned,

incorporated and rounded or squared rims decorated with diagonal comb-

marks. This pottery is closely related to the earliest pottery in Southern Rho-

desia (Schofield, Classes R1 and R1G). This type of decorated rim has been

found on some pots from the Orange River and South West Africa and also

on Strandloper pottery from the west and south-western coast.

Some of the pottery from Mapungubwe and Bambanyanalo (Kg) in the

northern Transvaal has been described as Proto-Hottentot and Hottentot by

Gardner (1949, 1955, 1963). Schofield had originally described the Mapun-

gubwe pottery (Fouché, 1937) as Bantu, and several other authors later objected

to Gardner’s classification (see Other Reports). The present report presents an

opportunity to compare the Mapungubwe and Kg pottery with a large body of

coastal and inland Hottentot pottery. It has not, however, been possible to gain

access to the original Mapungubwe material, so the comparison must be limited

to what is reported on it.

The earliest pottery at Bambanyanalo (K2) is described by Gardner (1963)

as Proto-Hottentot without any signs of any Bantu contact, and he dates the

first phase of it to before and up to about A.D. 1000. Schofield (Fouché, 1937)

called this class M2 and associated it with Early Sotho. Among the types of

vessels found at Kg are flared beakers, deep and shallow bowls, lugged pots,

large necked pots, drinking-cups, spouted pots and pedestal or handled pots.

Some of the straight-sided and decorated beakers are similar in shape to the

undecorated Strandloper Type B1, but the Bantu (Early Sotho) origin of this

type has already been suggested. The opposing rim perforations of this type

have been found in South West Africa. Deep and shallow bowls are rare among

Strandloper pottery but occur among Bushman pottery. The lugged pots at Ke

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 605

all have vertically pierced lugs, only found in a few exceptional cases among

Strandloper pottery and then mainly in areas with Bantu influence. The large

necked pots at K2 have globular bases, which is exceptional among Strand-

loper pottery but which is the rule in Bantu pottery. In a few cases the decora-

tion is somewhat similar to that of Strandloper ware. A few spouted pots, or

rather bowls, occur at K2, but spouted bowls have not been found among

Strandloper pottery, neither have drinking-cups, nor pedestal or handled

vessels. In short, the only features in common between Ka and Strandloper

pottery are features also found in Bantu pottery and probably representing a

Bantu influence on the Strandloper pottery. Two of the typical features of

Strandloper and inland Hottentot pottery, i.e. pointed bases and internally

reinforced lugs, have not been found among the Ke pottery. However, there

appears to be some connection between the Ka pottery and the inland Hottentot

(and Bergdama?) pottery of South West Africa. |

On Mapungubwe Hill the prevailing pottery types in the late ‘Hottentot’

stage, according to Gardner, were shouldered and carinated pots and flat

dishes. Only five carinated or sub-carinated vessels have been found among

Strandloper pottery and a couple more inland and no flat dishes. The shoul-

dered Strandloper pots generally have pointed bases and different decoration

from those at Mapungubwe. External bosses were also found at this site and

one pot has a nipple-shaped boss surrounded by two rings of prick impressions

(Fouché, 1937; fig. XXX: 10). It is almost identical to a boss illustrated by

Laidler (1938, fig. XII: 4) found at Port Alfred and to another one found by

Deacon (1963) in Scott’s Cave, in a layer C14 dated to after A.D. 760 + 100.

This boss from Mapungubwe was included in Class M2 by Schofield (Fouché,

1937). Schofield quotes Hall (see Other Reports) stating that the Makalanga

decorated their pots with bosses of this type. Goodall (1946) has written a

report on this type of decoration on Bantu pottery from Southern Rhodesia.

This is the only common feature found for the pottery from Mapungubwe and

the Strandloper ware reported on in this paper. Gardner ascribes Phase 6 on

the hill to the occupation of a Hottentot clan and dates it to about A.D. 1750-

— 1800.

In conclusion it can only be stated that there is nothing more in common

between the pottery of K2 and Mapungubwe on the one hand and that of the

Strandlopers of the coast and the Hottentots of the inland on the other hand

than can be explained by cultural exchange between Hottentots and Early

Bantu. This does not exclude the possibility that there were Hottentots living

at the two sites at different periods. Considering the possible early date for

Hottentot pottery at Scott’s Cave, the Hottentot ware of the northern Trans-

vaal, if any, would at the time of the earliest occupation of Ke already be so

influenced by early Bantu ware that but little would remain of the original

tradition.

Where else can we search for the origin of Hottentot pottery? As the

Bambanyanalo (K2) pottery from the northern Transvaal is too late, it is

logical to cross the Limpopo and search in Rhodesia where pottery was already

606 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

well established in the first millennium a.p. The earliest pottery traditions in

Rhodesia are the Bambata, Gokomere, Ziwa and Leopard’s Kopje wares

(Cooke and Summers, 1966).

Laidler (1938) saw affinities between Hottentot pottery and the Bambata

and Gokomere wares, while Schofield (1942 and 1948), describing the early cave

pottery from Southern Rhodesia, Class R1, in detail, mentioned no similarity with

Hottentot ware. However, in his report on the pottery from the Bambata Cave

(Schofield, 1940a), he describes two of the unusual features of this pottery to be

the decorated spouts and crenellated edges (notched rims). A decorated spout

from Bambata is certainly similar to some Strandloper ones (Type D2) and toa

decorated spout from Grootdrink on the Orange River, which also has a cross-

hatched rim (Inland Report). We have already discussed the occurrence of

notched rims on Strandloper ware. At Bambata and Gokomere there are also

overturned rims with impressed patterns of the same types as found on some

Strandloper pots and inland Hottentot ware, as discussed in the chapter on

decoration. We have already suggested that this feature may have been adopted

by the Hottentots from the first Sotho in Botswana, but it is of course possible

that it was taken over at an earlier stage in Southern Rhodesia together

with spouts, although we would have expected the decorated rims to have been

more widely spread in such a case. The spout at Bambata is on the other hand

possibly a Hottentot influence as spouts appear to be rare among the early

pottery in Rhodesia. Another similarity between the Bambata and Strandloper

pottery is the possible association with a Wilton industry. Summers (1961)

dates the Bambata pottery to the earliest Iron Age some time between 100 B.c.

and A.D. 400 and remarks: “The close association between sherds of Bambata

pottery and Later Stone Age (Wilton) artefacts, has led to the suggestion that

pottery was part of the material culture of the Wilton people, i.e. the Bushmen.

This is now regarded as unlikely owing to the advanced type of pottery, which

has nothing experimental or tentative about it.’ If we regard the Wilton people

as ancestors to the Hottentots rather than the Bushmen the association becomes

more plausible.

At Gokomere (Schofield, 1940b) the pottery has a quartz admixture

and, as decoration apart from the stamped patterns, also grooved or incised

horizontal or diagonal lines around the neck and often a sharp transition

between body and neck, sometimes marked by a body-neck junction line of

impressions, all features also occurring in Strandloper pottery as well as the

preference for concave necks with overturned rims.

Ziwa ware from eastern Rhodesia is reminiscent of the Gokomere ware but

more elaborate. Of more interest to us is the Leopard’s Kopje ware from western

Rhodesia. It has been divided into three phases, of which the second phase is

dated to A.D. 700 + 110 at Leopard’s Kopje, Khami (Cooke and Summers,

1966). The ware from Bambanyanalo (Kg) in the northern Transvaal has been

included in this phase. Robinson (1959) describes the ware from the name site

as consisting mostly of pots with straight or concave necks, but there are also

bowls and beakers. In most cases the shapes of the bases are not known, but a

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOU'lH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 607

complete necked pot has an ovoid base. The well-fired material is red to buff

and has a quartz admixture. The rims are plain or occasionally overturned, in

which case the overturned part is decorated with stamp marks or oblique inci-

sions. The necks and sometimes shoulders are often decorated with bands of

comb-stamping and incised or grooved meanders or chevrons. The necked pots

are very similar in shape and material to the Type C1 of Strandloper and inland

Hottentot ware (Gordonia). As for the origin of this ware, Robinson suggests

that it developed out of contact between Gokomere people and a people with

beakers and incised (and grooved) decorations. The resulting Leopard’s Kopje

people controlled the gold- and copper-mining in the country. The only ethno-

historical reference to them is an early Karanga tradition describing them as

tall, brown-skinned pastoralists inhabiting the country when the Karanga

arrived from the north at the end of the first millennium (Fagan, 1965).

The comb-stamped decoration of the earliest Rhodesian pottery industries

has only been taken over by the Bushmen in South Africa, while the channel

decoration is very similar to the grooved decoration of the Strandloper ware.

Robinson’s theory that this latter type of decoration and also beaker shapes

may have been taken over by the Gokomere people from another people in

western Rhodesia is of interest to us as it indicates the presence of a people with

a pottery tradition which may be related to the Hottentot one. In South West

Africa, which may have had early contacts with Rhodesia (Cooke, 1965), the

Non-Bantu pottery is characterized by a beaker-type I have called bagshaped

(Inland Report).

However, the two main distinguishing features of Strandloper and inland

Hottentot pottery, i.e. the pointed base and internally reinforced lugs, have not

been found with any of the Early Iron Age pottery in Rhodesia, and spouts

and lugs in general are very rare. We have to go as far as East Africa to find any

excavated pottery which includes some of these features.

Schofield (corr. with Mary Leakey, 1939) in 1939 remarked on the ‘con-

siderable superficial resemblance’ between Hottentot pottery and the ware

from the North East Village (Site IT) at Hyrax Hill, Nakuru, Kenya, but he

added that the Hyrax Hill material was thicker. Walton (1956) was also struck

by the resemblance in shape between the two wares and found other cultural

parallels between the Hottentots, especially the Kakamas Hottentots, and the

Gumban people in Kenya and Tanganyika. ‘In Gumban man we have a physi-

cal type very similar to that of the Nama (Hottentot) associated with an almost

identical material culture. Gumban man had sheep and Zebu cattle, lugged

pottery adapted to nomadic conditions and his methods of burial had features

in common with those of the Nama.’ The find of a shallow soapstone bowl along

the Orange River near Kakamas (SAM Coll.) has added fuel to this theory,

as stone bowls were also typical of the Gumban culture.

Mason (1962), on the other hand, notes the resemblance between some

Transvaal Iron Age cultures and the Hyrax Hill remains. ‘The artefacts from

this site closely resemble many made by Iron Age people in the Transvaal.

Both the pottery and pottery pipe bowls are very similar to those found at

608 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Doornspruit in the Magaliesberg Valley and elsewhere; while the Hyrax Hill

iron objects, tuyéres and stone walls could have been made or built in any

Transvaal settlement. Resemblances of this kind give factual evidence for con-

necting these widely separated cultures in general terms.’ As for the origin of

the Hottentots, Mason follows the traditional line of thought that they may

have come from north-eastern Africa ‘where they would have had contact with

dynastic Egyptian ideas as the pointed base, characteristic of their pottery,

suggests’. He goes a step further, however, when he continues: “They moved

south in different waves, some perhaps possessing only cattle, sheep and goats

but no metal, others carrying the knowledge of metal production too, like the

expanding Negro communities from the far west whose trails must have crossed

theirs at this time. These food producing Hottentots were not the first of their

kind to reach the far south; thousands of years previously Stone Age hunters

of similar racial stock had reached the Cape coast long before their descendants

learned about food production north of the equator.’

Having obtained a fairly complete picture of Hottentot pottery, it may be

of interest to compare it in more detail with the East African prehistoric mate-

rial. Sutton (1964) has divided the early Kenya pottery into three classes. Class

A (Elmenteitan, about 1000 B,c.?) is associated with different Later Stone Age

industries and consists of small burnished bowls and larger, coarser bagshaped

pots, the latter with pointed (sometimes nippled) or globular bases. The rims

are generally plain and often slightly everted but there are also overturned ones.

The rims are sometimes notched. Some pots have holes drilled on opposite sides

of the rim, probably for attaching cords or sinews as handles. Horizontally

pierced, externally applied lugs and vertical ridged bosses are also found. The

decoration varies and may consist of rows of short vertical incisions, vertical

notching along the rim, comb-stamped patterns, round or oval impressions

and patterns of incised lines. Large grit (quartz ?) is present in the coarser ware,

which is not very well fired. The finer material is smooth and buff to black in

colour. This class of pottery appears to have been principally that of hunter-

gatherer communities.

The squat bagshape of some of this pottery is reminiscent of some of the

ware from South West Africa and Namaqualand (Inland Report), and it seems

more than a coincidence that this shape is in part of South West Africa (Sydow,

in press) accompanied by opposing drilled holes for suspension, also found only

at Mapungubwe-Ka. Nippled bases and horizontally pierced, externally applied

lugs are common on Namaqua ware and the former also among Strandloper

pottery along the Atlantic coast. Rows of short vertical incised lines have the

same distribution. Vertical, externally applied ridges are rare in Strandloper

pottery but do occur.

Class B (Gumban A, Hyrax Hill variant) is associated with Stone Age

industries but probably also with early Iron Age. It consists of ovoid beakers

with incised or impressed decoration or bowls covered with comb-stamped

decoration. Notched rims and nippled bases also occur in this class, while no

applied spouts, handles or bosses have been found. The ware is often gritty and

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 609

the surface is smooth. Rims are plain or overturned. The ovoid beakers are

almost identical to the bagshaped vessels of Strandloper Type Bi found on the

eastern Cape coast, e.g. at Van Staden’s River (fig. XXVI: 3). The incised

pattern on the beakers is similar to some of the neck decoration of Type Ca, e.g.

at Kromme Bay (fig. XXXII: 84) while the comb-stamped decoration is

similar to that of the Bushman ware of the eastern Cape (fig. XX VII: 5).

Class C (Gumban B or Lanet ware, Hyrax Hill North-east Village) is the

ware referred to by Schofield as resembling Hottentot ware. This class belongs

to the Iron Age and typical of it are gourd-shapes, similar to the bagshaped type

in Hottentot pottery, often with ovoid bases, spouts and externally applied,

horizontally or vertically pierced lugs, all features also found in Hottentot

pottery. The Class C pottery is well fired with fine grits and the surface feels

like sandpaper. Some rims are decorated along the top, as are the notched

rims of the eastern Cape coast. Typical is also the impressed cord decoration.

This is not found among Hottentot pottery, but Laidler thought that the

grooved lines around the necks were originally made by string impressions.

Decoration of shoulder, spouts and lugs occurs both in Class C and Hottentot

pottery. Sutton compares the two wares, the Hottentot ware as illustrated by

Schofield (1948), and notes: “The resemblances are not close and may be

entirely fortuitous.’ From the illustrations in this report it is apparent that there

are more resemblances than were obvious earlier, but it must be stressed that

the features in common are generally such as have been referred to earlier in

this report as of Bantu influence. The probable late date of the Class C pottery

also precludes its role as ancestral to the Hottentot ware, but it is possible that

both these wares have their origin in the Class A ware.

It is hardly necessary to go any farther north in the search for the origin

of Hottentot pottery. We have found all the elements represented in Hottentot

ware, except for the internally reinforced lugs. With further archaeological

research in the areas reported on, the picture of the movement and develop-

ment of the pottery tradition which ultimately resulted in the Hottentot ware

of South and South West Africa will be clearer. It is still also possible that some

new information will come from Angola, which still is a terra incognita in this

field. Pottery from that country could have penetrated into South West Africa

and influenced the Hottentot pottery of southern Damaraland.

Before closing the chapter a few words should be added on some more

distant pottery traditions. Péringuey (1911) remarked on the similarity between

Hottentot and Predynastic pottery in Egypt and Laidler elaborated this point

(see Other Reports), concluding that Hottentot pottery is ‘a direct offshoot of

the Pre-Dynastic Egyptian Culture, which has travelled southward’. Goodwin

(1946), in his study of the Later Stone Age cultures in South Africa, had this

to say about the pottery from the Oakhurst excavation: “The pottery is again

identical with the Djebel Redeyef material from Tunisia and the association of

bored stones, ostrich eggshell beads, coloured ochres and typical bone awls,

together make this final Wilton congeries at Oakhurst almost identical with the

‘*Intercapsioneolithic”’ of Tunisia’ (see also McBurney, 1960).

610 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

As a final note it should also be mentioned that the horizontally pierced,

internally reinforced lugs, which are so typical of the South African Strandloper

pottery, are also found among the first Neolithic pottery on some Mediterranean |

islands such as Crete (Davison, 1951), Sardinia and Malta (Atzeni, 1962),

associated with biconical pots of typical Strandloper C1 type.

The early dates for some Hottentot pottery make it unnecessary to discuss

modern Bantu ware.

E. DISPERSAL ROUTES

We have discussed some other pottery traditions of southern and eastern

Africa which may be related or even ancestral to the Strandloper pottery

described in this report. We have also noted some theories about the origin

and dispersal of the Hottentot pottery tradition. Most of the earlier investigators

have agreed that this tradition must have originated somewhere in north-

eastern Africa, from where it spread south ultimately to reach the Cape. For

this long journey it was supplied with varying companions such as Hottentots,

Zebu cattle, fat-tailed sheep and even bored stones.

Possibly first to publish a theory on the wanderings of the Hottentots was

Stow (1905), who later has been quoted by many other authors. He writes:

‘These Hottentots, in the earlier days of their migration, came from the far

interior in the north-east, and moved towards the south-west until they were

arrested by the Atlantic a few degrees south of the equator; that after this they

gradually spread themselves along the western coast, dispossessing the original

occupiers of the country, until they reached the southern limit at the Cape of

Good Hope, around which point and between this and the lower portion of

the Orange River their principal tribes congregated.’ His map (dated 1880)

shows the ‘Hottentot Hordes’ moving south from Victoria Nyanza and turning

west around the southern corner of Lake Tanganyika towards Benguela in

Angola, from where the route follows the west coast to the Cape. Stow thought

this migration took place about the end of the fourteenth century.

Westphal (1963), studying the Hottentot language, suggests that “a click-

less language in contact with a Bush language of Southern Rhodesia and

Bechuanaland—and perhaps of the northern Transvaal—gave rise to Proto-

Hottentot’. This language then moved to an area between Upington and

Prieska along the Orange River where it was further influenced by local Bush

languages and from where it dispersed to the north-west (Nama of South West

Africa) and north-east, south-east and south (Proto-Cape Hottentot).

Cooke (1965), studying the distribution of Bambata pottery, sheep figu-

rines and paintings with sheep, steatopygia, etc., suggested that sheep-breeding

Hottentots reached Rhodesia from the north-east some time in the first cen-

turies of the Christian era and settled for periods there before moving on towards

the south-west across northern Botswana to South West Africa, from where

they turned south and ultimately reached the southern Cape. He further suggests

that the direct route between Rhodesia and the southern Cape, suggested by

Westphal, was the route later used by the Hottentot copper traders.

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA O11

Clark (1964) has proposed a dispersal route similar to Stow’s for stone

vessels from Kenya to South West Africa. This route can be extended to the

Orange River if we include the stone bowl from Keimoes.

Goodwin (1947) in his study of bored stones states: “There has so far been

no case of absolute association of an elongated type [of bored stones] with

specific implement types or with pottery, but both (Strandloper) pottery and

elongated forms are consistently found together on the surface of recent

deposits along the south coast. This suggests a Hottentot culture.’ From the study

of the distribution of different forms and sizes he was able to reconstruct the

possible dispersal routes of these types. What may be the oldest type (Nucleus 4)

of elongated bored stones entered South Africa across the Limpopo in the region

of Messina. From the northern Transvaal, where one small group branched off

to Natal, the main group passed through the western Transvaal along the Vaal

River where another group branched off south and then west to Bushmanland

and Namaqualand. The main group turned upstream along the Orange River

later to split into two groups, one going towards Queenstown and the eastern

Cape coast while the other one went south to Knysna and along the coast to

the Cape Peninsula and finally to the Clanwilliam area. This agrees well with

Westphal’s dispersal routes for the Hottentot language.

12. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

The pottery analysed in this report comes from the coasts of South West

Africa and the Cape Province of South Africa. Strandloper shell middens occur

all along these coasts and the pottery was collected on practically every midden

site, but it was seldom abundant. It was only found on or in the superficial

layers of the middens, often in an apparent association with a Wilton industry.

This association has been verified by excavations (e.g. Oakhurst). Pottery was

obviously a final addition to the material cultures of the Strandlopers and was

probably not used for everyday cooking but only for specific purposes such as

the rendering and storing of fat. It was earlier thought that among the Strand-

lopers the pottery tradition was hardly more than 500 years old (Schofield),

but Carbon 14 dates for deposits containing the same type of pottery not far

from the coast (Brandberg, South West Africa and Scott’s Cave, Cape south-

east coast) show that the tradition possibly goes back more than a thousand

years.

It has not been possible to differentiate between the pottery of the Strand-

lopers and the pastoral Hottentots, who also sometimes camped along the coast

or were themselves forced to become Strandlopers. Pottery found inland along

the coastal belt of the Cape, where the pastoral Hottentots lived in early his-

torical times, is of the same types as that found on the shell middens along the

actual coast. It therefore appears that the pastoral Hottentots and the Strand-

lopers used the same ceramic ware. Whether the Strandlopers learnt to make

pottery from the pastoral Hottentots is a question which it has not been possible

to answer with certainty in this report. There is some evidence that pottery

was already used before the arrival of cattle-owning Hottentots as Hottentot.

612 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

pottery of Type C2, found on the south-western Cape coast, is also commonly

found in painted shelters in the south-western Cape, where there are sometimes

paintings of fat-tailed sheep but no paintings of cattle. It is possible that the

pottery was first introduced with earlier migrations of Hottentots who only had

sheep.

The relatively large amount of material available for this survey of Strand-

loper pottery, even if mostly in the form of sherds, has made it possible to ana-

lyse this ceramic industry and its distribution in detail. A few basic types and a

fairly general technique of manufacture have been distinguished, but the vessels

vary to a considerable degree in detail of form and decoration. It has been

possible to sort out some elements which owe their origin to contacts with early

Bantu industries at both extremes of the area investigated and also at the Orange

River.

It appears that the main outside influence on the Strandloper pottery of

the Cape was the result of contacts between (Hottentot) people making beauti-

ful ware of Type C1 along the Orange River in Gordonia and the first Bantu

invaders to this area, probably of Sotho origin. The resulting, mostly decorative,

features spread westwards along the Orange River to the coast of Namaqualand

and then southwards to the Cape. There might also have been a more direct

link between the Orange River and the south-eastern coast of the Cape. How-

ever, it has not yet been possible to trace with certainty the origins of the

distinguishing features of the Hottentot-Strandloper pottery. It appears that the

typical internally reinforced lug developed south of the Orange River and this

was certainly also the case with the common pottery Type C2 of the Cape

coast. The probably original Hottentot Type C1 with a pointed base and a

concave neck may have originated in Rhodesia and come to the Cape either

via northern Botswana and South West Africa, a route suggested by Cooke

for sheep-herders, or via the Transvaal and the Vaal River along the route

used by the makers of elongated bored stones and later used by the first Bantu

invaders. In Rhodesia and Zambia there are signs of an early pottery tradition

associated with Wilton-like industries and perhaps predating the invasion of

cattle-owning Bantu. It is possible that the origin of Hottentot and Strandloper

pottery is to be sought in the first pottery industry of Rhodesia about two

thousand years ago, but that the characteristics of the Hottentot ware, as we

know them, only developed at the Orange River and from there spread to the

coast. |

13. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

My thanks are firstly due to my wife, who assisted me in all stages of the

research work. In 1963 the survey was aided by grants from the Council for

Scientific and Industrial Research, Pretoria, and the Wenner-Gren Foundation

for Anthropological Research Inc., New York, whose assistance is gratefully

acknowledged. I am also indebted to Miss E. M. Shaw of the South African

Museum for her comments, to Mrs. S. Bruins, librarian of the South African

Museum, to the directors and staff of the institutions mentioned in the Intro-

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 613

duction, to the private collectors who put their material at my disposal and to

the many farmers along the coast for their kindness and hospitality during the

years of fieldwork. I am very grateful to the South African Museum and to

the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research for financing publication of

this monograph.

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STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 617

Table 1

POTTERY FEATURES

SHAPE

4. BOWL

1A. BAGSHAPED POT

4.SPOUTED POT

SEL LIPTICAL. POT

RIMS

6, PLAIN AND ROUNDED G

7. PLAIN AND TAPERED DAG y 4

8. PLAIN AND SQUARED Gag

9, PLAIN AND EVERTED GG

10. PLAIN AND HALF OVERTURNED & K

1]. OVERTURNED AND ROUNDED Y Z

THICK 2 12 MM.

\2. OVERTURNED AND ROUNDED 2 y, R

THIN < 12 MM. Q

I2A.OVERTURNED AND SQUARED iY,

IZ, OVERTURNED AND TAPERED y } p

618

ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Table 1 (continued)

if VERT CAL Ss TRANG Hap a

LOS cianlbbiecaiBiaea net! 30) BS KG

PS: =i CONCAVE pan

17. CONTRACTED , STRAIGHT

aa)

Eels CONCAVE. 2s

FLARED. STRAIGHT ey.

20 ELAR pw

ol 1 Sia CONCAVE Bone

DO ai CONVE X ‘

DECORATION

24.-- =e RIDGE }-

25. BODY-NECK JUNCTION GROOVE / ve

25 A. CARINATION we

26.NOTCHED RIM

ae \

27. GROOVED LINES 2myn mo” mor

28, INCISED LINES yr mer myn

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 619

Table 1 (continued)

29. STRING PATTERNS ON RIMS SSS SA == Dy». PSY

40. CIRCULAR OR OVAL IMPRESSIONS 99°99 seeee* 000000

BREDROPL SHAPED - =m.” 6464860 ooooe

PORIRIANGULAR .. 4 4AAAQKA Perr

S5_CRESCENT-SAPED = «UCM SSS

34 COMB -1I- poonne 282

35 OVAL WOUDER = 00 OO

35A.OTHER SHOULDER. DECORATION

36.NOQ DECORATION

LUGS AND BOSSES

37, HOR. PIERCED, INT. REINF LUGS dq rs "

CONICAL ROUND

FLAT ania

BTA 4-0 oe -- "DISC LUGS 4

FROM SIDE ss ABOVE

33. -l- 4-~ EXT. LUGS

39. = t-—-n~-DISC LUGS C i | Cr

HALE SHIELD SEMI) CiRcULAR

40.UNPIERCED 7 t= Gf

AVERT PIERCED ExT Luss 6 G+

41A.2- ~~ INT. REINF LUGS Q-@

620

lh INURE EID =e

52. THICKENED -1-

53. REINFORCED~-

ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Table 1 (continued)

AZ.PRESSED-OUT CON. OR ROUNDED BOSSES ¢ q

5 ee eel ~- RIDGED BOSSES (

44.APPLIED CON. OR ROUNDED BOSSES | q

45. -- RIDGED BOSSES (

46.NO LUGS OR BOSSES

BASES

41. CONICAL BASE

43 /CONOID ss

49. OVOID at

50. GLOBULAR --

MAX. 1O MM.

MORE THAN [O MM.

KOCK

A. BOWLS (13) B. BAGSHAPED POTS (21) D. SPOUTED POTS (14)

MMi. SS 2 2022-202 ADO 1 ae inition | Dane) ICO MIR te te fata

|| [5 6 14 19 4950 54575758 5860 60] —*[16 16 17 17 19 20 25 25 28 3739 42 64 4748 49 52545758 60] 6 37 37454545 56 56||

FIG. SISTENT ORO EE NEN NID IN Sila sel| ey er oa NTI ON

SS Sa Sess SSSx | 5 Soe Skies

Se as Se S | = xxx > Sk KEK

See EMRE EL | KER X Ses

SITE Sep PSE Gd fs erg cae | EN Ce EO ; Be) Sad Gy een) RO

(X) x K x 4

6-8 ees, xX XK X xX-X KX x x 6

XOXa aXe x Xess Xe MIX 4

Kaa Ke 7

X OAX)OUX) XOX) X 3

YVUY VY

(=> S

4 : (= m

ao i?) (>)

™m n [e)

‘ 1

AaAQl|A aw

geelegek

ma lle

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA

Table 2

FEATURE SCHEDULE OF

COMPLETE OR NEAR-COMPLETE VESSELS.

621

wom

XXXX XX

Dwr ewan s/o]

MON Im ®NM NIN

nAO~ nloo

N NINN NID DD DID

yelasslee gle

xX X x

Sill

X X)X XX XX XX XX XX

Xin x xX x

YAlmost bagshaped 2/Necked bow! j/Grass admixture 4/No noticeable neck YAlmost necked pot

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA

621

Table 2

FEATURE SCHEDULE OF

COMPLETE OR NEAR-COMPLETE VESSELS.

A. BOWLS (13) B. BAGSHAPED pors (21) D.__SPOUTED POTS (14)

TYPE 22 22202) 2221 27 Tay MIeLoey)

[aoe | ea SOE 19 4950 363757 58 58.60 60] 16 161717 19 2005 2528373090 e718 350575960] — Te TAT ITT TTSSTaVISTSUSSESO

re | WESESSEe Seal Eevee ccere esse gees ee ne

SsssssS5/* | IS |S SS SS5S5522585e = xxx >Ss =| ===>:

SeRSSS OSE] FU ARESESSESSEE1 | S588) [5*|*5| SES SES

pee R2eeexoaesasal (sss8es2ec-3-33 nS a22

RESSEELERSRS| [SESS es Ssassesankaceas seassasseeeesel |

| (Gmmaiyre herr amen Teele xxx x [oe]

RIM |68|XXX XXXXXXXXX XID yx x xx | 6

rey XX XXX K | |<

INECK |4-15 XXX 7

7-19 AOKX LX) XK Xx S

IDECOR_

ball

[hers

x)!

x |x!

tall

| >

ted)

‘ 2

| 2 2

‘ x | xe

ce BE eee P7;

2 x 2

3 xx 2

6 2

DiCUXEs exe ra kunt 6

a |x" x XA 6

uA Xen ae 8

5 |x xx 3

ix x 2

Pe RAE A iGL teehee x xine [| SR NOK 10

x Ja es i (2 1

x x xx xx [ olx x xx ¢

Kexi Poa SS | x | 9 Xxx: EX. x xia

x xx xi

x | 2 1

| x || xXxXxXI 7 ‘

| i

Per Ee Deo SO ne 1

xx RUPXAREX HEZ:

MX Pe Oe "

Mica. x 3

xx 2

x XXX X xx xf

EXD RERIX. xx x 8

eS 3

x x x ‘

x x y 2

1 2

Mex oe 5

. H

x ee Dy 3

x 1

YAimost bagshaped 2Necked bow! J/Grass admixture 4/No noticeable neck 3/Almost necked pot

Table 3

| ) PORT ALFRED (6) \EAST LOND.(4)

| SWA (3) W_COAST(6) SAL DANDA (10) me

IAG BP }| FP a ee ||

Aue db aih|| Pi GD ADL || DQ |. sp ale ae

55 66 68|| 414 14 14 14 16161616 16| >SRES :

Sie DINGO Sree NS Om on staion c == Es

SS= ==) [SSS S555555 x=

x SS

BUY SoS RS SSS SSS SSS 8 x

3 KX Xs x X|| 2 || 38

WR A\Se > 5% 1

a XXXXXX ee E 9% |

lea | x XGEXGO Xs XGIXNeoXG

x7 x X

Xe XXX TEASE SE SC SESE SE 1 DEON

| | x |

x | xx itd) pe x x

Mal sa |

I ECBOS OSS PAO ABS x | X|| 3

Pog exe X tee exe sie

4 7 l :

|| Seas Sell Ble se x |x x x

y XGEX eX | 3 XOX i x4

D 80 |x Wh a X Tx

81 Salih oop ene me coal”: x x x

Allee. lle | eexex Ke SOI Se

f Woe J erence

H Bai xeueoallae mR 2 x | 1

25, x 1 X(X)|| 1 x al Bx, 2

85 [ [tx | 3

TN TCT | XOXO) Smale x x I Panein MSE De Se SOE Fell @ ie coll.1 || 26

87 xX xi 21 comm (X) (XXX) CO OO) XE ale2

S68 Jue J {i ail He 12

Ny 89 PO SIOD 2 |x x PT | 4 |x xx x xX Xf 6 x 1 38

R | goloxxxx) x Seal a) Coborsoi xxx! 1 1K) OO x | x | Om 1 | 6

pe Se EY |e | (X? PEL ieee

623

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA

LiIXX 914 CUIAXX ‘O14

9:IIIA O14 L:X! Old EIAXX O14

EIA Old

ey)

LilA 914

L:AXX 914 CHM Ola 2IXX WA LHX “OIF 9:XXX Old CAUEVAN AOS)

jee

— — os ee =

YFIONITS (%08)0IW (%6Z)GIW (ALWGIW (%0S)dIW ON ON Y/N

T1WL (%08)0IW I%6X) CINW(%ILG)ITIVL (%LIIGAW (%I7BIGIW ON ON N

TIVINS (%0L)WS(%0E)CIW (%6Z)0 IW (NE WV(%IGOIW (%IDIGIW (%LODINMKEWIIYY (%LQIWNIGIW oY

ITV (%08)1 IVWS I%BEITTWL(% 0S) GIN ( %OOWS( KODA IW( %ELEIWS( %0S) IM %E EIGIW(%LWIIYY T1IVWWS H

WNIGAIW (% YQNWS(%IWGIW (%YDIGIW (KEW UASHWACIW( %IE) OSV U%IVNGIW ONIAYWA (%S8) TIVWS Jd

OSHSINSNG | (*%6B)0GFHSINY NG GIHSINYNG OIJHSINY NEG GIHSINANG (%ODVYNE (ZOSIWS(%ZYNd (%ESIWS JOWsYNS

NIHL (%2ONTHLA %BLZN IHL %ZE) NIH LAC %EDNIHLO%EYNIHL'AC%SSINIHL(%OEINIHLAC%OLINIHL (%LG) MOIHL |(%29)NIHL(% ZY) MOIHL S71WM

WNIGAW (%Z22VOX%LINGIN (%O9' VOI %PEIONK %EWVOD( %E¥)ICGIW OINIAX WN (%0S) WNIGAW| (%OGISFA (%0S ION XINGY

ai (% 9VTEG(%9IDIIY (%SL)0F¥ (%IDIG(%OW GIy | (%0V1E(%09) GF (%L9) MOVIE (%SL) MIVIG IWidFLVW

djdLNIOd (%98) GFZLNIOd (%96) GALNIOd|(%%8)GILNIOd OILNIOd (%OWY VY INGO 19 YV INGO 719 ISvq

SFA (%SZ)SFA ON (HEE STFA ON ON ON SISSOG

ON ON SAA SAA SAA (%SZ) ON (%E6) ON SONT

SAA (YOGSFIAC~ZOVON| (%SASIAI(*RSLION]| (%IDS IM %ILION ON ON (%58) ON NOILVYOOFT

ON (%BIDSFA (%0L) SFA ON ON ON ON YO NO/LONAL

TVIILY SA YIEINOHW%IVLY IA (WOBIYINOD K%LWNOW%IDLY FA (%99) TOIN | ON ON MOIN

OANYNLY FAO (%SL)NIV Id (%EOIGINYNLY FAO! (%L6INIVId % O6JOINYNLY FAO (% LB) NIVId NIV Id WI4Y

Ge Ge LAG) (nO) =) Ga L@ | dA 1Ens

OV ts Oviiss 66 we= 61 2 4/q

68°02 U/ 14

LlOd GdyIlNOdsS GC 10d GAFIHOIN OD LOd Gad VHSOVE 'g IMOGg ¥ ddaAl

FJ INGFHIS

SdAT IVY INFO

FEATURE SCHEDULE OF COMPLETE OR NEAR COMPLETE VESSELS.

Table 3 C. NECKED POTS (105)

APE SOUTH COAST (23) F

SWAC3. W COAS are | SALDANDA (10) SOUTH-WESTERN COAST (25) CAPE PENINSULA (12) HANGKLIP (5) & PORT ELIZABETH (8) PORT ALFRED (6) EAST Lovo (4)!

es D222272 222022222 2 (2x2) a

TYPE Di PMD 2111 2001 21) 1 2 22a Mote 1 TK 2 201 td Tiana) 2(2)2(2) 2.2 20 Se a Oa OTD TE 22 REPRISE PEIETE TT 21, D222 2

' f | an ear 556668 14 Te 14 16 1616 1616 16 0 1717 W1Z97 17 18 18 181819 1919 202020 2020 2020 2020 21 22 2223 23.23.2323 2627 27 1828 29.30 31 50 OOS GT OO RS SN EOE DSHS a SSK aes

fe | Wewal lezees2| l2sees 22222) P22 e(22222ess =| 22252222 || ESsss2sssss| [E2283 REEELERSE SERS ES SEE =| [SSS |] |] $888

Sis geSf25] [SSS55 55555 ps | SX R| XXX RR ERE SS x ERX =X x= S55 5553 REKK SER ESE x! IE SSS Ras

5 | Say ST NSP eH NMENHE BOD = ors = =

ove = = = Trin te = Tn ono DK ot¥nrOunR wo = =~ aye eee ee = 8°? = BReS Ps

SITE ez] aa Vee ey aun VISAVO is is eas 2 SNS SSaN MIS SVS Soe Le ee VSN Ss Nasu POLAR

Ey SRloHe Sag 9 ; SegoneeosSessses SS Svan oos ony Reese SSSSSESSRSSSESRENSN SWRNINSES BSSss

| Ki SA El & 2 eee ae te ee oe ; a °4aees RNs =O. Xx) UY a =I XN

x aman ane Ray ft

KXXK XX 5 REE xx | xxii 16 |x ae xe] xx 2

x ox Fa exe Ke XENON 7 |x x ay BS ee xX 5

ax i SEXE Ee, ca 1 x xi] 2 x x 1

Xx xx ahs Fes The oehese nase 20nd 9 |xx x ae ile Ae XXX KKIKX XXX IX XX xX 7

x 1

x 4] xxx _xx_x]_iLz yay XE TENEENk SXO KEKE EGO X a ee ee

eee x Fae: 1 xs Secs x

x 1 x ie x xX ae

Beas | sl earn oe ere eae CBee eon) eg hee eet Pe pay | RU Re SS

RIOD Pee eee DS OE ie Cs XX tex x XO xx Deon xx Tx eo 42 XXX XXX X XXX XXX KEK Xo eK

ne BS AMD Ibe 1 iS x 1 x

Ry x

| x xe. x

el rel pc al Re = = a

lal a x x

| x x x ay 7 koe Me X || Hier enexaas|iea) | Xx xe | ox Xe 5 x

7a Bet 3 x x_x x|| 4 1) | Ee i x x Ix ai

x Tie ok xl] 6 x x a x eran tomes Be 7 x

TE RR a Nee BK Xe X Xe ve siz: reo! Ne x XX 6 |x x Xi] 3 |x 1 |xXxxxx| x XXXXX |X X |XX X} 16 1x x x xX

3x iis) x fe Nore Ss x x 4 xo NE i Neen

i T x 1 { Faupep anens aan xx x x|| 70 Fae Ne Rep oe

xi 1 BIS 2|x x

bear p eG a Sess hs ‘ AUN ere WEE VEE x|| 7 |x i | 2 Balla MRS Be x x ‘

k x He Me oe oe ys Sema rall Te [pie x Sa er al a ana! Giese ee x %

—— 2 x u tT — ik

Rice x aK Mer te xe 2a|xx xxx xxxx xx xf i2[xx x x xP 5 [xxx a [xxx xxx xx xx xx | xx XXX xX x xX xl a1 |x x x x x x xxi e lx x xx x XI 6 |,

c ASR ae a oe. xX xi lx x x leans & ben x Teae x

xxK Cree eK (QM oe Peake RE Rees || allpene 7 |, x Sens Be x

x x|| 2 x

+ Ba ! ee

| | x 1 | xXx

| xx Rol XxX | 7 band x XXX xX

AUR Ney a |

| RI Ree a 2 i xx xl or x 1 lee iy

HAS Ge we Desare hi rae x |i 12\x« Herd PGI Ss x xx Di PORE BERL SE NACE NORGE PENG Be

= —| — = alse

le 77x i XX 2 ie 7 x

7m) xxi 2\x x xl a |xx rol Pobepe | ti lbes Sg Wid bebe Bary o tren ens KONAEIb se SACO e @ Se 1 Sil lie se i Wee ee CeeN eee x

a 29| jx ex a) xx x| 3 Ret BEX vy sone lel 2 x ia fillet OMe oe x

Dd | aolx 1 Ir |x 1 eax x3 vos x 3 1

a! xi 1 yx x x xi 6 xx x} 3 |xon x x KX RN FORK RNIN 13 |x Roe be Sal ia ft [ps NX: SI XE ERK

| feat x fa || xX Pa sat iee a (O2 SLD BETAINE Ba xxx |e x_| 1 [xx | Meee aX, yee be

Aaa eS eee cel |e 2 x 17 Co) x TT) x 7 x

gel x It xox 1 |] x Z| x] aol} oo xx | lool] x 2| x Kes Ke xx

le By ee eS ese el a Le x x 2 | x x x

N 86 XK KNX XX XX) a x x | 3 x x OO x (XXX) | Xx ) & x x X (xX) 3 il |e x x X OX (X) X XO

87 xxl 2] eae fo cox leo oo xe XOX COR) (0000) BINGE ices URS tepl| (roll ioc P| exe) A) oe Fe x

98 x oo fa x

Bll ae Dead | ais =_— x,

NA 89 x X¢X) 2 |x x Tel x x 2 | x 1 X (x) x = x

R | golxxww. x x xa] onoorr (on!) 1 10) COX 00 Cox x x Onoomonn | ox | ool « foox x x x x (xxx) | coll 5 Joax x eo |! 2 |x 1 |x(xIx) Ox x x x x0) XK) Xx

Lor IL : il _ 1 xb xX 00 oo j2 (Xx a | x eo)

Table 5

SALDANHA

57-0D

4|-0%

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ie)

“s

rece arias telat

site group

aaVHS

WHOaN

GM OLKIN GY) AMNS) NOMS p

RSS imate LS Ral

: ei Betube ptf RTS LIA

Sse Se aEucine aE lel ini = ieiaei BE

! ig -| ets ae trac

S 7 Se eietet

: : 5 Be Eee

Hee |_fals| 3 a tat ta HHA

a Ee@e we A SIE Fa

eu lss aa SIS Ee es a

: a5 pe enh ReraHa

atc ssi aici [Ss a| IaI* (8

|e |g ane 4 [sla BERE cmaigetee

a . | oF 0, v

: a g EB aa aa

< | AVESNVTS 02 / | a esis + a9 . [Oye rept

S TAvasiaaa vol a i] | oy 1 =/*la| I SlalASeae

: ae : po mettre

elel2 LI Is SHE BRE ine aa

4 = E FARE: S| |

= = vlc < N| oOo oOo i=) —

[J BEE lel I: slal islels| | | |

gi fe g aC

Tas Aes ie bbl EE

imi Gob aah elie eal [2

S1-ict a | = siel (elal [ |

fe ewe joes aoe

| i eisigi¢iaisis & elsleelsizis/ajaie

| 18 ile eduys a co) + es

q tye) w w (ts) wo

4)(O8

2% VNC

BH C\e dapat

es tee 85

all pots

625

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA

x - HNN - - -- --

HIE IE KKM

HM EIEIO

x x

x x x

DED EN | EA — ILHAM AIA DAWA I

XX HH — XN - - 4 - --

Xt = = =| = = = PW x

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x x rg

x x—x

¥——x x

Hd x x x x

XK x

A= 1 eg

pa a a De

IEE HOE OE ON OO

XPayaiom™

- *

He = 0 = = - OOK

Je1eN+ HK - HANI

/B1eN+ ye SY

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Table 5 DISTRIBUTION OF POTTERY FEA

COAST PORT ELIZABETH|PORT ALFRED EAST LONDON

HANG KLIP AGULHAS | CAPE SOUTH 7 3 =)-le

3 =e] julzial> are) [ele fal |e E 2/4] |3| lalal |# al2| I“ 3 Bls|é Zhai] fail) fale! \elely| (6 2] S\=lz] |e Sila 2 3|§| lalz

=] ter] a ee a = — jo a Lay = = = = Le S

Bla ele SB) ielelale 2IB/s\) las al ls] |Z} |= 2\5| |8| lalal [2 ala|| le! |g az2 glelal (2l2\ lalsl lelals E EY lala| |a S\e/2| |Z lale =|8

a | é Es ; i z = al le : 2 = z

S|s 2] |xals lays ESF Fad kal fd to) |Z) joo) |e fie) fel lela} lle ele| ia} is Bl sa|st Sls|S|_ le fa |95 [az | 7545] = | 2c He] 747 [48149] >4[50] + |< [51 [52\53 [54 9%h5] + | o balorlsalozis0|60| 12> ts

NS al 3)2} 2/8) Sls|@le] |Blse| | fey _fe ol eal sx tea tazloztoalertaalos|oclzslar| + [2% palealaclao|eaist| + [oa [sziaa|sa| + | oz [sslanis7|[s0)s9)7Ho}41 6 OF] tls) 194] 3] 35 al agl 2s] fabvel fala) she)

ainkroon late 617/890} + | oq |14|12]13|14124)15 116 + = EZ ap er ee + Xs Y = = 13] iat ha glee [uf | 10 1 Zp 7 ah) ¥3))9 Ee) EY PEE I

if & 7 1 3 1 5 al -

i ! zee stetlesl ea RBE Weel less") e2|_| lcs if alg SN : ar W736 ott chiahac un] tehrf ftokss]i7a}sahiufacht53| 927] 6} ha) apap en) 1a-6]n}hn 5 9 HNL STAN bea} a1 1

ia] [2 all [37 Bie be tvabss} Br [oni] alinbfrea|zohcoe] Of tnfscel 4] 2)64) [5.3] saad UF fbb Tales 10 55 Wie = azul) 4a) oa

3 1 a] 1| 9] 4] 3] 28] 90s|17] 3] 4}ra pee] 6)13) 56] 916 43) » Lu Tala tel 2ot is Way a} 50 aio ( 1 Th ) = = J ral thas

a ; ; Th alos Well) S| az 2433 tafis of | = = 358] (0) atti 16 1 7 138 1a) 712: \9] 67) 1 ta a] 8 “Her

= 5 = = ii ste las Talbot aes wa af ao| [ap sel pa Si ea) 14 ia) thal [ala Ee ee Glen fos

® F=s/-[a|_Lashe|_lol_[slrlolal tsi] fi si apatnboptacl [ala oho] s}ialead ai sv of yt {soot fy = 7 tal st hoc] A 86105] eo) al 5] 9)x0) af 2e}r0) 3) ahitt)i2) eal [al anaes Fr oH

lis: BI Gf 9 nl aluipssl2cs| 2] abel alerl a] 7hyal a wfod ohie] 2] 2ifia of 7] of af vs}so0f 2] 1} 2 ‘Ice a_| alsa af a2) Wal tfco) | ace] Tahal 5] 62 mE aalir ill rol batt 0%

oid | ABE ritntalal eleela [58 t se} Vb] US Hoo 3100 Takata i Ghisles| as}iz| shoe) | a alive) i] 9|io5] 2 6) at pale 2 a5l 57]

1 apts | [she] s|5 ail | Alaa ae i i i at fra} ay ay Cm Yan = = Tah

1 2 5 1a = =

1) Er a 1G a] fata} t can a) 14) 15

= 3 i = =. hub Ee a imal 7

= Se aoe |_| 3foo] 4 uf] a] ake al eet | tft of affoe 3f aati of stot = ala s}oa Il BSA LT 02,

iz 3 i] alinil teli9 at [ales a oS ; at 1 16h Lo

sa 8 1 1} sna 2) qushua 255) M9) 180) 2) 27) 31 TU Miri] azo 7] t oy 1 79 Cry

13.0 ats bb} Sfioof a] sy vy rosa] 3} 2) aed ry

a : Fi T3}is=| 1] ale aaj uuls: 19) aes lis T9}t4] ial [zal enli [sibel fal alen|._li75a

m la) {ool 51 ue - A al 13,12) 5] 30] |r) oll ty [at SainRacEliatae a ole Bi ltt) att aol a

2 ia ltal Tos! [sti] el_| alia i sarah ste gated | ake 107 On | ae

asin iia 5 ras] ala] | zm zea a] 3k eee ETE ee eT Til A) Sha} | tifiog 1 A 1) El Tal aligall arte (12

es - = Sq Tt} 3/00 Kel | a Be 66 5

= oe i) ee Mh oq Hf 9fool 3} al 2} asi 9} a) | oli] 2 Shoo! I] yur 7) TES ni Ce ee ee) ria ah 70d _1} 1) 9)521 Ihsoplss ;

ET] Vi fice | Af aries) aftr 3] 4p Meas = apo t Di ea taal it] 4} 20}20.6) ater] A} 2 9) 6) YS) 26.2 SH E ts MN BiG Dat | 47%

A Sissel toloi| | sizes) abeal | abs ie Hap} 3} 3 Boe t 02 0) 2 hee ale Nleity SN a)

$0 1] = 191 Nee - = i aa ela] $]/90 i) 1} a LC =| i = 3f 3)

silialiat iE a en ie bey IL cil = am falar 1 20 = = = 2h om |}43%

LS Te es — = 1} 33 = —— = 6 = = we

° ee Moot hala (as Yat 5% 7 al sl 1éllo1 is 13/19) 5 12; 3] 30} 6) All 242 4p

uae ti tol ['s]30] [9] 7] 6] 22! als) as at AINE risliol Taleoo|Uvbiel _|_9} $}n0] 6] 35|ar Wtafing @f-36)or 5] | ali ofere) 2) 1] t6lo00 |] 243 [7m lorsevover a

|z 14-22 |= mI Vf Alec) loc) gf ify 8] a af al slees] 5) s u i ‘ 7 Wag |tla desl sSlioy}--. «.

23 ie i 3 ios] | 4poey | a | eso} y i 71 6d 2] tfc el] a} 3} alg Glas Wi7[200]or 619 necks

$24 Ee fea] too} a} slioo} 4 Was i = TE SlawlSear os

$25 2 = = = lle if [3 4|

S25A = = (E ll 3 21 30" | 4] oI VW | aallrr62, Fg for 245 deconnecy

26 = 13) 1 t_|4{ 10) = ! 1 7 7) Sr teua las oe a

afi a B aI =o Z a leeele =e

28|i))| [J]. 1 ee = 3 = U 2 i600 | s 8

Fe OO Sa Pipa 2 4 | = i H = a Oe ee

3o| |s {ECA 1a 1 | [> = Ea = 1 1 aie

z Sat taco | = = H

eo1 2 ae) We = = 21 )-

GE IRItGR ie = — i q| oa

“ 321s t = = = 15] 6}

& 233 1 1 3 1 vl = — = a

< 2 34 = i = =

z =i = Z i 7 ! 2] 2| 3] 7 3

° i = 11] 3] s/c) a9[s0| | abelai| 7] 8)49|a 5500

a) L 25: 46) i5.0|17|14[/8) 39)975 5 ttValeslmeilea

a 275 i7|t5| a! i t9| [23] [14] 66) 2 a

= 5) 52 36/17 4| 1) 14) 700] 5)

i ==

5 (Tt a ee

0a =

aP =

w } aoa

° Tr) =

2 5] 62) 38)

i} 509

3 al ATs li

105) Fae 21) B] 364

1 =

3]: if 3/36

w [al f= 27/1

< 2203 6| 16} 728] 5| i

32 22 5

a 23 [ral f i siirae

lz 28) 1 ale 2l luo} 2] vel sap 2) of | Ay as a OE 1 5 ara:

5 z 4 ae a 35 5] Sani yrozelr.i[e2|relsa) iol 3|t99) 72 1 16% a0 Al 1915 vale 3 yc p

sO SEL be R qi 59 i es wi 25s

$ 2o|s7 0/1551) 32/20] 114915 4 | 2 Trl 7 aD BITE)

Gj 54 Til alain 7 27| 972) —- ; 7 lial ;

= T7|sezhiaied ia] 6] tal 2 Oe cl be eg} a fat iH -.

Tia 5}taliod 6) 1) 4] 1} 2) aren oD iia] Salis 0 fore] | al 2

seat HAL a ales! BC Be 5| 7719 [en 25

8 ! ax ve Ure als rn 500] 6] 3\ ale al 4 Sifiso | 3h] Sis) A] W7limo

C 95) | ba 7 4 i

f solic ie Wl 4 7719 ul2 gfiazter a | WSO] lteliod Of oor, 2]nelccrlt1 |r [60 por] tale] oa beat Mhos| 3] S3lr oft

x 2 Tole iat | shoal al 9 aol 1 1 2} Bios] S| 1a] 62 4 4/58) a

I Ls Abe et y= nie 3a] a5

2 = =

g aliz a toll r fo) al t Me

a i i 7| 7rolza|_|ielzali 2 m0 ia =! - -- 7

ie A Aleoid H My 7 7] $3[94 cach 710] 16|nirel2o] whoo ofeajoode7snd Ss s|a6hedia3| yo s|1018) 6/115] 95 1/1 Baleoqis|isdte) st}io00 52/(000) MN} ores ust med ee 41H ood ine stain al els cl al Metts} 3] 2) delice Hl

be = Palace] | Wood 4 29 - lh

= 30-8] 2] 9H) 0 3} 54 1} 53) 1 ov 2 13/51] 15)

3 13] feel | ste C) a{olt6|_|t2hol ws 7_ It i3a|_ fies om i 52] {Nofey i f aii ot revolt — Total af ata 457] sa

2 22li80 lp (Pome al Gl Sélic [to] A la}si| 6) 49/394 l ai

: Vibezolead yy 140k 4 VY 5]tir) 5] 5] Bo}20 4 Wes}eo|t8|ss2} Bicol sless| $7]554) 2[t3]351) Beso] lu tlucl 6) 2] a9f2o5| 7 08 b Ho BHO) 1] Thes|to 2] OFS) 94 [PRIA] BING Lays oan In rua} Qropeblnui| 5| 3} 53]54i || 793} 59 7

i 36/75 ola7biy Bl [it bs yo] 6] y|telieqioli3| 72) 155 feslas|ialag| 10) 4/0 ca | we ; (mz Wo} SN} b6 2) 9} Oo] TUN ira Oils (feo) T4shz5 101157] 12 [t4lsie| 3] G19} 00 x8 ia el rel | a

x a7 | ds We Ball T 1 1 al she 70) 3) 6] 1] alse] 4) e7}ic a} | 02,

g ilar = tL afasl af af ei fatea | | aja 25 1 ol [ae] seh a7 SEA ee 2! = Het tt tata : BI nfs 4a} [15] 94 98)

Lt t 1

fa7|_|t2! afighal af 9 oat] [ito] 9: \_ 2 (cia 6 5|_ R29) 124i | 2

5 4a{_ [a7 EL ps i = = = 1a _ [ela on ai 3] [si vel f2tay fet tt rate ! 15

r) : Sig = = = = i t 2 ice

3 2 ; ; 22 : 1 2 2 5 at iahebal si rr

ait pote] Saal [1616 6 val sleafia)7]ian] [27 Whol fiehalios| — [ar 9] fier] [isla | gitel hala: 8] ae t i V2 io

x E

(tear

Hy 3 ~ 2 ra

‘ Bee - a

5 -

3 -

Q 5 if

= _

~ 2

> Ns

FS f -

ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

626

O10d quinedss 4

STMO"P ‘V

Slog dadvHsdvd @

% Op

SLOd TAMAN'D

%09

HO8

‘TS 4d ‘ad ASWYS “INV HORVH “Nad IISIOMS “IVS ustoOMm Was

% 00)

C3dAL AAALIO’ JO NOILNGIALSIC (age

STRANDLOPER POTTERY FROM SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST AFRICA 627

Table 8

DISTRIBUTION OF WALL THICKNESSES

80 %

60 Te

40%

67 MEDIUM

68 THICK

20% 66 THIN

628 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM

Table 9

DECORATION

SWA._WCOAST SALD. SWCOAST C. PEN. HANGKL. AGULH SCOAST PRE. PORTA. EL.

100%

oii

TOT TT

@FCeHCSCHOBeUSFFTSEFSFFSGF SEH HEE

TOO eT

MARAANAAAAARAARRA ARR

TOOT To oT

WOODIVELDISUDAODDUOOSODDOLDINIIDNNIBItiOD

— TOOT TT

y EN : y : :

=% Ni | EN = =3 =; :

Y Ni || EN : 4 4 Fl | EA. : 788

=ZHS Nel || EN BN BY ime | | BN BL i = ne |

PA Nile | Ba Nom || EN AN =4 IE =7NHe: BS) BAe) | aig | 37

=ZNNGill= ZN ls =SGlll = ON =i! =ZNBit> ATS UE: =ZN iB 27° Al BNEZ 2

12456789 12656789 15679 1345789 1246789 1256789 49 12656789 1256789 12346789 1234678

1. Hor. lines 2. Vert. or diag. lines 3. Check or herringbone patterns 4. Short vert.or hor lines

5. Rim patterns 6./impressed patterns 7 Shoulder decor 8. Combinations 9. No decoration

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INSTRUCTIONS TO AUTHORS

| MANUSCRIPTS

In duplicate (one set of illustrations), type-written, double spaced with good margins,

including TABLE OF CONTENTs and Summary. Position of text-figures and tables must be

indicated.

ILLUSTRATIONS

So proportioned that when reduced they will occupy not more than 42 in. = 7 in. (74 in.

| including the caption). A scale (metric) must appear with all photographs.

REFERENCES

! Authors’ names and dates of publication given in text; full references at end of paper in

| alphabetical order of authors’ names (Harvard system). References at end of paper must be

| given in this order:

| Name of author, in capitals, followed by initials; names of joint authors connected by &,

not ‘and’. Year of publication; several papers by the same author in one year designated by

suffixes a, b, etc. Full title of paper; initial capital letters only for first word and for proper

names (except in German). Title of journal, abbreviated according to World list of scientific

periodicals and underlined (italics). Series number, if any, in parenthesis, e.g. (3), (n.s.), (B.).

Volume number in arabic numerals (without prefix ‘vol.’), with wavy underlining (bold type).

i Part number, only if separate parts of one volume are independently numbered. Page numbers,

| first and last, preceded by a colon (without prefix ‘p’). Thus:

i. Smits, A. B. 1956. New Plonia species from South Africa. Ann. Mag. nat. Hist. (12) 9: 937-945.

| When reference is made to a separate book, give in this order: Author’s name; his initials;

date of publication; title, underlined; edition, if any; volume number, if any, in arabic numerals,

| with wavy underlining; place of “HL SIRALStOTE name of publisher. Thus:

i Brown, X. Y. 1953. Marine faunas. 2nd ed. 2. London: Green.

' _ When reference is made to a paper forming a distinct part of another book, give: Name of

i author of paper, his initials; date of publication; title of paper; ‘In’, underlined; name of

| author of book; his initials; title of book, underlined; edition, if any; ee number, if any,

_ in arabic ican, with wavy underlining; pagination of paper; place of So ere name

| of publisher. Thus:

_ SMITH, C. D. 1954. South African Plonias. In Brown, X. Y. Marine faunas. 2nd ed. 3: 63-95.

\ London: Green.

| SYNONYMY

i Arranged according to chronology of names. Published scientific names by which a species

_has been previously designated (subsequent to 1758) are listed in chronological order, with

| abbreviated bibliographic references to descriptions or citations following in chronological

| order after each name. Full references must be given at the end of the paper. Articles and

_ recommendations of the International code of zoological nomenclature adopted by the XV International

pane of zoology, London, Fuly 1958, are to be observed (particularly articles 22 and 51).

_ Examples: Plonia capensis Smith, 1954: 86, pl. 27, fig. 3. Green, 1955: 23, fig. 2.

When transferred to another genus:

Euplonia capensis (Smith) Brown, 1955: 259.

When misidentified as another species:

Plonia natalensis (non West), Jones, 1950: 18.

When another species has been called by the same name:

[non] Plonia capensis: Jones, 1957: 27 ( = natalensis West).