I am an absolute novice on - but a great admirer of - traditional South African pottery. I’ve been wanting to make a start in getting a few examples that are long since out of use. This is clearly a beer pot and supposedly Zulu. It might well be but I associate Zulu beer pots with those wonderful squat numbers - often with the little warts or nipples you could call them that stud the upper half for decoration. I’m hoping this kind of little mystery will help me learn more about my compatriots’ beautiful ceramic traditions.
What I’m not unsure about is that this is a very pleasing object even separated from its traditional significance in traditional beer and the sacred rituals that surround it.