Genevieve Krass Historical Project

 

This piece is a decorated global vessel, with an everted lip, from an Igbo tribe in Africa. 

To make the vessel, the clay was mined and prepared, then mixed the clay with water until it was malleable. Matter (such as ground sand, pebbles, old pottery, or crushed dried grass) was mixed into the clay to decrease shrinkage during the drying and firing process. The substance mixed in never exceeded 50% of the mixture. Clay was coiled around a flattened base, then molded and smoothed into a shape. The piece was then sundried, decorated when fully dried, and then wood fires for four hours.