The term “pottery” is indicative of the ceramic ware produced by the potters. Apart from the ceramic ware, materials like porcelain, stoneware and earthenware are also taken into account as pottery. The potters basically use hands to turn a lump of clay into pottery materials. The potter's wheel is also used for making pottery. Shaping instruments like ribs, paddles, anvils; cutting tools such as wires, and knives; rolling instruments like rolling pins and roulettes; finishing instruments like chamois and burnishing stones are also used. However, the method of pottery making varies from country to country. For example, the method employed for producing pottery in Africa is quite different from that used in making Indian pottery. Therefore, the African pottery is distinctly different from the pottery items made in India. Items of African pottery are exquisite specimen of African art.
It is in the tenth millennium that the art of pottery making began in North Africa. African pottery has thrown a challenge to the European pottery. Archaeologists have already traced the use of African pottery in European countries like Denmark, Spain, Greece, and Austria. And of course, it is vividly used in the different parts of northern Africa.
The people of North Africa continued the production of African Red Slip even under the Vandal rule during 400 and 500 AD.
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| The production of this kind of African pottery continued till the Islamic invasion in the later part of 600 AD. During the Islamic Invasion, pottery having colorful glassy glazes became common in Africa. There is a long history of African low-fire pottery. The style of this particular kind pf pottery differs from one Africa state to another. They are also exhibiting a great development through time. Functional pottery is commonly produced in the regions around Foumban situated in the western part of Cameroon. Apart from this, the extensive use of pottery is witnessed in sub-Saharan Africa. Most of the people inhabiting this region make use of pottery items which they produce themselves. True that use of handmade pottery survive in the rural regions of Africa, but the people of African town are also using the industrially manufactured pottery items.
At present, a special technique in distinctive methods is followed in making the African pottery. The method includes five steps – Concave mold, direct pull, convex mold, hammer and anvil, and coiling. An African potter performs each of these steps in order to give shape to African pottery items.
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