Valley Tonga coil pottery

Coil clay rings by hand into a pot, shape the belly and neck, burnish and incise patterns, then fire it and judge the result.

Heritage note

Part of the living heritage of Tonga, Zambia. Some forms of this practice carry deep meaning for the communities who keep it; here we describe the play and the craft only, with respect for its roots.

Origins

A living tradition passed from person to person; it is not tied to a single dated origin. It belongs to the cultural world of Pacific and Oceania.