Vessel (Ukhamba)
<p>Within Zulu communities, serving sorghum beer to family and guests creates a sense of hospitality, maintains social cohesion, and functions as the primary means for communicating with ancestors. Ornamented vessels like the one displayed here, with textured patterns and blackened surfaces, enhance the experience both socially and spiritually. Women make them by using a coiling technique without a wheel. The decoration both enlivens the container visually and makes it easier to grip the surface.</p>
Images courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art (CC0)