Zulu Ukhamba (Beer Pot). South Africa, ca. 20th century. Burnished earthenware. Minor wear, abrasions, surface dirt, and several chips to rim. Pottery is traditionally a skill practiced by women in Zulu culture. These pots are hand built utilizing the coil technique, smoothed, and then burnished. This one features raised bumps (amasumpa) that have been pushed out from the inside to create geometric patterns. Ukhamba holds utshwala, sorghum beer, which is the food of the ancestors and is a vessel used in ritual and social life. Provenance: Douglas Dawson Gallery, Chicago. Height 10 2/2 x diameter 12 ?".