Skip to Content
Shop
Search
About
Contact
VS Blog
Versacrum Studio
Login Account
0
0
Shop
Search
About
Contact
VS Blog
Versacrum Studio
Login Account
0
0
Shop
Search
About
Contact
VS Blog
Login Account
Shop Vintage Anthropomorphic Chambri Wood Fired Polychrome Earthenware Damarau
1 / 6
4CC3563E-0222-44A1-B758-DB671EDD9CB0.jpeg Image 1 of 6
4CC3563E-0222-44A1-B758-DB671EDD9CB0.jpeg
5E5C5F8B-7EDF-4D0D-82DC-1ADE6BDEAB70.jpeg Image 2 of 6
5E5C5F8B-7EDF-4D0D-82DC-1ADE6BDEAB70.jpeg
60F53413-1AE2-4380-B0EC-02F049FDADC6.jpeg Image 3 of 6
60F53413-1AE2-4380-B0EC-02F049FDADC6.jpeg
BD4C253E-D25B-4B3B-A17C-A78E4599B442.jpeg Image 4 of 6
BD4C253E-D25B-4B3B-A17C-A78E4599B442.jpeg
E1C40BE2-65D7-4412-BD24-68B23FF0D610.jpeg Image 5 of 6
E1C40BE2-65D7-4412-BD24-68B23FF0D610.jpeg
5C64BDCB-139E-45F1-A8ED-2A127988BC7D.jpeg Image 6 of 6
5C64BDCB-139E-45F1-A8ED-2A127988BC7D.jpeg

Vintage Anthropomorphic Chambri Wood Fired Polychrome Earthenware Damarau

$400.00
sold out

Vintage Anthropomorphic Chambri Wood Fired Polychrome Earthenware Damarau. Wood fired clay vessel with a sculptural face on opposite sides of the vessel. These jugs or jars were used to store smoked sago. Areas of natural clay and fire markings throughout. In used condition with wear consistent with age.

Size: 7.25”H x 6.75”W x 7.75”D

Chambri pottery is essential for food preparation and storage in the thatched stilt houses along the Sepik River. Although some cooking is done outside, each house has an area where clay is brought in to provide a stable, fire-proof base for a gugumbe or fire dish which is about 2-5 ft. (60-150 cm) in diameter.

Only the Iatmul speaking village of Aibom has suitable clay to make this style of pottery. The village sits inland off the middle Sepik River in the Chambri Lakes. Women collect clay from pits at the foot of Aibom Mountain behind the village.

In addition to fireplaces, Aibom women make sago storage jars and other smaller pieces. Most women make pots of all types during the wet season. If they marry outside the village they lose their access to the clay pits, but they can still make pots.

A potter starts with a double thickness pinch pot and adds coils to build up the form. The coils are smoothed to complete the pot. The pots are dried to the leather-hard stage under the stilt houses, a slow process in the tropics.

Decoration is added, sometimes with filets or with finely detailed clay slip designs using natural earth colors of red, black and white. The men traditionally shape the faces and figures on the ridge tiles, sago and ceremonial pots. Men also do the painting. Recently some women are doing this, especially on the smaller pots made for outside sales.

Firing is done before a big market day. The pots are set out in the sun to finish drying, then fired by heaping dried sago palm fronds over the mounded pottery. The firing takes from 30-60 minutes. The pots are properly fired when they turn orange. This produces a very low fire pottery.

Chambri pottery is traditionally traded, along with dried fish from the Lakes, for Sepik River sago flour and betel nut, as well as April River grass skirts. The Maringei people, who live close to the small channel into the Lakes, are the middlemen. Traders from Tambanum Village, who also trade other pots from other areas, take the pottery as far north as the April River and south to the Murik Lakes near where the Sepik empties out into the sea.

(Source: art-pacific.com)

Get notified by email when this product is in stock.
Add To Cart

Vintage Anthropomorphic Chambri Wood Fired Polychrome Earthenware Damarau. Wood fired clay vessel with a sculptural face on opposite sides of the vessel. These jugs or jars were used to store smoked sago. Areas of natural clay and fire markings throughout. In used condition with wear consistent with age.

Size: 7.25”H x 6.75”W x 7.75”D

Chambri pottery is essential for food preparation and storage in the thatched stilt houses along the Sepik River. Although some cooking is done outside, each house has an area where clay is brought in to provide a stable, fire-proof base for a gugumbe or fire dish which is about 2-5 ft. (60-150 cm) in diameter.

Only the Iatmul speaking village of Aibom has suitable clay to make this style of pottery. The village sits inland off the middle Sepik River in the Chambri Lakes. Women collect clay from pits at the foot of Aibom Mountain behind the village.

In addition to fireplaces, Aibom women make sago storage jars and other smaller pieces. Most women make pots of all types during the wet season. If they marry outside the village they lose their access to the clay pits, but they can still make pots.

A potter starts with a double thickness pinch pot and adds coils to build up the form. The coils are smoothed to complete the pot. The pots are dried to the leather-hard stage under the stilt houses, a slow process in the tropics.

Decoration is added, sometimes with filets or with finely detailed clay slip designs using natural earth colors of red, black and white. The men traditionally shape the faces and figures on the ridge tiles, sago and ceremonial pots. Men also do the painting. Recently some women are doing this, especially on the smaller pots made for outside sales.

Firing is done before a big market day. The pots are set out in the sun to finish drying, then fired by heaping dried sago palm fronds over the mounded pottery. The firing takes from 30-60 minutes. The pots are properly fired when they turn orange. This produces a very low fire pottery.

Chambri pottery is traditionally traded, along with dried fish from the Lakes, for Sepik River sago flour and betel nut, as well as April River grass skirts. The Maringei people, who live close to the small channel into the Lakes, are the middlemen. Traders from Tambanum Village, who also trade other pots from other areas, take the pottery as far north as the April River and south to the Murik Lakes near where the Sepik empties out into the sea.

(Source: art-pacific.com)

Vintage Anthropomorphic Chambri Wood Fired Polychrome Earthenware Damarau. Wood fired clay vessel with a sculptural face on opposite sides of the vessel. These jugs or jars were used to store smoked sago. Areas of natural clay and fire markings throughout. In used condition with wear consistent with age.

Size: 7.25”H x 6.75”W x 7.75”D

Chambri pottery is essential for food preparation and storage in the thatched stilt houses along the Sepik River. Although some cooking is done outside, each house has an area where clay is brought in to provide a stable, fire-proof base for a gugumbe or fire dish which is about 2-5 ft. (60-150 cm) in diameter.

Only the Iatmul speaking village of Aibom has suitable clay to make this style of pottery. The village sits inland off the middle Sepik River in the Chambri Lakes. Women collect clay from pits at the foot of Aibom Mountain behind the village.

In addition to fireplaces, Aibom women make sago storage jars and other smaller pieces. Most women make pots of all types during the wet season. If they marry outside the village they lose their access to the clay pits, but they can still make pots.

A potter starts with a double thickness pinch pot and adds coils to build up the form. The coils are smoothed to complete the pot. The pots are dried to the leather-hard stage under the stilt houses, a slow process in the tropics.

Decoration is added, sometimes with filets or with finely detailed clay slip designs using natural earth colors of red, black and white. The men traditionally shape the faces and figures on the ridge tiles, sago and ceremonial pots. Men also do the painting. Recently some women are doing this, especially on the smaller pots made for outside sales.

Firing is done before a big market day. The pots are set out in the sun to finish drying, then fired by heaping dried sago palm fronds over the mounded pottery. The firing takes from 30-60 minutes. The pots are properly fired when they turn orange. This produces a very low fire pottery.

Chambri pottery is traditionally traded, along with dried fish from the Lakes, for Sepik River sago flour and betel nut, as well as April River grass skirts. The Maringei people, who live close to the small channel into the Lakes, are the middlemen. Traders from Tambanum Village, who also trade other pots from other areas, take the pottery as far north as the April River and south to the Murik Lakes near where the Sepik empties out into the sea.

(Source: art-pacific.com)

You Might Also Like

Antique Hand Carved Polychrome Folk Art Guatemalan Mask IMG_4547.jpeg IMG_4549.jpeg IMG_4546.jpeg IMG_4548.jpeg IMG_4550.jpeg
Antique Hand Carved Polychrome Folk Art Guatemalan Mask
$260.00
sold out
446D24BD-E20E-4618-9861-F02BA76ECFC1 446D24BD-E20E-4618-9861-F02BA76ECFC1 446D24BD-E20E-4618-9861-F02BA76ECFC1 446D24BD-E20E-4618-9861-F02BA76ECFC1 446D24BD-E20E-4618-9861-F02BA76ECFC1 446D24BD-E20E-4618-9861-F02BA76ECFC1 446D24BD-E20E-4618-9861-F02BA76ECFC1 446D24BD-E20E-4618-9861-F02BA76ECFC1 446D24BD-E20E-4618-9861-F02BA76ECFC1
Mary Lou and Edward Higgins - Gold Glaze Ceramic Plate (1982)
$800.00
sold out
47428AD7-B3F1-4C22-84E1-6E9846CFD6CE 47428AD7-B3F1-4C22-84E1-6E9846CFD6CE 47428AD7-B3F1-4C22-84E1-6E9846CFD6CE
Vintage Impasto Coastal Landscape - Oil on Board (Framed, ca. 1950)
$425.00
sold out
C5436E42-B098-4A1B-890D-5B16D51ABEBA C5436E42-B098-4A1B-890D-5B16D51ABEBA C5436E42-B098-4A1B-890D-5B16D51ABEBA C5436E42-B098-4A1B-890D-5B16D51ABEBA
Paula Rego (1935-2022) - ‘Love’ Archival Pigment Print, Framed
$950.00
sold out
20203BE0-415D-4B22-90F3-DC4C1DDB40DB 20203BE0-415D-4B22-90F3-DC4C1DDB40DB 20203BE0-415D-4B22-90F3-DC4C1DDB40DB 20203BE0-415D-4B22-90F3-DC4C1DDB40DB 20203BE0-415D-4B22-90F3-DC4C1DDB40DB 20203BE0-415D-4B22-90F3-DC4C1DDB40DB 20203BE0-415D-4B22-90F3-DC4C1DDB40DB 20203BE0-415D-4B22-90F3-DC4C1DDB40DB
Vintage Spotted Glossy Glazed Vase
$170.00
sold out

 

4CC3563E-0222-44A1-B758-DB671EDD9CB0.jpeg
5E5C5F8B-7EDF-4D0D-82DC-1ADE6BDEAB70.jpeg
60F53413-1AE2-4380-B0EC-02F049FDADC6.jpeg
BD4C253E-D25B-4B3B-A17C-A78E4599B442.jpeg
E1C40BE2-65D7-4412-BD24-68B23FF0D610.jpeg
5C64BDCB-139E-45F1-A8ED-2A127988BC7D.jpeg