Two vessels
Frank Reiter, Berlin, Germany (1995)
b) Willem Haaxmann, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Frank Reiter, Berlin, Germany (2018)
Description
clay / ceramics,
a) cooking pot “gur aniang” with zoomorphic handles (flying foxes), collection no. “1185”, h: 16.5 cm; d: 21.5 cm, rest.
Very old object with black encrusted patina. Mainly used for cooking meat, sometimes also vegetables.
b) small pot with handles, before 1950, collection no. “2309”, h: 7.5 cm; d: 11 cm, bumped at the rim
Such small pots were used to boil certain herbs and roots for war magic. The brew was rubbed into the warriors’ spears and faces to ensure a successful outcome to the battle.
The Markham River comes from the deep valley near the Huon Peninsula and flows into the Gulf. This area is the home of the Adzera, masterly clay-pot makers whose beautiful cooking pots are decorated with small, applied figures peeking their heads over the rim.
These pots are moulded by men from clay previously prepared by women. The lower part is made by coiling, the upper part by paddling technique. The rim is carved for decoration. After drying the pots are bonfired and used once for cooking, then sold.