EAST SEPIK RIVER 'CHAMBRI' POTTERY W/ FACES, AIBOM VILL PAPUA NEW GUINEA C. 1950

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'CHAMBRI' POTTERY, WITH MULTIPLE BIRD FACES (SAGO STORAGE POTTERY) FROM AIBOM VILLAGE, EAST SEPIK RIVER, PAPUA NEW GUINEA Mid-20th Century, c. 1950'sThis wonderful period, most likely mid-20th century, multi-faced clay jug, meant to hold ground herbs by the indigenous peoples of the East Sapik River in Papua New Guinea, is in 100% original, as found condition. The upper rim & rim of the fluted base plate, are in very good condition, w/no flea bites, chips or hairlines. There's only some minor material loss on the very tips of the protruding noses of the carved & modeled faces, of which there are 4. No attempt has been made to disguise or otherwise seek a remedy for this minor, unsubstantial loose of material. The idea was to maintain this important piece of East Sepik River ceramic art, as it originally existed, honest & showing it was previously used & put into service, as a functioning everyday item, necessary to the peoples of that region of Papua New Guinea. The 4 faces have raised eyes, noses & mouths, which are trimmed w/sepia over white chalk faces on fired terracotta clay. Wow!MEASUREMENTS: 5 ¼ " Height x 6" WidthCONDITION: Very Good/Excellent/ (with only very minor clay material loss on the tips of the noses)"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.These fireplaces are wide, scooped-out pots placed on the prepared earthen base in a slightly up-tilted position and wedged with stones for stability. Small cook fires are safely built in this open pot. Most cooking is done quickly: sago flour pancakes with dried fish, or a pot of rice, and maybe coffee or tea in the morning. Sometimes a slow, smoldering fire is built to smoke fish or other meat suspended above the fire. 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.Roof finial figure with trunk-like nose. 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." read more

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