Beer pot c. mid 20th century

This is a Zulu beer pot, and I’m imagining it was made with care and a quiet, steady hand. I see dark, burnished clay, carved with patterns—lines and triangles and even these kind of leaf-like shapes. I can almost feel the artist's hand moving across the surface, carving each mark with intention. It’s like a conversation between the artist and the clay, a give and take that results in this beautiful object. I wonder what it was like to make this, what the artist was thinking about as they worked. These marks aren't just decoration; they're part of the pot's story, a way of communicating ideas or beliefs. I imagine other artists, other hands, inspired by pots like this, carrying the conversation forward through time. It's a reminder that art isn't made in a vacuum. It’s all one big conversation.