Terra cotta fragment. Lapita, Solomon Islands, Reef Islands. 1000 B.C.E. Terra cotta (incised).
Form:
-made from molded terra cotta, a reddish-brown, unglazed type of clay
-many tools were used to create it, like stones, clam shells, their fingernails, bird bones and coral to create the designs on the pottery
-made on volcanic islands, interesting materials available
-they used a method called dentate stamping, involving carving designs into existing natural materials (turtle shells, bamboo, or wood) and using this as a stamp on the terra cotta clay before it was dried
-terra cotta uses fire to harden, showing their developed civilization
Function:
-fragments are from a pot that would have been used by the Lapita people for culinary purposes
-possibly food storage (used like a jar) or even actual cooking (used like a pot)
-a "wagelie" was the name for a food storing vessel
-pottery was a large part of Lapita culture, it was very widespread and even had cultural significance
-could have been a form of reverence for ancestors, ritualistic/religious use
-different groups had specific characteristics in their pottery, different family groups,social classes, and economic classes
-exchanged within these groups
Content:
-clear anthropomorphic figures depicted in a central location
-faces, highly geometric, large, clear features, designs around the face are not the focus
-nose serves as a line of symmetry in the piece, common characteristic of other Lapita pottery
- the human face has linear designs, opposed to the designs rippling from it which are circular and radial
-consistency in Lapita design reflects the stability and development of their culture
-the deign code ultimately influenced Polynesian art, and oceanic art in general
Context:
-created by artisans in the Lapita culture (a Pacific culture, which is an ancestor of Polynesia, Micronesia, and parts of Melanesia)
-the pottery was discovered in New Caledonia, islands about 1,500 kilometers northeast of Australia
-about 85,000 indigenous people lived on these islands, (known collectively as the Kanak)
-culture had a series of villages each ruled by a chief who was politically in control but also had perceived spiritual importance due to their spiritual ability to connect with the ancestors
-seafaring culture, explored the ocean, and lived on the coast
Helpful Links:
Cross Cultural Comparisons
Hiapo
Malagan mask
Lindauer, Tamati Waka Nene
