Beer Vessel

Shona people, Zimbabwe, or Mozambique, African

20th century

  • Titles Beer Vessel (Descriptive)
  • Medium fired clay and slip and paint
  • Dimensions 13 1/4 x 14 3/4 in. Diam. (33.7 x 37.5 cm)
  • Credit Line Collection of the Art Fund, Inc. at the Birmingham Museum of Art; Dick Jemison Collection of African Pottery, AFI.106.2012
  • Work Type vessel
  • Classification Containers

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Vertical iron pole with six iron currency objects attached at top; three objects are iron hoe-blade currencies, and three are possibly rattles, hoe-shaped but open in center and with an enclosed portion that could have held percussive elements Function: Currency staffs constitute a display of wealth; if it is Fulani, it would have been owned by settled Fulani rather than nomadic herders.
Wooden tubular pipe with inlaid bands of silver filament, and inlaid brass wire scrollwork