The Cleveland Museum of Art
Collection Online as of December 23, 2025
Water or Grain Vessel (chilongo chakumuto)
mid-1900s
Diameter: 45.5 cm (17 15/16 in.); Overall: 35.5 cm (14 in.)
John L. Severance Fund 1998.151
Location: Not on view
Did You Know?
This vessel was originally used to hold water; its terracotta allowed water to stay cool naturally.Description
This vessel's markings are linked to the body of the woman who once owned it. She commissioned a female potter to make the work. First, the potter coiled and stacked clay to hand-build its shape. Next, she covered it in a shimmery charcoal and earth wash before burnishing it (polishing). After firing, the potter incised it with motifs adapted from the owner's nkova (tattoos), which were applied to enhance her beauty. The Makonde word nkova can mean making designs on pottery or skin. Finally, the potter accentuated the incised motifs with a white clay wash that wears away with use. When no longer watertight, vessels like this become grain storage containers.- ?–1998Afri-Karner c.c., Franschhoek, South Africa1998–Cleveland Museum of Art by purchaseProvenance Footnotes1 Sales Receipt Date 8-18-98, CMA Curatorial Files
- From the Earth through Her Hands: African Ceramics. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (September 21, 2024-September 21, 2025).
- {{cite web|title=Water or Grain Vessel (chilongo chakumuto)|url=false|author=|year=mid-1900s|access-date=23 December 2025|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}
Source URL:
https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1998.151