Zulu Ukhamba Beer Vessel

The Zulu people of South Africa create ceramic works of unrivaled balance and weightlessness. This is particularly apparent in the standardized form of the ukhamba, a communal vessel used for drinking sorghum beer. Carrying into the present notions of mutuality and sociability, the beer vessel is passed from person to person, emphasizing the interconnectedness of humanity. This rimless ukhamba vessel is exquisitely sculpted with a graceful swell, marked by an incised geometric pattern to add welcome asymmetry to its balanced form.