Tribal Aibom Village Sago Storage 'Bird' Jar

A sago storage jar from Aibom Village, which is in the Chambri Lakes region, Middle Sepik River, Papua New Guinea, with a stylised face carved into the clay in the form of a bird. These jars are made for the storage of sago flour by the people of Aibom Village in Papua New Guinea. The Aibom obtain sago flour through trade with neighbouring villages so have a constant need for vessels to store it in. The pots are made by the women, but I believe the men carve the decoration into the fresh clay and then paint them with simple pigments, usually just black and white, once they are fired. I really like these - they have such a lot of character and their handmade construction gives a lovely texture to the clay. The exact age of the pot is unknown but it likely dates from around the mid twentieth century. This pot features a carved birds face, which I think looks like an owl. We have a similar pot for sale.