African Pottery
Vase from Nubia (modern Ethiopia), ca. 3000 BC
People first began to make clay pots in Africa about 6000 BC. From Sudan and Ethiopia to Egypt, the pottery styles are very similar.
By 400 BC, West African Nok and Yoruba potters were making pottery, as well as large clay sculptures.
Around 75 AD, North African potters began to imitate imported Roman pottery, and soon they began to export their imitation Roman pottery all over the Mediterranean, Europe, and West Asia. By about 100 AD, the African pottery had driven Roman pottery-makers out of business, and most of the clay plates and cups used in the whole Roman Empire were made in North Africa.
Pot from the Congo, ca. 1000 AD
About 200 AD, the Nok and Yoruba cultures in West Africa evolved into the Ife and Benin kingdoms.
Further south, in Congo, the Kisalian culture produced its own style of pottery beginning about 900 AD.
Even after the collapse of the Roman Empire, North African pottery factories continued to operate and to sell pottery throughout the Mediterranean area. After the establishment of the Islamic Empire in the late 600s AD, North African potters continued to work. Imitating Chinese pottery imported from West Asia, North African potters now colored their pots white with various colors, using metal and glass glazes as we do today.
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