Course: Design Crafts
Title: Found
Description: I used craft crank clay to create a non-functional jug. Three main features stand out; the large handle joined with a hinge, the open mouth, and the large piece missing from the centre. The glazes used have been hand mixed. A metallic oxide black to highlight the idea of mixing media and an earthy brown which would have been common in the Bronze Age. The large break in the middle represents where the sherds would have been. As they were lost it just leaves the negative space.
Inspiration: Middle Bronze Age vessel handle from Százhalombatta 1, 2, Sherds from Százhalombatta
I was inspired by the lecture given by Dr Jo Sofaer and the sherds that she brought. This was the first time that I had handled ancient pieces and it made me question what the forms would have been like when they were whole. Also, what would the form look like with empty space where the sherds had been? This led me to look at broken surfaces found on archaeological pieces from the Bronze Age and I chose a collection of small elements from the lecture to research. One idea was that during the Bronze Age the processes were quite simple and that techniques for working with other materials were sometimes used for making pottery. Jo showed us an example of ceramic cups with handles attached using woodworking and metalworking techniques and I chose this idea to develop further. I used metal in my piece to create a hinged handle.
