Ceramic Production And Use On The Colonial Swahili Coast
Abstract
This study set out to assess the impact of foreigners on the socio-economic
and cultural lifestyles of the inhabitants of the Swahili coast during the colonial
period. It specifically focussed on evaluating foreign influence on the local ceramic
industry.
To achieve the above, the research explored existing archaeological literature
(especially on foreign wares). An ethno-archaeological approach within the systems
theory was used to analyse museum collections of archaeological ceramics and also
the traditional ceramic industry.
Findings were that at the advent of the colonial period, the local ceramic
industry had started to decline and it was apparently unable to meet local market
demands. The coming of colonialists with political and economic power helped to
accelerate this decline through opening the way for the proliferation of foreign
ceramics and even non-ceramic wares. These alternative wares subjected the local
ceramic industry to stiff competition. Evidence showed that in response, local
producers attempted, without much success, to copy foreign vessel forms and
techniques of vessel production. Generally, it was observed that increased
competition from the foreign ceramic and non-cerarnic vessels almost led to the total
collapse of the local ceramic industry.
The major conclusion arrived at was that the interaction between the local
people of the coast, on the one hand, and foreigners and their products, on the other
hand, helped not to boost but to destroy local craft industries of the time. It was also
concluded that technological analysis and the application of ethnographic analogy is
an invaluable approach in unravelling the SwahiIi coast's past.
Citation
Master of Arts in ArchaeologyPublisher
University of Nairobi Department of History and Archaeology