Technological Shift and Consequences for Pottery Practices in South-Western Nigeria O. A. Fatuyi1 1Department of Industrial Design, Federal University of Technology, Akure Abstract: Art and crafts including pottery from early times have played significant roles that are characterized by striking clarity, distinctness or truth to life. Nigerian traditional pottery has flourished as a viable occupation, especially among Nigerian women. Pottery were produced to satisfy domestic, ceremonial, religious and ritual purposes as evidenced in Nok, Gwari, Osun, Ekiti and Akoko Edo areas. It is observed that the traditional pottery industry suffered a major setback due to technological advancement and styles of production. The industry is now on the verge of decline in many places due to competition from mass-produced goods, of metal, plastic or glass serving the same purposes as pottery. Regardless of this, there has not been any significant scholarly research in technology advancement and implication for pottery. The aim of the study is an analysis of technological advancement and implication for pottery in South-Western Nigeria. Six States, namely Ondo, Ekiti, Lagos, Ogun, Oyo and Osun States were focused on. The methodology of the study was tailored to suit the diverse fields that are involved in pottery. The research population of this study was classified in three categories: Traditional potters in the study areas which consists of all potters in the trade, Pottery Enterprises and Tertiary Institutions offering ceramics courses in the study areas. Purposive sampling technique was used because of its suitability in terms of coverage and scope of the research population. Digital camera was used to record photographs of pottery wares and oral interviews were conducted. The techniques, theme, materials and functions were analyzed, collated and examined. Findings showed that two techniques of pot production were identified, the direct and in-direct methods. The challenge of technological advancement makes pottery profession struggle to keep pace with the changing trends in development. Technology introduced many convenient technique of production such as casting for mass production which was not found in traditional pottery. It is recommended that pottery centres be provided as platform for training and practicing. Galleries should also be built for the display of pottery wares and also enhance market outlet. The findings will ensure a wider participation of potters and continual existence of craft. Findings will also encourage the Government as well as public organization to patronize traditional pottery by using them for beautification of public places and souvenir for guest and also make loans accessible to practitioners for the procurement of modern equipment. Introduction man first discovered fired pottery. In fact, "there is The art of pottery has often been identified as the practically no information about the firing of ancient beginning of science or scientific thinking (Chard, pottery but there is the thought that man's 1969: 12). Pottery has also been viewed as perhaps involvement with fire and its maintenance probably man‟s first conscious attempt in utilization of a led to accidental discovery of fired pottery (Rado, chemical change (Cardew, 1970: 6-7). Essentially, it 1988: 25). According to Glenn (1960: 17), "the has served man in the area of household utensils. The prevalence of a corded basket like design on early heat-treated clay containers became the first cooking wares led to the theory that baskets coated with clay utensils in the history of man. Particularly, it enabled them to hold wild grain seeds. The accidental provided a fire proof cooking vessel, a convenient burning of one of these baskets led to the discovery container for liquids, and waterproof storage which that a clay vessel baked in the hot coals of the fire became an indispensable adjunct of human life in would become hard and suitable for use. There is prehistoric, and even at the historic periods. Notably, evidence of "fired clay pieces with basket imprint it has been universally accepted that pottery is as old dating from 10, 000 BC found in Gambles Cave in as the origin of man " In the practice of magic and Kenya" (Rado, 1988: 36). This important discovery religion, man had in the beginning learned to fashion became possible as a result of man's quest for storage human and animal figurines of clay and was thus containers for agriculture and other purposes. With already aware of the plastic quality of clay" (Robert, this development, man began to live a settled life; 1973: 26). (Plate 1). What is yet unknown is when stopped the wandering life of hunting and started to This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0 Author(s) retain the copyright of this article. Publication rights with Alkhaer Publications. Published at: http://www.ijsciences.com/pub/issue/2018-06/ DOI: 10.18483/ijSci.1284; Online ISSN: 2305-3925; Print ISSN: 2410-4477 O. A. Fatuyi (Correspondence) fatoluadene @ gmail.com + Technological Shift and Consequences for Pottery Practices in South-Western Nigeria cultivate and farm. Therefore, the discovery of changes in technology and style of pottery in South- pottery making was crucial to the development of Western Nigeria over time-traditional and agriculture which marked an important event in man's contemporary. The research was pursued by development. Glenn (1960: 13) further noted that this examining the modalities that are vital in the important: breakthrough probably occurred nurturing and sustaining of traditional pottery in independently in many areas of the world. However, order to meet modern demands. all that can be said with some degree of certainty is that the pot making is long instituted dating back to many years ago. In Africa, potteries are used for storing and serving liquids and other foods, although some are made for ritual use. People of the Nok culture of Northern Nigeria created pottery sculpture of nearly life size. Plate 1 These forms were transmitted to Ife (Yoruba culture), Nok terracotta head and exhibited many of the qualities of the lost wax Source: (Robert,1973) process decoration like those appearing on bronze and shapes of heads on offering bowls related to The Problem bronze forms of Benin. In many parts of Nigeria It is observed that the traditional pottery industry however, pottery art has been referred to as women‟s suffered a major setback due to technological industry but in the last few years, with the advancement and styles of production. Despite a introduction of pottery on “potter‟s wheel” and the continuing substantial production, the traditional establishment of modern ceramic industries in pottery industry is now on the verge of decline in various parts of the country, there has been a notable many places. An obvious factor is competition from increase in the number of males practicing pottery in mass-produced goods of metal, plastic or glass, Nigeria, most especially the art of high fired pottery. serving the same purpose as pottery. These goods, made locally or imported from abroad, are preferred Today, the influx of industrial and domestic for their length of life, versatility in shape, strength, containers such as metal drums, aluminium pots and cleanliness and attractive appearance. Shaw (1946) pans, plastic buckets and basins, porcelain and had predicted a decline in pottery use and production enamelware, constitutes a serious threat to the due to its fragility and bulkiness. traditional pottery industry. Other treats include the spread of Christianity and Islam with the attendant The traditional potters before independence that reduction in the number of adherents to traditional make these clay pots find it difficult to survive with religion, the production of ritual pots has fallen. their profession. This is because of the social changes, which are inevitable and dynamics as a Before the introduction of modern technology, the result of adoption of Western culture. These changes Yoruba had developed pottery tradition. Virtually witnessed the advent of some other less expensive every community in South-Western Nigeria had a materials that are more durable, that is, plastic and pottery tradition that flourished and formed an metal materials ( Plate 2&3). Contemporary Nigerian important source of income for the women. However, pottery, like in most parts of the world, developed in a constantly changing world, new products from from traditional pottery culture which has continued mass-produced goods of metal, plastic and glass, to influence its growth even in modern times. It is serving the same purpose as pottery are preferred for thus an innovation based on traditional pottery. Since their length of life, versatility in shape, strength, the introduction of modern technology in pottery cleanliness and attractive in appearance. The production, changes in the traditional pottery have traditional potters, aware of these threats to their not been documented, the opinions and perceptions profession, reacted positively and started to create of traditional potters and users have not been sort. new design and improve on old ones. Therefore, in Researches need to be embarked upon to investigate view of the on-going trend, this research proposes to the technological advancement, and the impact on investigate the causative factors and the effect of pottery in South-Western Nigeria. http://www.ijSciences.com Volume 7 – June 2018 (06) 94 Technological Shift and Consequences for Pottery Practices in South-Western Nigeria The Study and Its Scope pottery was characteristically a symbol of settled life The study is an analysis of technological shift and and that its appearance and development marked an consequences for pottery practice in South-Western important stage in the progress of man. He goes Nigeria. Prior to the 21st century, Nigeria has ahead in another literature in recording the types of witnessed numerous art activities due to the large utensils made from clay to meet the basic need of the numbers of potters and ceramists produced from people.