Description

This beautiful pottery from Niger is characteristic of Neolithic ceramic art. The beautiful decoration obtained with the help of a comb attests to a sure taste and a lively originality. The extraordinary importance of the discovery of the arts of fire must be emphasised. Previously, man prepared his food in a summary way, but once he had a fireproof container, he had a strong influence on himself by enriching his food more and more. The invention of ceramics marks a turning point in human history. Until then, it was the biotope that conditioned man; but from the moment he transformed what he drew from this biotope, he modified it more and more profoundly. (IFAN collection, Dakar, Senegal) - 1969