'"

4
VIIIth CONGRESS OF ANTHROPOLOGICAL AND ETHNOLOGICAL SCIENCES
Studies in Pottery of Afghanistan
Peter Snoy
University of Heidelberg
Germany
What I want to speak about concerns more the
beginning than the results of researches.
The University of Kabul, Afghanistan, is a young university,
founded in 1946, though some of the faculties were established
earlier. The Faculty of Letters and Humanities, to whose
Department for History and Geography the Institute for
Anthropology is attached, was founded in 1944. Due to the
general development the number of students is increasing very
strongly, and so the basis of Kabul University is growing. New
subjects are inserted in the teaching program, new departments,
new institutes are founded. It is not necessary to explain in.
details, that this is connected with very great difficulties.
In April 1967 there was signed an agreement between the
Faculty of Letters and Humanities, University of Kabul, and the
South Asia Institute, University of Heidelberg, FRG, to the
purpose of cooperation in the field of anthropology. In August
1967 I was sent by the South Asia Institute to Afghanistan in
order to start there with the teaching of anthropology and to be
adviser at the new Institute for Anthropology.
The beginning was at level zero. But we have to mention
the pioneer work of Prof. G. F. Debets from the Academy of
Science, USSR, who during several years collected data for a
physical anthropological survey of Afghanistan, and held
different lectures on anthropology at the University of Kabul.
He also brought from the Soviet Union a nice collection of
physical anthropological models.
Concerning field research done in Afghanistan the situation
is quite different. During recent years Afghanistan, with its
!inguistical, ethnical and also physical anthrop!ogical differ-
entiations of the population, found more and more the interest
of anthropologists. Only during the last year there have been for
field-research in Afghanistan anthropologists from Austria,
Denmark, England, France, Germany, Japan, Switzerland,
Soviet Union, and United States of America.
The Institute for Anthropology, Kabul University, is very
happy with ttose activities. Though one deficiency is quite
obvious: there does not exist sufficient communication between
the different research fellows. Thus one function which should
be realized by the Institute for Anthropology, Kabul University,
is to be a centre of communication and also coordination. The
Institute for Anthropology is happy that there already could be
advised and supported a team of young Danish anthropologists
and a team of Austrian anthropologists, though there are great
difficulties from viewpoint of finance and from viewpoint of
staff members.
Since March 1968 the institute has two Afghan
staffmembers: Sayid Sultan Shah Homam and Abdul Raziq
Palwal. Both of them are originally linguists. The latter has.:: '"
studied for more than one year anthropology in the United
St.ates. Both have some experience in anthropological field
research by accompanying foreign anthropologists as interpreter
during previous years. But both have to accomplish their
training as anthropologists.
Under such conditions a research project to be started has
to provide training possibilities.
For our topic we chose: Studies in the recent pottery qf
Afghanistan. . . . . . .
The general interest ofthis topic 1s comprehensive; at least
since the Burg Wartenstein Symposium on 'Ceramics and Man',
in 1961, published as volume 41 of the Viking Fund
Publications in Anthropology in 1965. George M. Foster, for
instance, in his paper printed in this volume, pointed out that
just to describe technics of ootterv manufacture nrl rlP.<i<>n
settings in which the work is done must be considered. Those
observations are of interest not only for the ethnologist, but
also from standpoint of archeological interpretation, wherefore
Foster gives examples.
Under such considerations our aim is not only to explore
different centres of pottery manufacture in Afghanistan, their
technics, forms, ornamentations, etc., and to map out the areas
where the different wares are spread. Our investigations are also
concerned with the social and economic position of potters,
with the way of spreading their products. And last not least
there has to be considered the attitude of the consumers; that
means questions of evaluation as well as from an utilitarian
point of view as from an aesthetic point of view, and even
problems of ideology are involved. We are about to develop a
questionnaire later on to be used also by students for practical
training.
As mentioned at the beginning, our field researches for this
project have only started. So far we have not yet been concerned
with those big centres of ceramic manufacture of the towns, as
for instance Ghazni, Kandahar, Herat. In this connection we
have to mention the bazarstudy, recently done by the Swiss
ethnographer Mr. Centlivre .in Tashkurghan, a town in the
northern provinces of Afghanistan. He also payed regard to
pottery. We also have not yet been considered with the glazed
ware of famous Istalif, a big village north of Kabul, which since
a few years produces ceramics for the tourist market.
So far we have collected data only in two provinoes:
Laghman (east of Kabul), and Badakhshan (northeastern
province of Afghanistan). Some of our preliminary results may
be mentioned.
The general attitude towards potters in Afghanistan may be
characterized by the reaction of my students at Kabul
University, when I asked for volunteers to cooperate in this
research project. This reaction showed aversion, and no
volunteer could be registered. Similarly it was when in Laghman
provinoe I visited in a valley of Pashai-people the village where
all the handicraft people live together. I could not avoid to be
accompanied by several youngsters of other villages, and their
derisive behavior finally made my informants run away. In,
general potters occupy a low social position, though there are
differences. between different communities and ethnical groups,
and differences depending on the personality of a potter.
As many other of Afghanistan also Laghman is
inhabited by. different ethnic groups: Nuristani in the north,
Pashtuns in the lower fertile valleys, and in the side valleys are
living Safi-Pashai, and Sum-Pashai. There are also villages with a
Persian or Dari speaking population. Pashtun nomads spend the
... winter. in this area, an<La.few_.groups.oLGuj.ULher:dsmeiLare-to
be met.
. The village of Char-bagh, in the south of the province, is the
main centre of pottery manufacture. So far this village has not
yet been studied in detail. 30 potters are working there,
supported by their families. According to the newest statistical
estimation 80 to 120 potters are living in the whole proyince.
The simple wheel-thrown, utilitarian pottery (bowls, jars,
cooking-pots) is spread by traders over .the whole province. Thus '
the pottery. observed in different villages is of a un!form
character. This ware has also penetrated into those narrow and
difficult to reach side-valleys, which are settled by the
Pashai-speaking population, though there is to be found its own
pottery tradition, with its own forms and ornamental designs.
This traditional s;eramic is valuated higher by the Pashai.
In one valley (Sau) with 8 villages and about 2000 houses

B-1 0 MATERIAL CULTURE 5
even three potters come from a neighbouring valley for some
three months to use the local clay stratum and to prepare the
needed vessels for the villagers. In one of the villages they have a
workshop, with potters-wheel and a specially prepared place for
firing. These Pashai-potters manufacture one dozen of different
shaped vessels, including the big vessels of more than one meter
high for storing grain, which are not wheel-thrown but made in
coiled technique. Besides this potters make a tripod bowl, which
is quite unique for the whole area. But it is one of the
traditional forms, as sherds of those tripod bowls are to be
found in ruined sites, where formerly !JlUSt have been villages.
These tripod bowls are used for serving food. The general
character of this pottery is rude, ornamented with geometrical
carvings.
The Pashai-potters also manufacture a special type of vase,
neatly ornamented, which is used for the water-pipe. And these
vases they bring to the bazars of the lower valleys, and sell them
to Non-Pashai-peop!e, which estimate these vases very highly.
Thus just one type of vessel out of the whole set of forms
Pashai-potters produce is spread far beyond the area of origin
transgressing the boundaries of ethnic groups.
Similar observations could be made in the Province of
Badakhshan, populated by different ethnic groups: Ta:jiks,
Uzbeks, Pashtuns, Munjani, Zebaki, Sanglichi, Sheghni.
There exist two main centres of ceramic manufacture:
Yaftal in the north and KuJala in the east, by which the whole
provi-'1ce is divided into two ceramic areas. In-between there are
several centres, distinguishable by their own style of ware,
which have only local importance. Yaftal, where according to
our information the pottery is made by men, we could not visit
so far.
KuJala is a village of about 30 households, all of which are
/ngaged in pottery . making. This viUage is situated high in the
1
mountains, surrounded by only very few fields. The task of men
is to prepare the clay. TI1e forming of the vessels is done by
women. They use a turnette of sundried clay on which they
pinch a ball of clay to form the rounded base, then they
continue to build the vessels in coiled technique. The women of
Kulala just form 6 different vessels traditionally: 3 types of jars,
2 types of bowls and 1 type .of cooking pot. Each type is
produced in different sizes. The open firing is done in
cooperation of men and women. Finally the men load the
vessels on their donkeys and start their travel of bartering. Up to
distances of a 6-days-travel the villagers know that once or twice
a year the potters from KuJala are coming. Usually the vessels
are sold for the quantity of wheat they can hold.
In general the potters of KuJala respect those areas where
the potters of Yaftal are selling their products. Only if there is
scarcity of grain, they also intrude into the foreign area. Thus
the two mentioned ceramic areas of Badakhshan do not have a
clear boundary; in-between a zone of admixture .can be stated.
As the bartering travels of the potters are directed by economic
considerations, the ethnic boundaries within the province are
neglected. That just the simple possession of utilitarian ceramics
can be considered a status symbol, I observed in Munjan, an area
provided by the potters of KuJala. Poor people in Munjan who
can not afford to buy sufficient pottery use, as containers for
flour, dryed vegetibles etc., vessels which are made out of a
mixture of loam and cows excrements. These vessels are made
by women in coiled technique and sun dryed. The use of those
vessels is considered shameful and people who use them were
looked down upon as poor.
So far some preliminary results of a research project started
by the Institute for Anthropology, University of Kabul.
Note sur des Procedes Traditionnels de Fabrication de la Poterie au Cambodge:
le des Marmites. Observations sur le Tour de Potier
Roland Mourer
Cambodge
La poterie au Cambodge est une activite traditionnelle tous trois dans Ia province de Kompong Chhnang. La
attestee deja au siecle par les bas-reliefs du temple du production potiere de ces viliages est tres variee, al!ant du
Bayon a Angkor-Thom et du temple de Banteai Chhma dans Ia materiel de cuisine aux instruments de musique. Nous nous
province de Battambang.
1
A l'heure actuelle, elle est tres attacherons a decrire essentiellement Ia fabrication de !'objet le
!argern:enrrepandue dans tout le pays ou de nomoreux courant: Ja marmite de terre -;)'ppelee-"C:hhu-a:ng"qu'onpeur-:
fabriquent, cependant que dans Ia capitate se developpe une voir dans tous les foyers paysans. Bien que cette categorie de
industrie de Ia ceramique. Fait rural, comme tout l'artisanat produits recouvre une grande variete de modeles distingues par
traditionnel khmer, Ia poterie est une activite complementaire des noms particu!iers selon leurs dimensions, les 'procedes de
de !'agriculture/ dont Ia periodicite se definit ainsi: fabrication restent les memes. Notre but est de montrer plus
intensification de Ia fabrication pendant Ia saison seche et specialement l'originalite des precedes de fa9onnage et d'essayer
! '
ralentissement, sinon arret, pendant Ia saison-iles-p!uies:-En de--<:omprendre a !'aide- -des-fait.s-.decJ.:i.ts-co.=ent-cettt:------
outre, e!le constitue une tache domestique et appartient aux technique de fac;:onnage qui s'est developpee en dehors du tour
activites feminines. Cet iutisanat, quoique pratique en de du potier, represente Ia solution Ia plus adaptee aux traditions
nombreux points du pays, est surtout represente dans deux du milieu technique khmer.
regions qui, par !'importance de leur production, se distinguent L'argile, extraite par !es hommes a partir de puits peu
plus particulierement. II s'agit d'abord et principalement de Ia profonds, est preparee par les potieres de fa9o!ll variable selon !es
province de Kompong Chhnang dont le nom "Le port des regions. Dans Ia region de Kompong Chhnang on ajoute a Ia pate
marmites" provient de cette activite qui a rendu celebre son un degraissant mineral tandis qu'a Domnak Chambok on
chef-lieu, et ensuite de Ia partie orientale de. Ia provin<?e de n'emploie que !'argile a pres epuration par tamisage a sec. Dans
..... --Kampot dont le village de Domnak Chambok fournit.en.poterie.__ _ tous les cas il s'agit d'une argile assez grossiere.. .La_quantite
tout leC"ambodge du Sud.
3
De ces deux centresprincijiaiixile pieparee varie en fonction du trava.il-an:cJourneecequi"-
fabrication, celui de Kompong Chhnang est le plus important represente, selon Ia taille, de vingt a quarante marmites.
tant par sa production qui couvre tout Je pays et s'etendait Le fa9onnage des poteries dans Ia fabrication traditionnelle
meme au-deJa des frontieres avant que s'etablisse Ia situation se fait a l'aide d'un certain nombre d'instruments mais le tour
politique actuelle, que par !e nombre des villages potiers.
4
Nos reste ignore. Parmi ces instruments, les deux plus importants
ohservations ont norte oour le Sud Cambodee sur !e villa!!e de sont le battoir et le tampon. Identiques de forme, ils portent