An exhibition on traditional pottery is bringing to light African history before written records came into being. Pots and Identities, now showing at the Nairobi National Museum, portrays an array of pre-historic, traditional and modern ceramics from around Kenya.

“Pottery decorations and forms carry the evidence of past population’s identities, migrations and interactions which are otherwise unavailable through historical records,” says Angela Kabiru, curator of the exhibition.

Although the traditional pots were artistically shaped and decorated, they were primarily functional items such as cooking ware and storage containers.

The centre piece is a large, ceremonial beer-pot of the Endo people, covered in a protective hide and with long drinking straws.

The honey pot of the Ogiek has a flat-topped cover with beaded decoration and a strap for easier carrying.

Lanet vessels were shaped like elongated gourds, complete with handle and spout. The form and decorations of Nderit pottery strongly resemble shards of pottery from the Neolithic period which date up to 10,000 years.

In one corner of the exhibition are tiny, animal-shaped stone figures recovered from the east side of Lake Turkana and dating about 4,000 years old.

“We have no idea why they made the figurines but it gives us a pretty good idea of the animals living there at the time,” says Ms Kabiru.

Pottery in East Africa started about 8,000 years ago when communities changed from hunter-gathering to pastoral and cultivation lifestyles. Pottery-making is passed down from generation to generation within families, is most often carried out by women and with little deviation in the customary forms.

The shapes, decorations and pottery methods are similar among communities of the Cushites, Nilotes and Bantus, East Africa’s three main language groups.

Consequently, vessels made by the Nilotic Luo people of the region would be quite distinct from those of the neighbouring Luhyas who are Bantu.

The exhibition also features works by contemporary artists and one can see that they are less inhibited by customs or functionality of the container. A pair of glazed stoneware pots created by potter Waithera Chege make for beautiful flower vases or as decorative pieces on their own.

There is a white and red soup tureen by Magdalene Odundo which has portrait imagery on it making it quite unique because this world-renowned artist rarely draws on her ceramics.

Also featured is a series of clay figurines by Edward Njenga depicting people in traditional and modern roles. Njenga has been moulding since the 1960s and is a doyen of clay sculpting.