article
The symbolic meaning of the pot on the roof: a case study of the Konso in southern Ethiopia
Nilo-Ethiopian studies • (1) • Published In 1993 • Pages: 57-73
By: Shinohara, Tōru.
AbstractBrief abstract written by HRAF anthropologists who have done the subject indexing for the document
This document is concerned with the meanings and cultural significance of the practice of adorning rooftops with decorated clay pots of different sizes and varied decoration. Drawing on an interpretive understanding of symbolic meanings conveyed in different pot sizes and artistic markers, strong links are found between the pots and the social standing of the owners of the houses. Ranks commonly communicated through the pots relate to seniority in local lineage groups and age grades, authority in cult groups, success in hunting big game, and courage demonstrated in particular battles.
- SubjectsDocument-level OCM identifiers given by the anthropology subject indexers at HRAF
- Dwellings
- Outbuildings
- Ceramic technology
- Building interiors and arrangement
- Settlement patterns
- Community structure
- Community heads
- Status, role, and prestige
- Inter-ethnic relations
- Buying and selling
- Hunting and trapping
- Aftermath of combat
- Community councils
- Priesthood
- cultureCulture name from the Outline of World Cultures (OWC)
- Konso
- HRAF PubDateThe date HRAF published the document
- 2016
- RegionThe area the document pertains to
- Africa
- Sub RegionThe more specific area the document pertains to, which is located within the Region
- Eastern Africa
- Document TypeMay include journal articles, essays, collections of essays, monographs, or chapters/parts of monographs
- article
- Evaluation
- Creator TypeThe type of person writing the document, e.g. Ethnographer, Missionary, Archaeologist, Folklorist, Linguist, Indigenous Person, and so on.
- Anthropologist
- Document Rating A ranking done by HRAF anthropologists based on the strength of the source material on a scale of 1 to 5, as follows: 1 - poor; 2 - fair; 3 - good, useful data, but not uniformly excellent; 4 - excellent secondary data; 5 - excellent primary data.
- 5: Excellent Primary Data
- AnalystThe HRAF anthropologist who subject indexed the document and prepared other materials for the eHRAF culture/tradition collection
- Teferi Abate Adem ; 2015
- Field DateThe date the researcher conducted the fieldwork or archival research that produced the document
- 1991-1992
- Coverage DateThe date or dates that the information in the document pertains to
- 1991-1992
- Coverage PlaceLocation of the research culture or tradition (often a smaller unit such as a band, community, or archaeological site)
- Sewgame, Konso Special Woreda, Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region, Ethiopia
- NotesAdditional notes
- Toru Shinohara
- Includes bibliographical references (p. 73)
- LCCNLibrary of Congress Control Number
- 2010222894
- LCSHLibrary of Congress Subject Headings
- Konso (African people)