This book is the most comprehensive and authoritative survey of the traditional pottery of Papua New Guinea ever produced. The authors have made a thorough analysis of pottery-making throughout Papua New Guinea, based on eight years of field work. They proffer a first-hand account of clay preparation, pottery formation, and firing techniques, interwoven with information on the functions of the pottery and the various approaches to decoration.

Particular types of pottery have been identified by analysing some of the clays and by studying the pottery in terms of different language divisions, which tend to correlate with different pottery styles. The book contains detailed descriptions of the pottery based not only on personal observation, but also on a meticulous collection of photographs from the villages of Papua New Guinea, private collections and museum collections throughout the world.

As well as providing fascinating descriptions of personal contact with traditional pot-makers and legends about the origins of the clay and pot-making, The Traditional Pottery of Papua New Guinea makes a serious contribution to the study of the country’s history and culture in its documentation of pottery exchange routes and the cultural importance of pottery. Reviews of previous historical and anthropological information are also incorporated.