World Ceramics: How was it used?

Without texts, oral traditions, or ARCHAEOLOGICAL evidence, no one can be exactly sure what purpose the clay figures served. They may have been placed in the tomb to honor or protect the dead, or to serve as reminders of family members as the dead passed on to the next life. Before burial, they may have functioned as architectural or religious sculptures, displayed in front of buildings or inside homes and shrines. Ritual practices associated with the figures may have centered on a cult of the dead or a type of ancestor worship. Many cultures believe that the welfare of individuals and the community is dependent on maintaining friendly relationships with those who went before them.


More Information

Key ideas.
Where does it come from?
What does it look like?
How was it used?
How was it made?
How big is it?
Who Knows?
Additional resources.