Potshards of Zig-Zag cave at Port St Johns, Eastern Cape, South Africa

Abstract

Ceramic pots which once were whole and in use by peoples many centuries ago have, in most instances along the Eastern Cape coast of southern Africa, become fragmented and buried below consecutive layers of sand, soil, vegetation, and leftovers of people’s lives. Yet, such potshards also pop up and become revealed as coverings move and peoples disturb resting places. Their omnipresence in parts of the archaeological landscape of this region has led several writers to record their presence and speculate as to various significances during the past century. This article, with reference to some ideas of ruination, takes a look at ceramic artifacts excavated at Zig-Zag and Umgazana caves in and near Port St Johns [with contextualization mainly from the likes of PW Laidler (1929), as well as from EC Chubb, G Burnam King and MA Mogg (1934); and from J Schofield’s researches in the 1930s] as part of a process aimed at further establishing a setting for the visual arts milieu of contemporary rural potter Alice Gqa Nongebeza, who works in that area.

Iimbiza zeselamikhi ezazingaphazamisekanga kwithuba elingaphambili kwaye zisetyenziswa ngabantu kwiinkulungwane ezininzi ezigqithileyo, kumaxa amaninzi ezinye zazo ugugutha ngonxweme lweMpuma Kapa kumazantsi eAfrika zaphasalaka zangcwabeka ngaphantsi kwemigangatho emininzi yesanti, umhlaba, izityalo kwakunye neentsalela zokuphila kwabantu. Kunjalo, ezintsalela ziyavela kwaye zibonakale njengokuba izinto ezizigqumileyo zisuka kwaye nabantu beluphazamisa ucwangco lweezondawo. Ukubakho kwazo kwindawo ezithile kulomhlaba walengingqi ukhokelele ababhali abaninzi ngokubhala ngobukho bazo benze namaqashiso ngokubaluleka kwazo okwahlukaklukaneyo kwinkulungwane egqithileyo. Eliphepha, ngokumayela neembono zeentsalela, liza kuthi lijonge kwiintsalela zeselamikhi ezombiwe kwimiqolomba yaseZig- Zag naseUmgazana eSajonisi nakufuphi neSajonisi [igxile ikakhulu kubantu abafana no-PW Laidler (1929), kunye nesuka ku EC Chubb, G Burnam no-MA Mogg (1934) kwakunye nakumaphando athe enziwa ngu-J Schofield ngeminyaka yo-1930] njengenxalenye yenkqubo enjongo ikukuseka nokuphuhlisa ngokupheleleyo indawo yenkcubeko esiyibonayo kwelixesha siphila kulo ngomxongxi wodongwe wasemaphandleni u-Alice Gqa Nongebeza, osebenza kulangingqi.