1. Soloman Islands, Reef Islands. 1,000 BCE. The Lapita People.
Terra Cotta Fragments
Soloman Islands, Reef Islands. 1,000 BCE. The Lapita People.
Kaydee Bonilla, Kaci Crook, Brittany Bostick, Scott Bender, Jakobi English

2. Function Not much is known of the purpose of the Lapita potters.
However, some of the works found resemble plates, bowls and pots/vases that may have held plants.
Some believe they may have been decorative, meant to appeal to the eyes.

3. Content Human face & geometric designs Spiritual/religious worship
Anthropomorphic and zoomorphic figures
Spiritual/religious worship

4. Form
The Lapita people used geometric designs similar to the Lapita ceramic tradition
Medium is incised terra cotta
Stamped on wet clay
Theories include transforming from tattoos, mats and tapa (bark cloth)

5. Context One of the first examples of Lapita potter’s art.
Patterns were incised into pots before firing using a comb-like tool.
The comb-like tool was used to stamp designs into wet clay.
Each stamp used consisted of a single design element.
The designs were combined with others to form elaborate patterns.

6. Vocabulary
Lapita – reference to an ancient Pacific culture that is believed to be the common ancestor of the Contemporary Polynesian, Micronesian and Melanesian cultures.
Ceramics – artifacts made from clay hardened by heat.
Zoomorphic – having or representing animal forms or gods of animal forms.
Tapa – bark cloth used by Lapita people.