Part of my application for the ceramics specialization of the MA program ‘Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage’ consists of handing in a portfolio of creative projects. I decided to make an attempt at imitating South-American indigenous ceramics, since these wonderful expressive vessels have always fascinated me. It not only taught me how to work with clay material, but also made me fully appreciate the amount of work that must have been put into creating these ceramics in the past.

This double-spouted polychromed Nazca (A.D. 1-700) pitcher shows fish painted all over its surface. These thin black lines became a prominent feature of Nazca art. To make this pitcher, I first used a mold to create the upper half of the body. I then used the coiling method to make the base, which I attached to the other half by applying clay slip. The double-spout was made separately and was…