Dis-moi quel pot tu as et je te dirai qui tu es! Matérialiser les identités sociales dans les décors céramiques de la moyenne vallée du fleuve Sénégal (nord du Sénégal)

Abstract

The general problem of the social relevance or the ethnic identity of ceramics is increasingly being studied through the medium of their manufacture. Nevertheless, however out of date it may appear, the notion of decorative style remains relevant in the context of the Middle Senegal Valley. In fact, the decorative attributes of the ceramics from this region inform us not only about the social identity of their makers, but also about that of their users. Through the structure of their decoration into simple or complex schemes, ceramics reproduce the social hierarchy of Haplulaar populations. The artisanal groups that make up Halpulaar society individualise the pottery that they make using decorative techniques appropriate to their own caste. The ethnoarchaeological study of ceramic decoration in this geographical area offers the possibility of renewing the more general debate over the relationship between pottery and social boundaries.