Date of Award
12-10-2021
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
Department
Art
First Advisor
Lynne Larsen
Abstract
Amazigh women exercise agency and maintain autonomy as individuals through an esoteric feminine visual language. This language incorporates traditional, ritual-based pottery-making practices that are grounded in ancient spiritual beliefs and socio-cultural roles. Highly functional yet artistic ceramicwares serve as forms of femininity, or visual representations of the women. Decorative yet decidedly symbolic, geometric motifs decorate these wares and serve as esoteric signifiers of Amazigh heritage while allowing the female artisans to communicate their own experiences, principles, and worldviews. This esoteric visual language is defined and analyzed by connections made between ancient aspects of Amazigh culture and ritual-based pottery-making practices, comparing common ceramic forms to the female form, and exploring decorative geometric motifs to determine possible meaning.
Recommended Citation
Nunnally, Mackenzie, "Forms of Femininity: The Esoteric Visual Language of Amazigh Women Through Ceramic Traditions and Symbolic Motifs" (2021). Theses and Dissertations. 1036.
https://research.ualr.edu/etd/1036
