Niger afr adm: Created page with "'''Wheel throwing''' is a ceramic forming technique in which clay is shaped on a rotating wheel. In Nigeria, wheel throwing has historically been less widespread than hand-building but appears in specific contexts influenced by technological exchange, trade, and later modernization. == Definition == Wheel throwing involves centering a prepared mass of clay on a rotating wheel and shaping it using hand pressure and tools. The technique allows for symmetrical forms and re..."

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Created page with "'''Wheel throwing''' is a ceramic forming technique in which clay is shaped on a rotating wheel. In Nigeria, wheel throwing has historically been less widespread than hand-building but appears in specific contexts influenced by technological exchange, trade, and later modernization. == Definition == Wheel throwing involves centering a prepared mass of clay on a rotating wheel and shaping it using hand pressure and tools. The technique allows for symmetrical forms and re..."

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'''Wheel throwing''' is a ceramic forming technique in which clay is shaped on a rotating wheel. In Nigeria, wheel throwing has historically been less widespread than hand-building but appears in specific contexts influenced by technological exchange, trade, and later modernization.

== Definition ==
Wheel throwing involves centering a prepared mass of clay on a rotating wheel and shaping it using hand pressure and tools. The technique allows for symmetrical forms and refined surface control.

== Historical usage ==
Traditional Nigerian pottery largely relied on hand-building techniques. Wheel throwing was introduced later in certain regions through:
* Cultural exchange and trade
* Islamic influence in northern regions
* Colonial-era and post-colonial technological adoption

As a result, wheel throwing did not replace hand-building but existed alongside it in limited contexts.

== Materials ==
Wheel throwing is primarily associated with:
* Refined clay bodies
* Carefully prepared and wedged clay

The technique requires clay with consistent plasticity and minimal inclusions.

== Techniques and methods ==
Key processes in wheel throwing include:
* Centering the clay
* Opening and pulling walls
* Shaping and trimming
* Drying and finishing

Thrown forms may later be altered, decorated, or combined with hand-built elements.

== Cultural and social context ==
In Nigeria, wheel throwing is often associated with:
* Specialized workshops
* Educational or institutional settings
* Urban or commercially oriented production

It is less commonly embedded in traditional ritual or gender-specific craft systems.

== Regional variation ==
The presence of wheel throwing varies by region and period, reflecting:
* Access to equipment
* External influence
* Intended production scale

Where practiced, wheel throwing often adapts to local aesthetic preferences rather than strictly following external traditions.

== See also ==
* [[:Category:Clay]]
* [[:Category:Pottery]]
* [[:Category:Ceramic techniques]]
* [[:Category:Traditional crafts of Nigeria]]

[[Category:Techniques]]
[[Category:Nigerian crafts]]

Category:Wheel throwing - Revision history