Potshards of Zig-Zag cave at Port St Johns, Eastern Cape, South Africa

Ceramic pots which once were whole and in use by peoples many centuries ago have, in most instances along the Eastern Cape coast of southern Africa, become fragmented and buried below consecutive layers of sand, soil, vegetation, and leftovers of people’s lives. Yet, such potshards also pop up and become revealed as coverings move and peoples disturb resting places. Their omnipresence in parts of the archaeological landscape of this region has led several writers to record their presence and speculate as to various significances during the past century. This article, with reference to some ideas of ruination, takes a look at ceramic artifacts excavated at Zig-Zag and Umgazana caves in and near Port St Johns [with contextualization mainly from the likes of PW Laidler (1929), as well as from EC Chubb, G Burnam King and MA Mogg (1934); and from J Schofield’s researches in the 1930s] as part of a process aimed at further establishing a setting for the visual arts milieu of contemporary rural potter Alice Gqa Nongebeza, who works in that area.