Kerma beaker

Kerma pottery ware was produced in Sudan in around 1750-1550 BC. It was made by hand, and was usually painted brown and black.

Here's how to make your own Kerma beaker using papier mâché (a material made from glue and bits of paper).

How to make your own papier mâché paste:

1. Boil four cups of water in a saucepan.

2. Mix another two cups of water with one cup of flour and stir until smooth.

3. When the water in the saucepan is boiling, turn down the heat, add the flour and water mixture and simmer for 2-3 minutes until it thickens.

4. Add the salt and stir well.

5. Let the paste cool completely before you use it.

How to make your own Kerma beaker:

1. Cover your mould in Vaseline or cooking oil, then in cling film (to stop the papier mâché from sticking!).

2. Tear the newspaper or magazine pages into small strips (about 2cm x 5cm).

3. Put a little bit of paste on to a paper strip and stick it onto the cling flim. Put some more paste over the top then do the same with more strips of paper until the outside of the mould is covered.

4. Leave the beaker to dry in a warm place. Once it is dry, add three more layers in the same way as step 3. Tip: use plain white paper for the last layer to hide the newsprint.

6. When all the layers are dry, gently pull the ends  of the cling film to remove the mould. Then peel the cling film from the papier-mache. 

7. Paint your Kerma bowl or beaker, using Kerma design as inspiration.

Find out more about Kerma beakers

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