PLANT CONSTITUENTS INVOLVED IN COATING PRACTICES AMONG TRADITIONAL AFRICAN POTTERS

A phytochemical survey of several plant species used in sub-Saharan Af rica for the treatment of pottery, as well as some coating experiments carried out with purified extracts of Bridelia ferruginea stem bark, indicated that procyanidin fractions play a predominant role in the co ating properties of the plant extracts. The analysis by high performan ce gel permeation chromatography of organic compounds isolated from th e vessel walls suggested that products deriving from pyrolysis of proc yanidins are detectable both in contemporary and older pottery, and th eir analysis could be useful for archaeological purposes.