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Ceramic artefacts in Ghana serve vital functional and artistic roles, embodying cultural values and social narratives through Adinkra motifs, geometric patterns, and figurative designs. Contemporary practitioners increasingly combine traditional forms with modern technologies, including electric kilns, potter's wheels, glazing methods, and mould casting to improve efficiency and artistic expression. Cultural bodies, notably the Centre for National Culture in Sekondi, support this sector through exhibitions, craft markets, and training programmes. However, local ceramic production encounters notable barriers, such as high operational costs, competition from imported ceramics, environmental impacts linked to clay extraction, and low youth participation. Sustaining the sector requires an approach that unites heritage preservation, technological modernisation, and active institutional support.
Traditional crafts reflect cultural heritage while providing livelihoods, yet they face economic pressure from foreign imports and environmental issues surrounding clay extraction. Understanding how artisans and cultural centres integrate modern machinery while safeguarding symbolic heritage helps inform training programmes, craft policy, and local manufacturing initiatives.
The findings point towards practical applications in craft enterprise development, vocational training, and small-scale ceramic manufacturing. Potential beneficiaries include local ceramicists, pottery practitioners, and cultural centres seeking to improve efficiency via mould casting, glazes, and electric kilns. While these technologies represent applied and tested methods in the field, broader commercial viability remains constrained by high production costs and competition from imported ceramic goods.
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Ceramic artifacts are important parts of Ghana’s cultural heritage, serving both functional and artistic purposes in all communities. Nevertheless, their cultural significance, artistic symbolism, technological transformation, and institutional promotion have received limited scholarly attention. Therefore, the study examined the design, symbolism, and contemporary relevance of ceramic artifacts in Ghana, with particular focus on the role of the Centre for National Culture (CNC) in Sekondi in promoting ceramic production and artistic development. A qualitative research approach was adopted, using field observations, semi-structured interviews, and focus group discussions as data collection instruments. The purposive sampling technique was used to select 20 participants comprising 5 ceramic artists, 11 pottery practitioners, and 4 cultural officers. The findings revealed that Ghanaian ceramic artifacts embody rich symbolic meanings expressed through motifs such as Adinkra symbols, geometric patterns, and figurative representations that communicate cultural values and social narratives. The study also evidenced that contemporary ceramic artists increasingly integrate modern technologies such as potter’s wheels, electric kilns, glazing techniques, and mould casting to enhance artistic expression and production efficiency. However, the ceramic industry faces significant challenges, including high production costs, competition from imported ceramic products, environmental concerns related to clay extraction, and declining youth participation in pottery production. The study highlighted the important role of cultural institutions, particularly the Centre for National Culture, Sekondi, in preserving and promoting ceramic art through exhibitions, training programs, and craft markets. The paper concluded that the sustainable development of Ghanaian ceramics required a balanced integration of cultural heritage preservation, technological innovation, and institutional support.
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DOI: 10.1007/s44282-026-00577-2
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