Water is scarce near the plains of the Sahara Desert where Djerma peoples live. Large vessels such as this are highly valued because they store and protect precious water supplies. Natural pigments such as white kaolin, red clay, soft yellow stone, ground charcoal, and ochre enliven the vessel’s surface with bright, dynamic patterns. Because the colors are painted but not fired, the designs are not permanent. Repeated handling will cause them to gradually wear away. A woman may repaint her vessel over time, renewing its surface again and again. Rock paintings found in the Sahara mountain range called Tassili–n-Ajjer portray pots similar in form and decoration, suggesting that ceramic vessels such as these have been used in the Sahara for thousands of years.