History of Indian Pottery

How The Matka/Handi (Northern India terms) is Used 

Material & Its Origin

Craft/Manufacturing

The History of Indian Pottery

How the Matka/Handi/Pottery is used

How the Matka/Handi/Pottery is used

Materials:

Matkas/Handis were originally made with earthenware like terracotta. In recent years there has been a shift to more modern vessels made of stainless steel and iron etc in an attempt to increase efficiency

Terracotta

Stainless Steel

Iron

Materials Origin:

Clay in India is mostly found in alluvial soil (A mixture of sand, slit and clay)

Though the majority of clay is found in Northern India (majorly found in Tamil Nadu in the south), the usage of clay pots can be found EVERYWHERE in ancient and to some extent modern India

Manufacturing and Crafted

• Clay mined from river banks (alluvial soil)
• Ageing Process
• Clay is processed into a fine powder
• This fine powder is mixed with water, to create a clay-water slurry
• The slurry is passed through mesh shelves to remove any rocks/impurities
• The slurry is kept in large settling tanks to sun dry
• Once the water is evaporated the now soft clay cakes are taken back into the workshop for further processing

Manufacturing and Crafted

After the clay is fully processed there are two methods to create the clay pots

• Potter's Wheel method
• Jigger and Jolly machine method

After the pots are made (greenware) they are send to be fired in a kiln. There are two types of kilns that can be used for this process

• Wood based kiln
• Oil Based Kiln (Used if the pots need more strength Eg. cooking pots)

The History of Indian Pottery

*Fun Fact*

Unglazed pottery (no chemical layer) is the oldest form of pottery practiced in India allowing the food to interact directly with the pot (enhancing the flavours)

Whether rich or poor

Undivided we all eat 

From the same brown pot

The earliest practice of pottery in India can be traced back to Chopani-Mando in 9,000 B.C (about 11,000 years ago).

Compared to its eastern counterparts pots in India were more widely used for art and decoration purposes. They were also used in peace offering for the death (life after death was a big belief people believed in)

In the olden days and even now electricity is scarce in India, these clay pots are perfect solution to making food without a gas, they are very low-cost, can be cooked on a wood fire, and the food that comes out is healthy and delicious

The oldest known pottery comes from China in 17,000 B.C.

Ancient Chinese Bronzes from the Shang (1,600 B.C, earlier use - 3,500 B.C) and Zhou (1,100 B.C) Dynasty were created using the intricate piece molding technique

Piece Molding Technique Process -

• Modelling - Molding - Casting

China

Bibliography

• https://www.culturalindia.net/indian-crafts/indian-pottery.html
• https://ancientcookware.com/indian
• Dr. Robert Mowry @Harvard Art Museum - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XaYUEV-vGLM
• https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/food-wine/benefits-cooking-in-an-earthen-pot-6219288/
• https://yourstory.com/2019/01/women-pottery-tamil-nadu/amp