Stopping by the clay potter's shop

KARACHI: Over the years, archaeological excavations have unearthed several valuable finds, including ancient pottery.

Some of these notable pieces in museums all over the world are from prehistoric times. When scholars and researchers, studying history, divided societies into periods of development such as the Stone Age, Bronze Age and Iron Age, they also identified the Neolithic Age, circa 5500 BCE, which is also known as Pottery Neolithic.

Nearer to home, similar excavations at Harrapa and Moenjodaro have given us insight into the Indus Valley Civilisation (2500-2000 BC). There are clay toys from those times displayed in our museums. There are also a lot of utensils and figures sculpted by hand as well as made on the potter’s wheel.

And this ancient art has carried down through the ages. Today we see so many clay items for sale on roadsides as well as on vendor carts. The biggest sellers among these are the planters. Everyone wants planters to plant flowers, vegetables, etc. There are vases, too, which can be bought plain or painted, varnished and decorated.

Mohammad Bilal sits in his father’s shop at Baldia No 3 with small pieces of mirror that he skilfully sticks, one by one, on a small pot. “After I am finished, my younger brother will fill in colour in the spaces in-between the mirrors and then polish the entire piece,” he says while going about his job.

Asked if he has ever cut his hands doing this kind of work, the boy smiles and says: “Yes, but that was a long time ago when I was starting out. Now I’m used to it.”

Meanwhile, his younger brother, Abdul Basit, has many colours by his side. “I can fill in yellow or black paint or any other colour in-between the mirrors but red looks the best,” he says.

“But these pieces are for decoration only because if you fill them with water or use them as planters, the humidity will make the mirrors fall out.”.

There are some very pretty glass houses also available at the shop. Priced at around Rs500 each, they can make for a nice gift. Big clay bells hang from one wall. They do not ring. Instead they glow as these are actually for holding light bulbs. Artisans and craftsmen have also made clay models of well-known landmarks such as the Quaid-i-Azam’s mausoleum, Minar-i-Pakistan and the Khyber Pass. Pretty wall hangings that line another wall are sold as they are. Anyone buying them can then paint or apply varnish on them according to taste.

The best part about clay pottery and ceramics is that they are not at all expensive. The little pot Bilal was busy decorating is actually one of three that cost only Rs250. The landmarks, too, are just for Rs500 each. There are also many small toys which are also very reasonably priced.

Nearby, there is another kind of clay pottery, also available, and in different sizes, too. I am talking about tandoor (clay oven) for making naan (a type of leavened bread). The cheapest cost Rs500 each and from there they can go up to Rs5,000.

“The price of a tandoor depends on its size. The small ones, people buy for their homes and the bigger ones are for restaurants and dhabas, of course,” says Pappoo Bhai of the Pappoo Tandoors. “It is made not of just clay like the pots, vases and other decoration pieces. We also add straw to the clay to help it bind better,” he adds.

“The small ones can accommodate four rotis (flatbreads) at a time while the bigger ones are for 25 rotis at a time,” he says, adding that a tandoor lasts around five years. If you have a gas fire under your tandoor, it may last up to five years, but if you light a wood fire, it would need replacing in half that time as the tandoor will eventually crack.”

Originally published in Dawn, July 24th, 2016