Local women turn volcanic rock into durable cookware

MANISA

Women shape the clay on wheels set up in their home courtyards.

Volcanic rocks within the boundaries of the UNESCO Global Geopark in the western province of Manisa’s Salihli district are being processed into durable cooking pots and earthenware vessels through a pottery tradition passed down from generation to generation.

The volcanic rocks extracted from the geopark area are carried to homes by local men and crushed into powder using grinding machines. The stone powder is then mixed with clay collected from riverbeds to prepare the pottery mixture.

Women shape the clay on wheels set up in their home courtyards, producing cooking pots and earthenware vessels. Men take charge of the firing and marketing stages. Thanks to the natural durability and shine provided by the volcanic structure, the products do not require an additional glazing process.

The pottery, which provides the main source of income for 25 households in the neighborhood with a population of 1,830, is sent to different provinces in Türkiye as well as abroad through merchants. Demand for the products increases particularly before the Eid al-Adha holiday.

Pottery master Emine Tangüç, who has been continuing the craft she learned at her family home for nearly 30 years, told state-run Anadolu Agency that they continue their work with dedication despite the challenging production process.

Emphasizing that pottery is a centuries-old heritage carried by women in the neighborhood, Tangüç said every vessel they shape by hand represents great effort and patience.

Explaining that they start working at their wheels early in the morning, Tangüç said they continue to work with all their strength to pass this traditional craft on to future generations despite all its difficulties.

“We thank God, we earn our living and manage with this work. It is a demanding job, but we are happy with our lives. Our sales are generally steady, but demand increases even more during the Eid al-Adha period,” Tangüç said.

Another master craftswoman in the neighborhood, Sabriye Balkan, said she has been practicing the profession for 30 years and that production requires great effort.

Balkan explained that the clay is kneaded like dough before being shaped and said: “I learned this craft from my father when I was young. I do not think my children and grandchildren will continue it. Unfortunately, this profession is slowly disappearing. Our work requires patience and strength. We spend all day working with clay at the wheel. Young people are no longer interested in this demanding craft and prefer easier jobs. Although we try to keep this ancestral profession alive as long as we can, we are saddened by the thought that there may be no one left to continue it after us.”