RAW MATERIAL One of the most important factors contributing to the survival and growth of the potter's craft is the variety of raw material available in Pakistan. The clay found around Hala, Sehwan, Multan, Gujrat, Sambrial and several other pottery centres possesses elasticity to a high degree. In Bahawalpur region the soil contains an appreciable quantity of glass-like sand. Recently deposits of China clay have been found in the northern areas of the country. At all these places communities of potters have been developing their skills almost uninterrupted for centuries.

PRODUCTS The continued use of earthenware, even in villages, can be explained by not only the reasonable cost of the end product but its suitability for a number of requirements in the rural areas (vessels for the water wheel, pots for churning milk fodder troughs for the cattle, some music wares, rain drains for rooftops, tubs for kneading flour) has kept the craft of unglazed pottery alive. It has also been helped by the belief that fired-clay vessels are absolutely clean and hygienic. Another important factor that has contributed to the continued popularity of earthenware is its property of resistance to heat. For people living without means of cooling devices, there is nothing better than an earthen pot for storing water or milk products. Pitchers and bowls in different sizes and shapes are turned out in large number for populations exposed to long and harsh summers. And not only in villages, for in the metropolitan town of Karachi one can see earthen water containers fitted with taps of plastic or stainless steel. Also the earthen bowl (koonda) remains the ideal vessel for preparing curds throughout the country. Likewise, kheer (rice pudding) is traditionally cooled in earthen saucers and the qulfi (indigenous ice-cream) in earthen cones.Much attention has been paid to the shape of the long-necked water container (surahi) used by well-to-do families. The rounded pitcher is kept permanently on a stand made of bricks or wood, but the surahi is meant to be kept indoors in daytime and in the open at night, and till recently formed an essential part of travellers luggage. This necessitated the fixing of a small circular stand to its base and launched a style of ornamentation on the neck and the belly of the vessel, mostly in the form of raised floral patterns.Also surviving, mostly among nomadic tribes, is the tradition of making terracotta toys. Some of their horses, oxen, elephants, tigers, carts and catapults are indistinguishable from the centuries-old models. Of late the possibility of reproducing ancient motifs on terracotta pieces in new shapes, or putting new motifs on traditional ware, has been attracting the attention of modern designers.

PAPER THIN POTTERY "Chikni Mitti" is a specially fine and glossy clay abundant in the Cholistan region of Bahawalpur. This clay is used for making the renowned Kaghazi (thin as paper) Pottery. Chikni Mitti turns light brown or deep grey when fired and acquires a unique shine. Kaghazi pottery ware is exquisitely ornamented with lattice work and painted designs with white red and black colours.

GLAZED POTTERY AND TILES Widely produced in Pakistan is glazed pottery - durable, aesthetic, easy to maintain, valued for its suitability for cooking and conserving food. People have learnt from experience that milk and cooked foods stay fresh longer in glazed earthen pots and dishes than in metal containers or that meat cooked on slow fire in a glazed earthen pot tastes better than that quickly stewed in metal utensils.The tile-maker's craft flourished between the twelfth and the seventeenth centuries under the patronage of Muslim rulers and saints. The magnificent tile work done on hundreds of mosques, shrines, fortresses and tombs during this period has placed Pakistan among the countries possessing the richest treasures in this field. Although glazed tiles were used in Multan in the twelfth (the tomb of Shah Yusuf Gardezi) and the thirteenth (tombs of Shamsuddin Tabrizi and Bahaul Haz) centuries, those created for the mausoleum of Rukn-I-Alam in the fourteenth century furnish the best examples of Multan tiles. When Sir John Marshall described this tomb as one of the most splendid memorials ever erected in honour of the dead, he was moved no less by the beauty of its tiles - superlative surface decorations - in the words of a latter-day authority and the overall design of the building.This craft came to Pakistan from Iran and is still called Kashi work, indicating the original home - Kashan - of the craftsmen who started large-scale tile-making here. The Persian and Central Asian influence is no doubt evident in the shape and colours of the tiles but innovations dictated by local needs and tastes have given them features that easily distinguish them from Persian tiles. Even within Pakistan different materials were used for tiles in Sindh and Punjab and the surfaces of the tiles show marked variations. The Thatta tiles were made of hard-baked terracotta while the tiles used in Lahore were made of a composition of siliceous sand, lime, etc. In Thatta the tiles were applied flat to the buildings, to give an even surface, but in Multan the main tile patterns are in relief, in some places half an inch above the background. While in Sindh tiles were arranged in geometric designs, in Lahore the floral patterns dominated and animal figures were not uncommon.The range of glazed earthenware has been growing under the pressure of demand for new and different types of vessels. Extensive consumption of qahwa and tea has sustained a large-scale production of teapots and small cups without handles, similar to the traditional qahwa cups of the Central Asians. The favourite colours for glazing are blue and white - liked for its soothing effect on people exposed to a burning sun and for its heat-repelling property.The motifs and designs on all traditional pottery, glazed and unglazed, are derived form both nature and art traditions. Sunflower, pepal leaf, rose, fish, duck, camel, arabesque, and geometric designs are among the most common motifs. Since a large number of tiles are used in mosques and graveyards, the art of inscribing and embossing verses from the Holy Quran and other appropriate sayings has continued to flourish. The intricate nature of this work can be appreciated properly if one remembers that sometimes a tile design, covering several metres of surface, is made up of hundreds of tile-pieces which may be no bigger than half an inch square.For a long time the producers of glazed pottery and tiles used, besides indigenous material for glazing, dyes prepared from local plants and stones, but subsequently they started using chemical dyes. These dyes, however, did not prove to be entirely satisfactory and at present the better craftsmen prepare special colours by mixing natural extractions with chemicals. MOTIFS AND DESIGNS The motifs and designs on all traditional pottery, glazed and unglazed, are derived form both nature and art traditions. Sunflower, papal leaf, rose, fish, duck, camel, arabesque, and geometric designs are among the most common motifs. Since a good number of tiles are used in mosques and graveyards, the art of inscribing and embossing verses from the Holy Quran and other appropriate sayings has continued to flourish. The intricate nature of this work can be appreciated properly if one remembers that sometimes a tile design, covering several metres of surface, is made up of hundreds of tile-pieces which may be no bigger than half an inch square. For a long time the producers of glazed pottery and tiles used, besides indigenous material for glazing, dyes prepared from local plants and stones, but subsequently they started using chemical dyes. These dyes, however, did not prove to be entirely satisfactory and at present the better craftsmen prepare special colours by mixing natural extractions with chemicals.

TECHNIQUE AND PROCESS In Bangladesh the potters usually collect black clay from the paddy fields and ponds about seven to eight metres below the surface while sandy clay is collected from the riverbanks or paddy fields at the depth of one or one and half metres from the surface. For digging, an iron spade is normally used. After digging the clay is carried to the potters village or work place by boats, bullock cart or physically on the head or shoulders in baskets. The clay is stored in the shed or courtyard as many potters maintain a special place in the courtyard to preserve the clay. Clay is preserved normally for a couple or months or sometimes as long as a year, so that it becomes suitable for shaping. It is proved that the longer the clay is kept exposed to the elements the better its quality and the more useful it is for pottery making. The basic equipment used is the potter’s wheel - a strong wood circle connected with short wooden spokes, when turned on a pivot of hard wood or iron, is the basic tool of the village potter. The carefully prepared clay is thrown, and spun on the wheel, by the craftsman to skilfully shape the item required. At the outset the required amount of clay is cut of from the stored clay. It is processed in the open with a thorough beating with an iron spade and then kneaded with the hands or feet. The clay thus becomes soft and free from impurities like stones, pebbles, wood pieces etc - this process is repeated about seven to eight times. Small round clay pieces are then formed called buti which are used as a base for giving shape or form to any vessel. Or they are set onto a mould, para, and beaten with a wooden hammer or dola which gives it a flat round shape. In the mould the clay is beaten with a hammer with one hand and turned over by the other hand, till it acquires the shape of a bowl which is then left in the sun for 10 to 15 minutes. After this with the help of a flat shell, the rim of the bowl is shaped and smoothened with a wet cloth pad, and again kept in the sun for 10 to 15 minutes and covered with a thin cloth or gunny sack, so that it does not harden and crack. In the next stage, in order to give the final shape of the vessel, another mould is used, which is called atael. This is a wooden mould, the top of which is very smooth. Before it is used some ash powder is rubbed over so that the clay object can be removed easily.

PRODUCTS & TECHNIQUES Coconut-shell water dippers soon acquired a prestigious position and became collector's items. The carvings on some of them were very exquisite; some of the carved shells were even silver-mounted. Other related products made from these shells included spoons, forks, cake trays, hair pins, and ice cream cups, all popular, utilitarian items. Some decorative items like moving tortoises and ash trays are also made. Here the outer shell is cleaned and polished without any processing. The entire nut was used for crafting bangles and cuff-links. The contents within the shell were removed by boring a hole on the shell. This was then cleaned thoroughly and cut or carved according to the design required. The final stage in the craft-process was to polish or paint the shell. The tools and equipment used for this were small fret-saw, hand-drill, chisel, sharp knife and the equipment required for polishing.

The real challenge and innovation in the use of a coconut-shell is seen in the 'stretched out' coconut-shell technique. This was begun as an innovation by R. Gunatilaka, whose family kept this technique as a closely guarded secret. Simple rounded coconut shells are transformed into forms and shapes that enable one to create unique designs out of them. The products made showcase a skilful combination of design and technique obtained from years of research and application in the processing of coconut-shell. The technique has been mastered so well by R.Gunatilaka that one shell can stretch up to a length of twenty feet! The musical instrument esraj has been made by him using a combination of coconut-shell, ivory, ebony, etc. CRAFT LOCATIONS Along the western coastal belt a large number of artisans are engaged in the coconut-shell craft as supplies of the raw material are readily available at very reasonable prices.

• Gampaha district (next to Colombo): in the village of Mirigama.
• Kegalle district(between Colombo and Kandy): in the village of Garagoda.
• Moneragala district (adjoins Ratnapura district): this craft is practised in the villages of Inginiyagala, Nannapurawa, and Potuliyadda.
• Ratnapura district (in the south-western part of the country): in the villages of Eratne, Medapola, Wikiliya, Hidella, Kuruvita, and Hiramadagama.

TECHNIQUE AND PROCESS The shells which are considered ready for cutting are usually fully formed and quite large in size. For the best quality product, ideally only one bracelet should be cut from each shell, but generally the artisan crafts two to three bracelets and rings from the same shell. The tools of the trade have remained unchanged over the centuries with a very large, heavy, curved saw being used for the carving of the shell. Despite its unwieldy size the saw is handled with ease by the artisan who use its weight, balance and shape to deftly carve the conch. Holding the conch between his feet, as though in a vice, the artisan proceeds to cut the shell into the required shape and size. Some of the bracelets are quite broad and thick while others are slim and delicately formed. To pattern and decorate the sankha products files and drills of different sizes are employed. Popular designs include multiple replications of strings of fish, doves, conches, geometric motifs, notched edges, diamond shapes and often a makara (mythological animal) at each end. The designs are often highlighted with red or green lac dots. For wealthy clients the bracelets are also decorated with thin gold bands which are set into previously cut grooves, usually in a diagonal pattern.