Pottery in Baluchistan; Art that spins without wheels

In Sistan and Baluchistan, the art of pottery is passed down from generation to generation as a precious heritage, and the artisans create beautiful handicrafts from water and soil, with the difference that the pottery wheel in this land rotates without wheels. Pottery jars are not silent here, because this art has been passed down from generation to generation, and children and grandchildren, along with their mothers and grandmothers, have been familiar with this industry since childhood. Learned Maryam is a proof of this claim; The 87-year-old woman of Fanuji, who did not stop working as long as she was alive and shaped and colored the pottery by turning her hands.

Pottery is one of the most important and oldest human arts that has flourished in Iran for a long time. Pottery has a prominent place in Iranian civilization, and in Balochistan, its history goes back to the Paleolithic era and before history.

The pottery obtained from the site of the burnt city of Sistan located in the north of Sistan and Baluchistan and other ancient areas of the province dates back to thousands of years before Christ.

Kalpurgan is the only living pottery museum in the world

Kalpurgan is a village located 25 km from Saravan city and 390 km southeast of Zahedan in Sistan and Baluchistan province and is known as the only living pottery museum in the world.

This village is introduced with pottery and the pottery method of its women, and the women and girls of this village learn pottery from their mothers, grandmothers and ancestors and create beautiful art from water and clay that fascinates every viewer.

Baloch women artists make Kalpurgan pottery with completely geometric designs and patterns without glaze and without any pottery tools or wheels, so that their productions are very similar to the works discovered from the historical and ancient sites of Baluchistan region and other parts of Iran.

The soil for the pottery of this village is usually supplied from the clay mine of Meshkotek, which in the past was transported to the workshop by special carts or carts. But now it is transported to the workshop by dump truck.

Baloch women artists make Kalpurgan pottery with completely geometric designs and patterns, without glaze and without any tools or pottery wheels, so that their productions are very similar to the works discovered from the historical and ancient sites of Baluchistan region and other parts of Iran. To separate impurities from the soil, first It is filtered and then it is poured into a 2-story basin and water is added to it and then the soil is mixed in the water so that the soil particles are suspended in the water.

After the strainer and tube, they transfer to the second basin, which has a different level from the first one and is lower, and in order to prevent the impurities from entering the second basin from the first basin, they usually install a few nets inside the said pipe to separate the last particles that remain in the solution.

Then the obtained slurry is kept in the second pond for 2 days until its water evaporates, and then the obtained mud is kneaded with some of the same soil as before until it is ready to work.

In the local term, the obtained mixture is called “hajak” and the color of this mixture is usually gray to light green, which turns orange after baking in the oven.

These steps are the responsibility of men; But the next steps, which require precision and delicacy, are done by hand by the women artists of Kalpurgan. The techniques of making pottery in this region are the same methods used several thousand years ago, and this basic and very simple method has made Kalpurgan pottery art unique in the world.

“Tituk stone” is also used to decorate and paint pottery. This stone is found in Tepe Achar area in Kohoran, Mehrestan city, and its color is usually brown or black.

All the motifs used on the Kalpurgan pottery are abstract and subjective, which have been passed down from generation to generation and are derived from the beliefs of the people of the region, which are consistent with the prehistoric pottery motifs.

All pottery products are exposed to the sun for 10 days after being made to dry completely, and before they go to the kiln, they are painted with Titok paint so that the vessel is baked with the paint at the same time.

Trying to revive the art of pottery

A handicraft entrepreneur in the field of pottery stated that pottery is an inherited art and I learned this art from my grandmother since I was a child, stating: Pottery is very enjoyable; Because with John Wedel, art is created that is born of taste.

In an interview with IRNA reporter, Nadim Arbab added: Since my grandmother passed away, so that the dust of oblivion does not settle on this historical art, I have continued this work in Fanuj city. One of my goals is to teach this art to others.

He continued: We make vessels such as pitchers, glasses, bowls, bowls, plates, clay pots, ashtrays, kandags, chalim (hookah) from clay and send them to the market for sale.

Stating that the glazed pottery has many customers in the local, provincial and foreign markets and even in neighboring countries, this entrepreneur said: despite the great effort it took to make the pottery; But they are sold at very low prices.

He stated that the soil required for making pottery is obtained from the mountains three kilometers away from the village and first we sift it to make it uniform, he added: this soil is muddled in a pond so that it absorbs water when the mud itself When it gets hard, they pack it in nylons, the longer it stays in the nylon, the better. They use these packing gels in the amount they need until they need the gel again.

Arbab pointed out: The color used for painting on pottery is a mineral color made from a stone called “Tituk”.

He stated that the pottery sales market is favorable and in this regard we have benefited from the platform of virtual space for advertising and marketing, he said: Utilizing the capacities of virtual space has made the sales market of pottery artisans flourish in addition to the introduction of fine handicrafts.

This entrepreneur asked the authorities to support the artisans and said: the presence of artisans in the exhibitions will lead to the prosperity of the sales market in addition to the introduction of handicrafts.

The motifs used on Kalpurgan pottery are created by the creative minds of the women of Diyar Nakhel

In an interview with IRNA reporter, the head of the Kalpurgan pottery workshop, pointing out that he learned pottery making from his mother and grandmother since he was seven years old, said: The registration of Kalpurgan village as the first handicraft village in the world has made the sale of pottery made by the women of the village boom. And we have applicants from all over the world

Saying that all the motifs used on the Kalpurgan pottery were created by the minds of men and women in the land of palm and sun, which were passed down from generation to generation, Zainat Monfad added: geometrical shapes on the pottery such as pitchers and cups, sugar cans, water fountains , pot and bowl is one of the beliefs of the people of the region, which is consistent with the patterns of prehistoric pottery.

He pointed out why Kalpurgan pottery is different from other places and continued: In making pottery, all the delicate stages of pottery are done by women, and men only do things like carrying clay from the Muscotan mine located 2 to 3 kilometers from the workshop, preparing mud and cooking. They do pottery.

The registration of Kalpurgan village as the first handicraft village in the world has made the sale of pottery made by the women of the village flourish and we have applicants from all over the world.

This Saravani artisan lady said: What has drawn the world’s attention to Kalpurgan pottery is not using a pottery wheel in the preparation of pottery, so that all pottery is made with primitive, innovative traditional methods and with the help of hands.

He stated that the pottery sales market is favorable and in this regard we have benefited from the platform of virtual space for advertising and marketing, he said: Utilizing the capacities of virtual space has made the sales market of pottery artisans flourish in addition to the introduction of fine handicrafts. The products made by the women of this land attract foreign customers from countries such as Germany and China. ,

Monfed noted: This village was known as the only living pottery museum in the world and the only global pottery village before the global registration. But the global registration, in addition to encouraging the people of the region, boosted tourism, sales market and introduced this ancient art to the world.

He stated: With this action, many domestic and foreign tourists visit this area every year, and in this context, I welcome guests in my private home.

Referring to the support provided by the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts of Sistan and Baluchistan regarding the participation in exhibitions within the province as well as exhibitions in other provinces such as Tehran and Isfahan, this Saravani entrepreneur added: the presence of artisans in such exhibitions in addition to the introduction of handicraft works It also leads to the prosperity of the sales market.

The geometric shapes on the pottery, such as pitchers and glasses, sugarcans, water jugs, vases, and bowls, are among the beliefs of the people of the region, which are consistent with the prehistoric pottery designs.

Launching a trilingual site for the introduction and sale of Kalpurgan products

The Director General of Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism of Sistan and Baluchistan stated in an interview with IRNA reporter: In 2002, the Kalpurgan Pottery Museum was registered in the list of national monuments of the country, and after the registration of Kalpurgan pottery in the list of intangible heritage monuments of the country, in line with support From potters and introducing the historical identity of the region, in July 2016, it was proposed as the Global Pottery Village by the Organization of Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism.

Alireza Jalalzaei said: In 2016, the World Handicrafts Council registered Kalpurgan as the world’s first handicrafts village due to its seven-thousand-year-old pottery.

He added: With the globalization of Kalpurgan pottery, we have witnessed the presence of domestic and foreign tourists to this village, which has led to the development of tourism and development in the economic and social spheres of this region.

Director General of Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism of Sistan and Baluchistan said: Pottery in Kalpurgan village is rooted in the history and civilization of the people of this region.

He said: In the villages of Kalpurgan and Saravan, places have been set up to sell pottery, and in addition, a site in Persian, English, and Arabic languages ​​has also been installed so that people from all over the world can visit and buy Kalpurgan products.

Jalalzaei emphasized: We tried to cut off the hand of dealers from this industry by launching this site.