Traditional, plain, yet still vivid.
TRADITIONAL, PLAIN,YET STILL VIVID.
Dr.Ahmet Cuneyr Er
Anadolu University School For The Handicapped
Ceramic Department
cer@anadolu.edu.tr
Abstract
Traditional art of ceramics enlightens the history of humanity and civilizations in many fields.
Humanity, once learned to shape and fire the clay, carried it along as a treasure for the
proceeding generations. Potters developed the legacy they inhetited, creating the art of
ceramics of today. In today’s modern life, technology replaces the human labor in many
fields. Traditional art of ceramics have also been influenced by the deteriorating effects of
technology and mechanization. The subject matter of this study, “Sorkun” is a pleasant
village in Eskişehir province, whose livelihood is based on ceramics production and farming.
The residents, who have migrated from Horasan 600-700 years ago, carried the tradition of
pottery making along, which still is their primary way of earing their lives today. Sorgun
pottery-making reflects the primitive modes of production even in the times we live in. The
clay used as the raw material is collected in neighboring fields and prepared fro potterymaking. It is a system based on a simple potter’s wheel and women’s labor, where principally
cooking pots are shaped. The dominant role of women in pottery-making in Sorgun deems the
system quite interesting. In all other phases of production a male-female cooperation could
be observed. Firing is conducted in an open field based on the direction of the winds.
Observing the firing process is quite a pleasure for the onlookers. Sorkun Pottery-making is a
significant legacy for the worldwide ceramics culture. This study would introduce that
particular mode of pottery production with the aid of various visuals and videos.
Keywords: Ceramic,traditional pottery,cultural heritage, clay.