La Chamba Pottery Pots and Cookware

How Chamba Pots Are Made

Each piece is made by hand on rudimentary pottery wheels.

 After the piece is formed and shaped it is coated with a fine red clay.

The red clay is then rubbed with natural stones. After firing the red hot pieces are covered with rice husks and smoked. This part of the process is what changes the color from red to black. Small imperfections in the finish and flecks of minerals (mica) in the clay are part of the handmade process. The mica acts as an insulator and gives the cookware the ability to heat evenly and not crack under temperature changes.



Once the pieces are burnished they are loaded into metal drums for firing. 



This picture shows the drums being loaded onto the kiln floor.