The manufacturing
of pottery in Ghana is a very fascinating process. The process has been
advancing from time to time. The manufacturing of pottery over the years have
been getting smoother and smoother; advancing.
The production of pottery obviously starts
from a stage and ends at a stage. In reality, pottery according to the centerfor National Culture, Accra, the pottery department, pottery making starts with
putting refined clay into a washing bin and adding water. This washing bin is
divided into two. The first one takes the clay (with water added) and left for at
least three (3) to five (5) days.
A typical pottery making process
From here,
the watered clay is carried into the second part of the washing bin via a mesh
which holds particles from entering into the second part of the mesh. It is
also left there for another three to five days in order that the clay may be separated
from the water.
After this
period, the water is combed out of the clay obviously after the clay has
settled under the water to dry on the sun. It is sent to the pot mill. The pot mill process the clay so that we can get a clay bar. After sometime, it is sent
into the table for kneading. In the course of the kneading, the clay is wedged
with a wedging wire. Wedging involves cutting the clay with a wedging wire in
order to get rid of hard particles and air bubble.
Kneading involves holding
and mixing as well as controlling the clay.
Kneading prepares
the clay unto the potter’s wheel. It is on the potter wheel that the molding
actually takes place. At the potter’s wheel, two people are needed; the potter
and a person to wheel. The potter uses the thumb to create a hollow space in
the clay.
It is based on this hole and around it that he makes pots. How fast the
potter moulds is how fast the wheel is wheeled. The potter works on the disk of
the potter wheel. The shape is created and the potter keeps molding until he
gets the shape. The shape is called grain ware. The grain ware is baled to
remove water.
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