The pottery of the traditional crafts that interested in the people of the region since ancient times, as indicated techniques archaeological conducted on the pottery were scattered thousands of years ago, the existence of material suitable for the industry, and the need of the population to pottery to cook food and water conservation, and is still the industry exist in many areas of the Gulf states, and are concentrated in the United Arab Emirates area of Ras Al Khaimah.
And clay varies by region, which brings them to be used in the manufacture of pottery.
The mud used in the UAE is red clay and green clay and mud yellow, are mixed with each previous species and certain proportions are brought mud from the nearby mountains in the valley included. The white clay used in the industry are newly imported from Iran.
There are three ways to work:
1 - formation by modeling each piece Single working hand separately.
2 - Use templates and forms that works for all the vessels template into which the dough and remove from the mold after the "pride" Xie fire "out of the oven."
3 - Use the wheel, "the wheel" by putting mud in the wheel spins and constitute Tina during the rotation of the top and bottom to be desired shape.
The return spread plaster industry in the Gulf to the availability of material lime used.
In the past, the literal "potter" do all the work in the workshop "fetch" and the setup and preparation, manufacture, synthesis, and incineration. "
After the increased intensity of work needed literal who assisted so that he can meet the demands and increase productivity, bringing work in the workshop doing more than one person, and led to the division of labor according to each stage, and there has been a kind of specialization in the work, and the most important functions that are currently in the workshops are :
1 - craftsmen: a literal who makes pottery.
2 - Recombinant or Almhtab: worker who trained on the industry nor mastered, who shall work simple things such as "synthesis" and final finishing of the vase.
3 - Assistant: who shall prepare mud and preparation, and help in the transfer of pots and described in the workshop, and the oven when burning.
How to prepare clay:
After bringing the mud of his whereabouts by animals "is currently transported by car" to the workshop, working on hit by a stick, "Kassar" so as to relaxing which helps on the Palm, and then be ready for the setup process.
The process is done in a pool circular radius meter and a half beside her three pools rectangular shape, and is positioned 35 "Ajafira" of red clay and 65 of white clay and green, and pours them with water and then leave for two hours, after which workers come and come down into the pond radiating out water The mud of the mixing process and extract impurities from the mud by "Almchkal" and when you are sure that there are no impurities in the clay is placed "refinery" on the slot in the pond in order to be distributed by the pond the other three, and relate ponds three by slots with each other, and leave the mud until consolidate, then takes him to manufacturers what he wants.
Method of learning the craft:
And are learning the craft through inheritance, and thus move the craft from generation to generation in the same family, and this is done that comes manufacturer to one of his sons or all of them to work with him in the workshop, and begin the first stage in learning the craft by watching, and take a viewing of this period from one week to month and then comes the stage of assistance through to ask literal "artisans" of his son that the helping in the transfer of pots ready to be placed in a particular place in the workshop the reach of the sun to dry, and helps his father as well as to convey to him the mud and Ejehzh to work after preparation, and this period to take at least two months to 6 months, and then begin the first attempts by the son that the synthesis and finishing, and during that period are trained to manufacture and work small models such as the cup and the cup and saucer, and if mastered work began training on making large models.
The person who is trained from outside the family Artisan it comes to the workshop to learn the profession and during the training period does not get paid, but conducted by learning the craft