Design Resource
Temple Pottery - Puri, Orissa
Extensive Form of Handicrafts
by
Prof. Bibhudutta Baral, Divyadarshan C. S. and Aakash Sharma
Tools and Raw Materials
The raw material for this craft is ordinary clay, derived from the beds of water bodies like river, lakes and ponds. The first layer is ignored as it’s a form of mud, second layer is used as clay for pottery. The clay is filtered, cleaned, mixed and then shaped either by hand, wheel or molded into desired object. The clay or terracotta products are graded according to their color, strength and water absorption capacity.
| • Clay | - Free from chemicals is generally collected from the neighboring lake. |
| • Black and Grey clay | - It is used to strengthen the clay material as per the item to be made. |
| • Spinning Wheel | - A manual pottery wheel (A spinning object). |
| • Mesh | - It is to refine/ sieve the clay from brick and solid particles. |
| • Gunny Bags | - It’s used for kneading the clay well into a good mixture. |
| • Water | - It is used for conditioning the dried clay material. |
| • Wood dust | - Dust used to add in the clay. |
| • Plank of Wood | - To arrange the prepared clay items as per it is made. |
| • Plastic Bags | - To store the clay collected from various locations. |
| • Ash | - Used to add in the pot awhile hammering with a wooden tool. |
| • Wooden tool | - Used to beat the pot genteelly for flattening the pot. |
| • Terracotta Object | - Used to control the hammer pressure while beating process. |
| • Thread | - Is dipped in water and used to cut and separate the product from the turning wheel. |
| • Bhatti (kiln) | - It’s used for heating the prepared clay items. |
| • Dry grass & forest plant | - It’s used to impart heat in the Bhatti (kiln) during heating process. |
