Design Resource
Zama Pottery of Spiti Valley
The Craft of Clay Pottery
by
Place
Spiti, locally pronounced as ‘piti’, literally means the word ‘middle country’. Situated at the high altitudes of western Himachal Pradesh, cold deserts of Spiti valley is surrounded by snow-capped mountains and the River Spiti, which originates at Kunzum range and joins Sutlej River at Kinnaur valley. The valley lies very close to Tibet/China and its influence can be seen in ancient culture and tradition of the area. It is one of the least populated regions of the country. With maximum number of people belonging to Mahayana (Vajrayana) sect of Tibetan Buddhism, its rich heritage can be seen in its monasteries, traditional dances, songs and customs. In almost complete isolation from the outside world for centuries, Spiti has a culture centered around its art and crafts.
It is believed that Langza village derives its name from ‘La’, which means mountain pass, and ‘Za’ of Zama. It is also known as the potter’s village because of its exclusive availability of the black clay. Situated at the height of 4400m, and guarded by the mighty Cho Cho Kang Nilda mountain range; Langza is a village with breathtaking view. Also known as ‘headquarter’ of the Gods of valley, the village is guarded by a giant statue of Lord Buddha, which is believed to keep the evil spirits away. The terrain is surrounded with fossils of Marine animals and plants, which dates back to the prehistoric era when Spiti was submerged in the Tethys Sea.
