Terracotta jug from El Raouached (Tunisia)

Terracotta carafe brought back from a trip to Tunisia. Made by one of the potters from the village of El Raouached in Tunisia (Gafsa region). Initially utilitarian, this pottery is slowly becoming known thanks to the success of the village of Sejnane located in the north of the country. The potters extract the clay, work it, and shape it on the ground using the coil technique. The object is then polished with shells or pebbles before being fired in a brazier dug into the ground and covered with foliage and... dried cow dung. Given that this type of firing does not reach the heat of a kiln, the earth remains porous, and the object cannot therefore contain water except with a soliflore. It is a purely decorative object. Also due to its very primitive firing, it remains more fragile than kiln-fired pottery. This explains the chip on the spout. The color differences around the edge of the carafe are due to the play of the flames on the object during firing. It is a very beautiful object with a beautiful energy. The hand-shaping and wood-fired firing make the carafe unique. It is very heavy because it is thick.