Terracotta Craft – The Lyric Of Indian Handicraft

Terracotta Craft – The lyric of Indian Handicrafts

The origin of terracotta dates back several thousand years. From the Indus Valley Civilization to ancient Mesopotamia, from the Greek civilization to the Chinese dynasties, terracotta has been widely used by people across the globe.

Often described as clay craft, terracotta signifies man’s first attempt at craftsmanship. An integral part of the terracotta creations, the potters’ wheel is recognized as the first machine invented to use the power of motion for a productive purpose. The earliest use of terracotta articles in India can be traced back to more than 5000 years during the Indus Valley civilization. Since then, it has been used for innumerable purposes and historical evidence of that is scattered all across the country.

Terracotta Craft of West Bengal

Terracotta has a long deep and glorious relation with Bengal. Bengal’s contribution to the art of terracotta is superior and outstanding. Bengal has perfected the craft and applied it through its incredible sculptures and murals. The earliest history of terracotta sculptures starts from the Mauryan Age (324-187 BC). The finest patterns of terracotta panels can be found in Bengal towns of Murshidabad, Birbhaum, Bishnupur, Hooghly, and Digha. The theme is generally folk and the patterns are fairly highlighted with traditional skill and explicit artwork murals.

The blend of clay used in terracotta craft is generally found in river beds, pits, and drains. Once the patterns are drawn and highlighted in clay, the items are baked in kilns, operated at temperatures between around 1300-1500 degrees Fahrenheit (700-800 degrees Celsius). Fuel found locally, like twigs, dry leaves, or firewood is used in the kiln.

Terracotta is expressed in various forms and is commonly used both in rural and urban lives. Very popular products include Golu dolls, idols & mural frames, terracotta jewelry sets, and earrings.

Terracotta Craft of Tamil Nadu & Pondicherry

This artwork is traced to the Villianur village and its neighboring areas, as an ancestral legacy over 20 generations of the community known as “Kulalar”. During the French rule of Pondicherry, this art form received a fillip.

The basic materials used in terracotta handcrafting are green clay, thennal and fine sand locally called savudu. Several types of bamboo tools are used in handcrafting the art forms. In the first step of processing, the clay is sifted to remove all stones. Then a mixture of 20/40/40 of clay, thennal and fine sand is made. After kneading thoroughly, the mixture is cured by allowing it to dry for some time. The prepared mixture is used in small quantities to make the products such as toys, statues in different forms. For making statues, molds are used for the body parts while the rest of the figures are ornamented with motifs by hand. The finished artwork is allowed to dry for 12 hours and then it is ready for sale.

To enhance the life of the statues, the craftwork is heated for about 30 minutes with Poda husk, powdered wood, and Saanam. Then it is covered with sand and allowed to cool.

Some of the products include deities, divinities, animal forms, and wall hangings. A specialty of Villianur terracotta is that they can make giant crafts as tall as 30 feet (9.1 m) tall, molded to any thickness, and miniature artifacts measuring 1 inch onwards.

We have miniature elephants and horses for your collectibles from the village of Tamil Nadu.