In Salihli district of Manisa, volcanic rocks within the borders of the UNESCO Global Geopark are processed with the pottery tradition passed down from generation to generation. These rocks are transformed into durable casseroles and pots.
Volcanic rocks extracted from the Geopark area are carried to homes by local men. They are crushed into powder in grinding machines. The resulting stone powder is mixed with clay extracted from riverbeds to prepare mud.
At the workshops in their home courtyards, women shape the mud to produce casseroles and pots. Men undertake the baking and marketing stages. Thanks to the natural durability and luster provided by the volcanic structure, there is no need for a glazing process on the products.
In the neighborhood with a population of 1830, pottery is the main source of income for 25 households. The products are sent to different provinces of Turkey and abroad through traders. Especially before Eid al-Adha, there is high demand for the products.
Pottery master Emine Tangüç, who has been continuing the craft she learned in her father's home for approximately 30 years, stated that they do their work with love despite the challenging production process.
Tangüç emphasized that pottery is a legacy that has been carried on the shoulders of women in the neighborhood for centuries, and said that great effort and patience are put into every vessel they shape with their hands.
Tangüç, stating that they start working at their benches in the early hours of the morning, explained that they continue to work with all their might to pass this ancestral profession on to future generations despite all its difficulties.
Tangüç, stating that they earn their living from this craft, said: "May God bless us, we make a living, we get by with this. We have a laborious job, but we are content with our situation. Our sales are generally steady, but demand increases even more during Eid al-Adha periods."
Sabriye Balkan, one of the master women in the neighborhood, also stated that she has been continuing the profession for 30 years and conveyed that production requires great effort.
Balkan, explaining that the mud is prepared by kneading it like dough, noted the following:
"I learned this profession from my father at a young age. I don't think my children and grandchildren will continue it. Unfortunately, this profession is slowly dying out. We have a job that requires patience and strength; we work with mud at the workbench all day long. Young people are no longer interested in this laborious craft; they are turning to ready-made jobs. Although we try to keep this ancestral profession alive as long as we are able, we are saddened that no one will continue it after us."
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