Zlakusa

How Zlakusa pottery is made

Zlakusa pottery is made from a mixture of clay and calcite in a roughly 1:1 ratio, shaped by hand on a slow potter's wheel and fired on an open flame without glaze. The whole process, from preparing the raw material to the finished vessel, takes seven to ten days.

The steps of making

  1. Preparing the paste

    Clay and calcite are crushed and mixed in a roughly 1:1 ratio until a smooth, plastic paste suitable for shaping is obtained.

  2. Shaping on the wheel

    The potter shapes the vessel by hand on a slow wheel turned by themselves — no mould and no electric drive. Each piece is unique.

  3. Decorating

    While the clay is still soft, geometric patterns are added with wooden or metal tools, and handles are added to some vessels.

  4. Drying

    The shaped vessel is air-dried for several days. As the water evaporates, the vessel shrinks noticeably.

  5. Open-fire firing

    Finally the vessel is fired on an open flame. Without glaze, the colour and strength come only from the material and the fire.

Why clay and calcite

Calcite is the key ingredient that lets Zlakusa vessels withstand direct heat. Without it, an ordinary clay pot would crack on the fire. It is exactly this mixture, known to the masters for generations, that makes Zlakusa pottery cookware rather than a mere decorative object.

The 1:1 ratio is not only about surviving fire: it is also what allows very large pieces to be made, which clay alone would not withstand through drying and firing.

Where the raw materials come from

Neither material is dug in Zlakusa itself. The clay is mined at Vranjani near Pozega, at a depth of two to eight metres. The calcite comes from neighbouring Rupeljevo, from a mine more than two hundred years old. That is why the protected area of the craft takes in the surrounding villages: without them there would be no vessels.

Clay
Vranjani near Pozega, 2—8 m deep
Calcite
Rupeljevo, a mine over 200 years old
Ratio
roughly 1:1
Time to make
7 to 10 days

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to make one vessel?

From preparing the clay to a finished, fired vessel takes seven to ten days, mostly because the drying must be gradual.

Is an electric wheel used?

No. The traditional Zlakusa wheel is slow and turned by the potter, without an electric drive and without moulds.