Cham Tower is not only a cultural symbol of local people but also a typical product of Bau Truc pottery village.
Bau Truc village is located in the center of Phuoc Dan town, Ninh Phuoc district, Ninh Thuan province. Among more than 20 Cham villages in Ninh Thuan, only soil from the fields on the banks of the Quao River in Bau Truc can be used to make pottery. This type of clay is famous for its plasticity, smoothness and many other special properties.
Bau Truc pottery is molded entirely by hand, without using a turntable. The artisan moves around the pottery platform to create the product, creating a unique feature, demonstrating the sophistication and meticulousness of the Cham people.
According to legend, nearly a thousand years ago, the ancestor Po K'long Chank and his wife taught the people of Bau Truc how to make pottery. This profession is mainly undertaken by women, passed down from generation to generation.
Artisan Truong Thi Gach, 80 years old, with more than 65 years of experience, guides visitors through pottery making.
After shaping, the raw pottery is sun-dried, smoothed and fired in the open air. This process creates the characteristic color of Bau Truc pottery.
After 4-5 hours of firing, the pottery will be taken out to be sprayed with color (extracted from cashew nut oil, vông tree...). Then, it is fired again for 2 hours so that the color ripens and permeates the pottery. It is also from this firing method that Bau Truc pottery often has red-yellow, pink-red, gray-black, strange and beautiful brown streaks, clearly showing the ancient Cham culture.
Bau Truc pottery products are very diverse and rich, including household items such as: water jars, pots, vases, basins, teapots, cups, reliefs of god statues and bricks used in construction architecture.
The patterns on Bau Truc pottery show the freedom and openness of the craftsman, without the need for drawings, each product is a unique work.
Mr. Phu Huu Minh Thuan, Director of Bau Truc Pottery Cooperative, said that the craft village is developing in association with tourism, but faces the challenge of preserving traditional crafts as older artisans and young people seek other opportunities.
In 2017, Bau Truc pottery art was recognized as a national intangible cultural heritage. In November 2022, UNESCO included it in the list of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding.
Dantri.com.vn
Source: https://dantri.com.vn/du-lich/gom-bau-truc-noi-luu-giu-van-hoa-truyen-thong-cua-dong-bao-cham-20241007111803150.htm
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