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mediaeval guilds/long

updated thu 10 nov 05

 

Marcia Selsor on tue 8 nov 05


This may be irrelevant but when I was writing a paper on the socio-
economics of the Three-story kilns of Agost,
(Spain) I got involved in understanding (refer the Fred Mather 's
Ceramics and Man) in certain places how folk pottery was made and
marketed in Spain and up to not so very long ago. This may have some
relevance regarding pottery in medieval times. I participated in
numerous sessions of the American Anthropological Associations
Conference sessions on current research on ceramic materials. Some
people included the curator at the Freer in Washington where we all
go to touch a Song tea bowl! Others doing research in the Phillipines
could date when people started using pots to cook by anaylizing them
teeth of aged corpses. weird but interesting. (medical anthropology)

It has been documented in a research of European pottery communities,
that women were the potters creating pots within a determined area
of trade. For example, women of Moveros (into the 1990s) made fine
walled water jugs for carrying the water from the wells to the homes,
where the women of Pereuela made cooking pots with their heavy mica
clay. In the provincial capital, these women traded with each other
for their wares. This was also true in central Spain.

It has also been documented that when the production level of pottery
reaches an economically significant status, that men become the
potters and manufacturing as in factories takes place. Now,if one
considers that basic pots for every day were made from necessity and
were not sold beyond the local marketplace, perhaps it was not guild
status. Perhaps it was more family operations in small communities
sitting on clay deposits with idiosyncratic properties as the clays
in Moveros and Pereuela.
-just a thought. Diaz y Diaz said that fishing villages and pottery
villages were the last to accept modernization. Were fishermen in
guilds? It is a valid comparison.

When I lived in Spain for a year (1985-86) on a Fulbright, and
visited 48 pottery manufacturing centers, it was like time travel.. I
went to places with stone kilns and homes from the middle ages. Ever
seen a granite kiln? Very interesting. I helped load and fire one.
Anyway, the idea of apprenticeships and guilds probably deals with
clay of the status of finer wares. European finer wares didn't
develop until the renaissance. IMHO. Italian Majolica and Manises
Lusterware are examples of that. There was lusterware in medieval
times also but very localized. I have visited archaeological finds of
such kilns north of Manises in Denia. They were Islamic. That may be
a place to focus research on medieval apprenticeships of potters.
I researched some rare books in the U of Pennsylvania library from
1700s describing the recipes for lusterware. But that was 35 years
ago. I was more interested in the recipes than guild system.
Sorry to be such a nerd, nut it is my nature. Anyway, these are some
things to consider.
Marcia Selsor in Montana surrounded by my nerdy books.

clennell on wed 9 nov 05


Marci the nerd wrote:

> It has also been documented that when the production level of pottery
> reaches an economically significant status, that men become the
> potters and manufacturing as in factories takes place.

Marci: Interesting! Is this perhaps true today? I mean pottery classes are
predominantly 80-90% women. Do you think that men don't consider pottery
because we don't think it has a significant status economically. I have
heard of many cases where the women starts selling her pots and then the
husband or man comes on board. Men are often surprised that i make a living
at pottery. My standard answer for me is "Does it look like I've missed a
meal?
cheers,
tony

Tony and Sheila Clennell
Sour Cherry Pottery
4545 King Street
Beamsville, Ontario
CANADA L0R 1B1
http://www.sourcherrypottery.com
http://www.sourcherrypottery.com/current_news/news_letter.html

Pfeiffer, Dan R (Dan) on wed 9 nov 05


Tony,

I was the only man in the one pottery class we have taking so far. We will
see you in Atlanta so you had better be good, a 4 hour drive in February at
night, Atlanta drivers known to be nuts, what were we thinking. Anyway my
take on it is it is not the money so much as the craft idea. Woman do crafts
men do not! I weave, spin and make pots and have a lot more fun than some
who come home from work and sit in front of the tube and wonder if there is
not more to life, if they think at all. I do get some odd looks from some
people who can not believe that a man can spin wool and make things but that
is there problem. think Pottery is a bit more mucho, fire, mud, real work,
but I still get asked "so you do this too and not just you wife". This
mostly from woman. I am driven to make things with my hands, the best of
tools, and to not be creating something is to miss out on the best life has
to offer. Maybe why there are so many mentally sick people is so many have
lot touch with the basic things of life. All comes to us from "others", or
Wal-Mart. Making pots has both a good feel and look and there is a few
people who will even buy them! That is one thing I never could get from
weaving. Everyone loved to have what I mite take a month to make and would
be willing to pay for the cost to the material but not 5 cents for the time.


Back to the real work.

Dan & Laurel in Elkmont Al
Pfeiffer Fire Arts
Potters Council Members


>>>>Marci: Interesting! Is this perhaps true today? I mean pottery classes
are
predominantly 80-90% women. Do you think that men don't consider pottery
because we don't think it has a significant status economically.>>>>