Cliousclat - potters village

Brushwood

The people, who provided the wood, were called “bouscatiers”. They made sure there was enough wood to fire the kiln. The firewood came from Mirmande, Allex, Grâne, La Roche-sur-Grâne and Loriol. Usually 500 to 600 bundles are used to make a single firing process.

Potters preferred thin pin branches which give a high flame and does not give as much ash as boxwood, since, ashes might stick to glaze pottery during a firing and spoil it. Therefore, potters were willing to pay more for pin branches.

It is considered that wood kiln firing gives more beautiful pottery compared to pots fired in electric or gas kilns. The fire is “seeking” for oxygen and enters the pots.

 

The loading time depends on the kind of pieces performed. The more varied the pieces are, the longer it takes to load them in. At the beginning of the 20th century 5-6 firings were realized per month. After loading, the wall of the kiln is closed with bricks.

 

The volume Cliousclat’s pottery kiln is 20 square meters. The temperature outside the furnace may reach as much as 80°C. Potters therefore took advantage of it to finish drying the next batch of pots. The same kiln was used from the creation of the pottery manufacture in 1902 to the last firing in 2000. All this time fire would damage the bricks and from time to time and repairs were necessary.

 

The firing time is 17-18 hours. The glazed pottery is fired at the temperature of 980°C. The temperature has to be built up gradually; otherwise the pots will break due to the thermal shock.

A few hours after firing the chimneys are closed. At first, the chimneys were closed from the roof, but after World War II the dampers and handles were installed so that potters could close the chimneys from the ground.

After 48 hours the brick wall is broken, the kiln is opened and the potters take out the finished pots one after the other, still warm and shiny.