History of Ceramics

Black ceramics from Verdú

Since ancient times Verdú has been an important center of pottery production.

From the Roman period, three ovens have been found for baking roof tiles, bricks and tiles. construction elements and household utensils.

The first documentary data referred to us by a mason in Verdú dates back to 1492 and was called Antoni Guash, but remains of ovens have been found inside the first walled enclosure from an earlier period. From then on, ceramic workshops began to proliferate.

In the 15th century Verdú experienced growth, especially due to the fairs and markets promoted under the rule of Poblet, and in the middle of the 17th century when the Confraternity of Sant Hipòlit was established (1605), with the purpose of protecting and regulating with a series of ordinations in the profession, there were about thirty workers. During the 15th and 16th centuries, stonemasons settled outside the old town, and especially towards Carrer de les Eres and Carrer Nou. They will later be installed outside the old town, towards Carrer de Sant Miquel.

Verdú pottery reached its peak between the twenties and fifties of the 20th century, when thousands of pitchers of various models were produced.

The jug or armchair, which, due to its functionality, is superior to the rest of the utensils, given that it made it possible to transport water in a comfortable way, keeps the water fresh and can also be drunk from it.

Technique and preparation

The name of the Verdú jugs was largely due to the excellent quality of the clay used in their production. Most of the stonemasons were landowners and took advantage of the winter months to make the discovery and find the best quality clay, especially the one from the Carros and Basselles area, about two kilometers from the town.

The clay was transported in trebuchet carts, they entered the town through Carrer Bonaire and Carrer Margorell, crossed Plaça Major and went up Carrer Sant Miquel. The clay was spread in the threshing floor, crushed to make it very fine, and in the same yard the stonemasons had the raft and the bassoon. Next, between ten and twelve small caves of refined clay were thrown into the basin, along with the water which was continuously stirred with a wooden stirrer. The mixture that came out was decanted into the large basin, located at a lower level. This operation was repeated until the desired mud quality was reached. The clay had to be dried so that it was pliable in order to work.

Maurar is the work that the stonemason did at the beginning of the day before getting down to the wheel, and also the apprentice who received the name maurador. Moor with your feet on a pile of mud, then with your hands to apply more pressure. Then with a sickle two equal parts were made which were called pastons. They worked until the paston was very ductile and once it was ready, the master stonemason could take it to work on the workbench.

The stonemason with the paston on the plate, moves it up and down, all the while working on the piece. When the piece is finished, it is removed from the plate very carefully and placed on a shelf to dry. Then the women would take the pieces again to be garnished, to add the spouts and the handle.

Cooked

When the pitchers were baked in a wood-fired oven, the last part of the production process, three hundred bundles of olive wood were used in each batch, in which about fifteen hundred armchairs could be placed , approximately. At the right time, the bundles of wood were added and the furnace or the breathing holes of the furnace above were closed, so that all the oxygen in the clay was consumed and it turned black. This is how the black color that has given the Verdú pottery its identity was achieved.

Finally, baking is the most awaited moment, it is the culmination of the whole process.

Utensils made in Verdú

In Verdú we mainly find utensils related to water storage such as; funnels, basins, cossis, cossiols, gibrells, pots, dishes, sparrows, watering cans, poals, amburnias, wine measures, oil measures, troughs and feeding troughs.

Pitcher or Armchair?

A distinction has always been made between pitcher and armchair, the pitcher as a larger piece with hard handles and a single spout, the armchair instead has a handle and two spouts.
There was the raft pitcher, the large pitcher, the half pitcher and as a toy the pitcher, the shape has not changed over time!

The armchair, on the other hand, has been characterized by having two spouts and a handle. With armchairs, the variety is immense, especially from the end of the 19th century. Picotí, watermelon armchair, half watermelon, the vigata, the large cat, the medium,... the larger ones were used to go to the factory, for the fishermen, for the entrances to the farmhouses or to go to the fountain. Pump watermelon seat with a capacity of ten or twelve liters, large watermelon, five liters, half watermelon, three and a half liters. On the other hand, the table armchairs were distinguished by their elegance and with a smaller capacity; vigorro, fashionable, standing.

News

To this day, Verdú ceramics is maintained with four potters who continue the town's ceramic tradition, since an important aspect of the trade is its family character, the production continues to be varied, the traditional armchairs continue to be made black, but has diversified especially with commissioned and decorative pieces such as murals.

At present, the workshops of Verdú ceramists are mostly still located on Sant Miquel street, known as Carrer dels cantirers, although it is true that some have moved the business to the access road to the town for commercial reasons .