Flame Pot, Dodaira, Tsunan Town
Flame Pot, Dodaira, Tsunan Town
Flame Pot, Dodaira, Tsunan Town
Flame Pot, Dodaira, Tsunan Town
Flame Pot, Dodaira, Tsunan Town
Flame Pot, Dodaira, Tsunan Town
Flame Pot, Dodaira, Tsunan Town
Flame Pot, Dodaira, Tsunan Town
Flame Pot, Dodaira, Tsunan Town
Flame Pot, Dodaira, Tsunan Town
Flame Pot, Dodaira, Tsunan Town
Flame Pot, Dodaira, Tsunan Town

Flame Pot, Dodaira, Tsunan Town

Regular price£1,870.00
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Details


The ancient tradition of handcrafting Flame Pots like this one can be traced back to the middle Jomon period ( 3500BC-2500BC) in the area that is now modern Niigata prefecture in central Honshu. Flame Pots are just one type of ceramic tradition that make up the enduring Jomon period in Japan that continued for around 13000 years. During this time, many ancient treasures were hand formed by expert hands, including the vessel that inspired this replica.

This was a time of bustling villages made up of subterranean thatched dwellings arranged in a radial pattern around an open area that made up the heart of the community. Were we to enter one of these dwellings, we would find the heath fire glowing welcomingly, warming the residents within as they prepared and cooked their meal. Surprisingly, we would find not humble, plain cooking pots in use; instead, this community often used elaborately decorated vessels to cook their food. We know this because these ancient artworks often have carbonised food on the internal surface.

The achievements of these ancient potters are outstanding. They worked in a time without modern ceramic technology, a time without the potter's wheel or kilns, but produced works that are of equal quality and beauty.

We made this exquisite Flame Pot as part of our work with the new Circle of Stones Exhibition, which is now on show at the Stonehenge visitors centre. As part of the preparations for the exhibition, we were lucky enough to make a special visit to The British Museum, London, where we handled the original vessel. It was a huge honour and a great help in developing our understanding of how these vessels were made.

Many thanks to Susan Greaney and Simon Kaner for their help in facilitating our visit to see the flame pots at the British Museum and for providing us with additional information throughout the project.

Limited Edition* - There is only one of these beauties available. 

Period 

Middle Jomon period, around 3000 BCE. From Dodaira, Tsunan, Niigata prefecture, Japan.

Materials

Smoke fired Terracotta

Dimensions

Approx. - Height 420 mm, diameter 400 mm 

Production

Completely hand-built from clays similar to that used by the original potters, this vessel has been fired in a wood fire to emulate the original's surface colouration. When there is evidence of potters' tool use, I have replicated such tools using stone, wood, shell, bone, and antler, based on information gained from marks on original artefacts.

Firing

We have fired this pot to emulate the ancient firing conditions. The original pot was fired in an open wood fire, in close contact with the fuel, a process that leaves its mark on the clay as variations in the surface colour. However, the low temperatures achieved in open firings also result in relatively weak pots, so this pot has been fired to a somewhat higher temperature to strengthen it, in a unique firing process that allows me to achieve an authentic appearance to the pot.

 Health & Safety

This pot is a Museum Quality Replica made using the tools and techniques that ancient potters would have used during this era. As this is an unglazed pot with a porous surface, it will absorb some of the flavours during the cooking process, adding to the taste of future dishes. However, it does also mean that this pot does not meet modern Health and Safety standards; therefore, we do not advise that it be used for cooking. When ancient cooks cooked in these pots, they relied on applying sufficient heat to the pot and contents to ensure that the heat killed all bacteria. Heating to over 70°C for at least 10 minutes would have killed most disease-causing bacteria, and temperatures of 100°C would do even more. If you attempt to use this pot for cooking, you are VERY likely to break it. Do you want to be responsible for the destruction of this fantastic object? 

Postage

We send all items using a second-class postal service; if you wish to have an item sent first-class, please contact me for a quote. Many Thanks

 

* Limit Edition items we make in very small numbers each year for public sale.  The numbers made per year will generally be five or fewer.  

 

 

SHIPPING

'Add To Cart' items are ready to send straight away. Please be aware that if bought alongside 'Pre-order' items, your order will be sent when all items are ready. 

'Pre-order' items are made to order, and we will dispatch them as soon as we have handcrafted them for you; this usually takes 90 days, but international orders can take a little longer.

We ship our fabulous replicas worldwide.
Shipping costs are worked out during checkout. They are based on where you are in the world and how heavy your parcel is, which can be very variable.

All items are sent using a second-class postal service. If you wish to have an item sent first class, please contact us for a quote. Many Thanks

RETURNS
If you aren't completely satisfied with your Potted History piece, please get in touch to organise a return. Email us at

clare@rothburycreates.co.uk

Then you can send it back at your own cost in an unused condition within 30 days, and we'll refund you for the cost of the item or items returned. If you include your order number with the returned package, that will speed things up. Please leave any original packaging intact.

Our returns address is:
Potted History, Gregory Court, Rothbury, Northumberland, NE65 7SW

PRODUCT VARIATION

Please be aware that due to items being handmade and finished, colour variations will occur during the making process, and each replica will have some differences.  Also, know that the item photographed may not be the one that you receive, and colours can appear differently on different screens.  Please ensure you look at all the images to get a fully formed idea of the item you are ordering as we try to capture the variations within the images we share.  If you prefer a specific colour variation, please contact us before ordering. 

Don't take our word for it

Hello Graham and Sarah, I wanted to message because I ordered your holy grail pot for my dad's birthday and he is over the moon with it.

Rachel Frankish

Many thanks again for all of the pottery - this will help bring our new Heritage learning programme to life!

Nottingham University Museum

I love it! I love everything about it, what it represents, why you made it and the history behind it. It was worth the wait! Thank you so much.

Gillian Castle

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