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Sárospatak is in the north-eastern part of Hungary, near the Slovakian border, 250 km from Budapest. The Rákóczi Castle of Sárospatak as the centre of the Hungarian wars for independence, has always played an important role in the Hungarian history. The Calvinist College of Sárospatak is one of the oldest schools in Hungary, where even the famous Comenius worked in the 16th century. Due to the nearby presence of the raw materials essential for the ceramic industry, Sárospatak has been one of the most important pottery centre of the country for centuries. According to the records from the 16th century, there were more than 100 pottery crafts in the town. These crafts used the so called „engobos” technique, just like the other crafts in Hungary at that time. This technique means that they covered the row product with a coloured (white, red, black) clay layer, on which the put a decoration with earth paint. They fired this and covered with a shiny, transparent glaze. A completely different method was the use of the tin glaze and the decorating of it above the glaze, which was introduced by the „habans” coming from Moravia.

Megyaszó, Hungary, Péter Krajnyák

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1. Assemble all of your supplies. You will need several colors of polymer clay, a toothpick, a pan that can go in the oven, a piece of string, and a needle that can be threaded onto the string.
2. Loosen up the polymer clay. Polymer clay needs to be worked and warmed up a little bit before it can be easily manipulated. Cut off a small piece of the first color you want to use, about the size of a marble. Roll it around in your hands, making it round and loosening it up.
3. Pierce the ball of polymer clay right down the middle with your toothpick. Be careful that the ball keeps its round shape and that the hole made by the toothpick is big enough to get your needle through later.
4. Lay your bead on your baking sheet.
5. Repeat these steps with all of the colors of clay you have. Try to keep your beads all the same size, so that they look the same.

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Vratsa is a town in the North West of Bulgaria. It used to be a pottery centre over the Middle Ages. Our History Museum keeps a fine example of an ancient clay plate with a strange script inscription on it. Nowadays, a small private company preserves the traditions of the past and produces ceramics vessels and decorations depicting folklore elements.

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Hungarian ceramic art
The ceramic art has great tradition in Hungary. The Habans made faience ceramic already from the end of XVI.-th century.These ceramics made the hungarian folklore ceramics richer with their new forms, motives and technical innovations. One of specific form is the Miska jug, which is a human headed wine pot. Beside the folklore tendency the schools of the beginning of the XX.th century had also an effect on the ceramic arts. (From Modern style to Bauhaus) Some important artists from the second half of the XX.-th century: Margit Kovács, István Gádor. Some contemporary artists are Géza Gorka, László Fekete. Some major factories: Herendi Factory, Zsolnay Factory. Ceramic art can be studed at the University László Moholy-Nagy.
Budapest, Hungary, Katalin B. Csernyánszky

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Plovdiv is the second largest city in Bulgaria. The town been built in the foothills of the seven syenite hills, so often called "the city under the hills." Plovdiv International Fair is held, the international theater festival "Scene at a Crossroads" TV Festival "Golden Chest" and are preserved ancient theater, the Roman Odeon, the Agora (the Roman Forum), the Roman stadium. Plovdiv - the city of Bulgaria, elected as European Capital of Culture for 2019.

Regional Ethnographic Museum in Plovdiv is the second largest in Bulgaria. It was created in 1891. The exhibition presents traditional culture of the Trakia, Rhodope Mountains and Srednogorie region during the Revival.  Craft "pottery" presents a rich collection of beautiful objects for the home.

In Plovdiv took place Kids Crafts Fair "Make, little hands, for the joy of everyone."

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Pleven is the seventh most populous city in Bulgaria. Located in the northern part of the country, it is the administrative centre of Pleven Province. The earliest traces of human settlement in the area date from the 5th millennium BC, the Neolithic. The Pleven Regional Historical Museum is popular tourist attraction.The exposition of section “Archeology” present the historical development on the territory of Pleven district for the period between 50-45 thousand years B.C. and the end of XIV c. A.D.
Prehistory - The collections presented here comprise flint tools from 50-45 thousand years B.C., from the palaeolitic find place at the village of Musselievo; an original dwelling, various vessels and religious plastic art from a prehistoric settlement dating back to the 5-th millennium B.C. near the village of Telish; materials from the Bronze Age.

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Pottery was
known in our region from the Stone Age when the people started to cultivate the
land. There was moorland here and our ancestors lived on the „mounds”. Between
1977 and 1982 the archaeologists conducted an excavation an about 600m2on
the artificial mound in the area of Berettyóújfalu. At that time this was the
largest stratified prehistoric settlement excavation in Hungary. They found a
lot of pieces of clay vessels. The greatest industrial invention of the Neolithic
was pottery making. Neolithic people stored water, beverages, crops and dry
vegetal seeds in the clay vessels and cooked food and fried meet in them on the
fire. When vessels broke, it was discarded. The surfaces of the vessels (bowls,
hollow-pedestalled bowls, cups and tumblers) were carefully finished, smoothed
and richly ornamented e.g. with paintings of parallel black and white lines
against a red background or grid patterns and their combination. We follow
pottery making traditions and make clay vessels with just hands or on the wheel
at Bihari Folk Art Association.

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Pottery was
known in our region from the Stone Age when the people started to cultivate the
land. There was moorland here and our ancestors lived on the „mounds”. Between
1977 and 1982 the archaeologists conducted an excavation an about 600m2on
the artificial mound in the area of Berettyóújfalu. At that time this was the
largest stratified prehistoric settlement excavation in Hungary. They found a
lot of pieces of clay vessels. The greatest industrial invention of the Neolithic
was pottery making. Neolithic people stored water, beverages, crops and dry
vegetal seeds in the clay vessels and cooked food and fried meet in them on the
fire. When vessels broke, it was discarded. The surfaces of the vessels (bowls,
hollow-pedestalled bowls, cups and tumblers) were carefully finished, smoothed
and richly ornamented e.g. with paintings of parallel black and white lines
against a red background or grid patterns and their combination. We follow
pottery making traditions and make clay vessels with just hands or on the wheel
at Bihari Folk Art Association.

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Berettyóújfalu, Hungary, Baloghné szigeti Julianna

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Veliko Tarnovo (Bulgaria) sgraffito pottery

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Veliko Tarnovo (Bulgaria) sgraffito pottery

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Veliko Tarnovo is a city located in the centre of Bulgaria, on the halfway between Sofia and Varna. Veliko Tarnovo is a city of many sights and one of the most popular tourist centres in Bulgaria. Its unique location on the three hills Tsarevets, Trapezitsa and Sveta Gora, makes the town one of the most beautiful in Bulgaria.

The word Sgraffito comes from the Italian word for "scratch".  The Sgraffito technique was popular among Italian potters pre 15th Century, but is believed to have originated in China where remnants have been found dating back to the Sung Dynasty (960-1297).

The Sgraffito technique reached Bulgaria in the 12th Century and flourished until it's decline in the 14th Century.  Sgraffito pottery in Bulgaria could be found in the palaces of tsars as well as in the homes of common people.   It was used as both dishware and wall décor. Sgraffito pottery  regained popularity in Bulgaria during the 1970s when remains dating back to the 12th Century were found in during archaeological digs at Tsarevets Fortress in Veliko Tarnovo.

The Sgraffito technique involves covering a damp red clay vessel in a white slip.  When the slip dries to a wax like consistency, a design is etched into the piece and then fired for the first time.  The motifs usually represent nature, animals, or mythical symbols; themes common in other Bulgarian folk crafts such as hand made carpets and wood carvings. The vessel is then covered with colorful, transparent glazes and fired a second time.  Traditionally the glazes are brown, green, and yellow in color.

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Bulgarian pottery is both unique and highly sought after in the world of ceramics. The ceramic historical influence began 3,000 years ago when the Thracian settled into Bulgaria, and pottery remains have been unearthed that date back to these first settlers.
When most people think of Bulgarian pottery, they will conjure up images of Troyan pottery. Considered the purest form of Bulgarian pottery, Troyan pottery resembles the stripes and simplistic designs favoured by the Thracian and Slavs. It makes use of the local red clay, which gives it a distinctive colour and texture. Traditionally, the items are circular and decorated with a peacock-like design, with small raindrop effects created by painting with the fingers. However, modern artisans will use up-to-date techniques to provide richer colours and longer lasting glazes.

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Present pottery from your country in a few words 

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Present pottery from your country in a few words 

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- colours
- patterns
- shapes
Attach a photo of your ceramic item.