Firing Pottery
Potters fire their pots using materials they can find locally. This may include dried cow or sheep dung, wood, or coal. Some potters fire their pots in pits, while increasingly some use a raised surface to keep from having to stoop. Often, old sherds are placed around the pots to protect them from being broken or discolored from falling fuel or hot embers. Heat is maintained by covering the firing area with metal sheets or other barriers. Many potters today fire their work in gas or electric kilns, which allow for better control over the firing process.
