Paddy husk pit-smudging for metallic black cooking pots: ferrous iron oxide reduction?
How do traditional rural potters produce the waterproof, lustrous metallic-black finish on unglazed cooking wares found in Sri Lankan domestic kitchens?
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3 Answers from travellers
The deep metallic-black finish is achieved through a controlled reduction firing process without commercial glazes. Potters pack the open firing pit with fine paddy husks (dahayya) and dry cow dung towards the end of the burn, then cap the entire pit with moist earth to choke off oxygen. The carbon-heavy, oxygen-starved smoke forces carbon particles into the open clay pores while reducing iron oxides from ferric (red) to ferrous (black) states. Burnishing leather-hard pieces with river stones beforehand gives the final ware its soft sheen.
If the earthen cap cracks during cooling, oxygen enters and turns the black color back into mottled red; maintaining the pit seal until completely cool is critical.
Traditional black clay pots are naturally alkaline and temper food acidity, which is why fish curries simmered in seasoned black earthenware retain firmer texture.
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