Over 800 years of establishment and development from the reign of King Poklong Garai up to now, Bau Truc pottery represents the typical cultural value of the Cham people in Ninh Thuan.
Bau Truc Pottery Village – Ninh Thuan
Located about 10km south of Phan Rang city, Bau Truc pottery village belongs to Phuoc Dan town, Ninh Phuoc district, Ninh Thuan province . This traditional pottery village has a history of existence and development over 8 centuries since Mr. and Mrs. Poklong Garai brought the Cham people migrated from the hilly areas to the plains to live. 
Bau Truc pottery over 800 years of establishment and development from the reign of King Poklong Garai to the present
Bau Truc Ninh Thuan pottery preserves many rare features in the pottery art of the ancient Champa. That is why this place has become the oldest craft village in Southeast Asia, famous for its excellent quality handcrafted ceramic products.
Bau Truc Pottery Village is the oldest pottery village in Southeast Asia
Unique features in the art of making Bau Truc pottery in Ninh Thuan
The oldest pottery village in Southeast Asia
Over 800 years of establishment and development from the reign of King Poklong Garai up to now, Bau Truc pottery represents the typical cultural value of the Cham people in Ninh Thuan. The name Bau Truc has its original Cham name Paley HamuTrok, which means “low-lying village”, protruding at the end of the river bank. Bau Truc is considered one of the oldest pottery villages in Southeast Asia.
Do not use a turntable in making ceramics
The Cham woman in Bau Truc makes pottery without a turntable. People call the technique of making Bau Truc pottery with a very popular name “making by hand, rotating with the buttocks”. The earth was placed on a circular stone pillar, the worker kept walking around the stone pillar.
Through the skillful hands of the Cham woman, the blocks of soil gradually turn into a vase, a vase of water, a pot of water, a pot of soil … At first glance, it is very simple, but without learning or training, no one has. can do it.
Bau Truc pottery does not use a turntable to shape products
To produce a complete product, the craftsman has to go through many meticulous steps such as shaping and shaping the original ceramic shape, then using the “loop” to brush around the ceramic body. Next, use the “roll cloth” to wrap your hands with water and then rub the outer surface of the ceramic to create the most perfect product. 
The patterns on Bau Truc pottery express bold ancient culture of the Cham Pa people
Products after being shaped will go to the drawing, station, and pattern engraving stage. This process is entirely done by hand. Most of the time, Bau Truc pottery has patterns associated with nature, daily life such as water waves, scallop spots, plants … The most characteristic in Bau Truc pottery pattern is the statue tower. Imitating the Apsara dancers, the Brahmin deities …
The craft of making pottery is passed down to women in the family
In Bau Truc pottery village , artisans are women in the family, girls in the village at the age of 12,13 years old all know how to knead, make pottery … when young women come home, their husbands must know how to cook pottery , and cook water in an earthenware pot made by his own hands. In addition, the unique way of making pottery in Bau Truc village also shows the sophistication, ingenuity and meticulousness of the traditional Cham woman. 
Traditional Cham women know how to make pottery
The ceramic material is made from the Quao river clay
To choose a good ceramic material, clay must be obtained from the banks of the Quao River. Clay must be fine, high plasticity and clean, if only a little coarse sand or a little gritty, dirty, the product will easily crack or be completely damaged after heating. The clay collected was crushed, soaked in water, followed by soil stuffing. Soil stuffing is the most important step. If not, when baked, the product will easily explode. Well-stuffed soil can be used gradually within a few days, when done, it only needs to be watered. 
Clay taken from the banks of the Quao River has a smooth, high plasticity and is clean, less prone to dust and dirt
The amount of sand used to mix with clay must depend on the size and use of each product. Thanks to the unique characteristics of the clay in the Quao River region, Bau Truc pottery has a completely different quality and shape compared to other ceramics on the market. Water or foods stored in Bau Truc ceramic products are cooler, and will last longer.
Pottery is fired in open-pit furnace
After being processed, the ceramic will be heated at a temperature from 5,000 degrees C to 6,000 degrees C within 6 hours. And the product is heated in an open-air furnace (outdoor) to get absolute oxygen. Pottery burning must choose a sunny day, firewood is piled below, products are arranged above according to the principle of big bottom, small top. Finally, cover with a layer of straw so that when burned, the ash does not evaporate hot, giving the product a beautiful natural color. 
The product is heated by the open-pit furnace, so it remains the characteristic color of the pottery
After a period of 6 hours of burning, the handicraft products will be taken out to spray color, this color is extracted from the fruit of a thunderstorm or the fruit picked from the forest, and then continue to heat for 2 hours . Thanks to this method, Bau Truc pottery has red, red, pink, black gray, brown streaks… characteristic of the land color is very beautiful.
On a trip to the land of Phan Rang Ninh Thuan , you will have the opportunity to learn about the culture and art of crafting unique pottery of the Cham ethnic people in Bau Truc pottery village. This place promises to bring relaxation moments with many interesting and useful things to your Ninh Thuan travel occasion .