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Pottery and ceramics
The ceramics tradition
Because of its exceptional geological situation, Uzège has for a very long time been at the center of earth crafts, principally developed in Saint Quentin la Poterie.
Prehistory
As early as the Neolithic, when man invented pottery, pots and various types of vessels were produced here with the clay found in the region. In Saint Quentin la Poterie, as in Uzège, this tradition of pottery is upheld until the Middle Ages. Numerous archaeological digs attest to this.
The tradition
As of the 14th century, the presence of the papacy in Avignon provided considerable momentum to the production of glazed and decorated tiles intended for several rooms in the Palace of the Popes. Thanks to the fair in Beaucaire, until the end of the 18th century, manufacturers of cooking pottery opened markets across Europe. As for pipe makers, Roman, Pasquier and Job Clerc in particular, they developed marketing on a world-wide scale until the end of the 19th century. The evolution of lifestyles will result in the gradual disappearance of these productions: the last pottery kiln went out in 1926, the last brick manufacturer closed in 1954 and the last pipe factory came to a standstill in 1974.
The revival
Since 1983, ceramic arts have come alive in Saint Quentin la Poterie. An on-going commitment has changed the course of destiny. The first Terralha meets with its first major success in 1984. One after the other, ceramic artists settled in and today we're happy to say that you can now visit a dozen or so workshops, open year round to the public, where the potters of Saint Quentin consistently provide a quality production diversified enough to satisfy everyone: glazed earthenware, stoneware, porcelain, raku ware, faïence ware, etc...
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Heritage
