Thanh Hà

Thanh Hà sits on the Thu Bồn river a few kilometres upstream from Hội An. Potters settled here in the sixteenth century, when Hội An was a busy port trading with Japan, China and beyond, and the town needed bricks, roof tiles and everyday jars in quantity. The clay came from the riverbanks, and boats took the finished work down to the town and along the coast. The curved, interlocking tiles that cover the old merchant houses were made here.

As the port declined and industrial brick and tile arrived, most kilns closed. The village survives today partly on the repair of Hội An’s heritage buildings, which still need its tiles, and partly on visitors. A small number of families still throw on kick-wheels, and you will see pots, vases, figures and clay whistles in the shape of animals made for tourists alongside the more serious work. A terracotta park in the village shows the history of the craft. Watching a thrower at the wheel for ten minutes tells you more about the craft than the displays do.

Good Thanh Hà terracotta has an even orange-red colour, sometimes with darker patches where it sat close to the fire. The walls of thrown pieces should be consistent, and the base cleanly cut. Tap a tile or pot: a clear ring means a good firing, a dull sound means it was underfired or is cracked.