Roughly an hour north-east of Hanoi in Bac Ninh province lies Phu Lang Pottery Village. Known as one of the oldest pottery centres in the Red River Delta, it is thought that pottery was first introduced during the Tran dynasty in the early 13th century. Here, a range of vases and decorative household items are produced using a distinctive red clay and a natural brown glaze.
As part of a research trip with the Vietnamese Women’s Museum, we visited a house/factory in this quaint village where pots and vases stack and fill the room. It’s a highly efficient production line as skilled artisans meticulously sculpt and carve away around us.
