The Ceramic Collection of the Belarusian State Museum of Folk Architecture and Rural Lifestyle is considered one of the largest Museum Collection of pottery in Belarus. The number of pieces totals around 1500 museum items. The Collection consists of ceramic tableware and some other household items created by folk ceramists in the second half of 19 and the beginning of 20 centuries. The Museum collection preserves many outstanding examples of the applied arts.

The museum pieces cover all historical and ethnographic regions of the modern Belarus. The Ceramic Collection demonstrates the local features of folk pottery. The largest Belarusian pottery centers are represented in the Museum Collection. For example, white clay pottery decorated with engobe descends from Haradnaya village, black ceramics is common for Pruzhany and Porazava regions, “obvara” pottery pertains to Haniewicze and Siniauka regions, pottery decorated by enamel paint originates from Rakau. There is also art ceramics that pertains to Kopys. There are some museum objects created by famous craftsmen such as A.R. Takareusky, I.I. Shopik, M.V. Shekin, Z.L. Zhylinsky and others.

Garshchok

Гаршчок / Garshchok
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Garshchok ND 130; Polish Republic; 1920s; clay, birch bark; turning, firing, braiding; h – 17.5, d1 – 17, d2 – 12.5.

Braided ceramics containing birch bark was widely spread in the Northern part of Belarus. The ceramic wares containing braids were commonly used for food storage and cold food processing. If cracks occurred to furnace crockery, then it was braided (as in our example). The braids prevented further damage. Our ancestors employed this pot for making sour cream.

Glyak

Гляк / Glyak
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Glyak KP 10079 K 1365; Haradnaya (village) / Stolinsky powiat / Palieski Voivodeship (province)/ Polish Republic; clay; turning, engobe, firing; h – 20, d1 – 5, d2 – 13.

Glyak is a pot that was used for keeping and transporting liquids (water, wine, oil and other types of liquids). A short narrow neck that allowed sealing it easily – was a specific feature of the pot (glyak). Accordingly, it was very convenient to travel with a glyak, for example, a glayk was very convenient container for bringing the liquids to the fields by peasants during harvest time. Glyak was also called as “Bunka” in Brest region or Ukraine.

This object was made in Haradnaya, which is considered as the largest and famous Belarus pottery centers. Due to white clay available in this region, Haradnaya pottery is easily distinguieshed among others. Crockery was painted with red clay engobe. The decoration was made with poultry feather brush while object was on the pottery wheel.

This Gliak is decorated with engobed paintings typical for Haradnaya: stripes on neck and shoulder of a potseparated with strokes.

Ceramic glazing technique has been launching from the end of 1930’s in Haradnaya.  It was the reason why the engobed technique faded.

Zban-daynik

Збан-дайнік / Zban-daynik
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Makitra

Макацёр "цёрніца" / Makitra
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Makitra; KP 5257 K 666; Siaredy (village) / Pastavy powiat / Vilnius Voivodeship (province)/ Polish Republic; 1920 – 1930s; clay; modeling, firing, hardening; h – 11,7; d1 – 18,8; d2 – 13,8

Makitra is a clay bowl that was commonly used for grinding poppy seeds, and making dough and sourdough. Makitra was called also as “ciornica” in Paazerie (historic and ethnographic region of the Northern part of Belarus). It was also used as a baking dish and crockery.

This pot was created with coiling building technique. This archaic technique was a distinctive trait of rural pottery applying in Paazerie region till the middle of twentieth century.

Zban-daynik; KP 16115 K 1861; Rakau / Maladziechna powiat / Vilnius Voivodeship (province)/Polish Republic; 1930s; clay; turning, polychrome painting, glazing, firing; h – 25, d1 – 18, d2 – 11.

Zban-daynik is one of the varieties of pitchers. These objects were made by craftsmen from Ivianiec and Rakau. Their main feature is a squat form with wide neck, and profiled spout.

Zban is decorated with floral ornament made with enamel paints. The pictures of conventional apple branches, leaves and flowers are considered as distinctive decoration for Rakau ceramics manufactured in 1930s. The whole internal and the upper exterior parts of Zban are covered by glaze of green and yellow shades.

This Zban was found by museum staff members during the ethnographic expedition trip to Bobrowniki, a village in Astraviec region.

Garshchok

Гаршчок / Garshchok
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Garshchok KP 6124 K 900; “lochan’ka”; Anton I. Viareyka; Haniewicze (village) / Kletsk region / Minsk oblast / BSSR; 1984; clay; turning, firing, harding; h – 13,9; d1 – 18, d2 – 10,3.

This object originates from village Haniewicze. This region was famous for its (obvara) firing techique.

In folk tradition this pottery also is known as “pockmarked”. This technique was unique and remained only in Belarusian village Haniewicze. However, this technique was implemented gradually in other regions. Obvara firing technique is still employed by craftsmen.

Rynka

Рынка / Rynka
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Rynka ND 2779; Porazava / Svislach region / Hrodna oblast / BSSR; 1989; clay; turning, firing, blackware pottery; h – 13,5; d1 – 14,5; d2 – 8,5.

Rynka means a kitchen utensil that was used for frying. The term “Rynka” comes from the Old German word “Rina” (three-legged clay pot). Rynkas have been used in Belarus since the fifteenth century. Rynkas were widely spread in the late Middle Ages. Nonetheless, Rynka became almost unpopular abruptly in Belarus. Porazava, a town in Grodno region, was the sole place where Rynkas were deployed in the twentieth century.

This Rynka was made for our museum by craftsman Iosif Shopik from Porozava in 1989.

A toy whistle “Horseman”

Цацка-свістулька "Вершнік на кані"/A toy whistle
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A toy whistle “Horseman” KP 7090 K 1241; Zygmund L. Zhilinsky; Ruzhany/ Pruzhany Region / Brest oblast / BSSR; 1985; clay; modeling, squeezing (pinching), firing; 13 x 11,5.

Zyhmund Zhylinsky (1911 – 1988) is a craftsman from Ruzhany made this toy for our museum. Mr. Zhylinsky’s most recognizable artwork is a Horseman. This Horseman is represented in different headdresses: a forage cap, a peaked cap, a side cap, or even a crown and many others.