“Making clay vases is a craft that my family had become famous for,” says 45-year-old Kawwaz wistfully. “Those that practiced pottery would make a lot of money because they were common items in ancient Iraqi households,” says Kawwaz. “The income of most families did not allow them to buy a refrigerator or freezer to keep their water cold, so most used clay cauldrons,” he says. Battle of the breadDespite the prevalence of electric and gas cookers, Um Haydar prefers her trusty clay oven. Like her mother and grandmother before her, she has stuck to tradition when it comes to the clay oven, with one exception — she didn’t build it herself.

Source: Egypt Independent December 03, 2018 03:11 UTC