In December 2020, the pottery making in the village of Zlakusa in Serbia was inscribed on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage List. The potters consider the inscription as a reward for their work to preserve the craft.
“Zlakusa pottery making relates to the knowledge and skills involved in making unglazed vessels for thermic food processing. Used in households and restaurants across Serbia, Zlakusa pottery is made of clay and calcite and the wheel is run exclusively by hand,” explains UNESCO.
According to Serbia.com, food prepared in Zlakusa pottery gets a unique smell and taste.
Knowledge and skills
The required knowledge and skills are not only transmitted within families, but also through demonstrations at festivals and classes at the Arts School in Užice.
Sofija Bunardžić, professor at the Arts School, is “proud” that Zlkakusa pottery making was inscribed on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage List, she told Radio Slobodna Evropa. “For 25 years, I find it important that artists from around the world learn the craft.”
Want to know more about Zlakusa pottery making? Watch the video below (in Serbian, with English subtitles):
Sources: UNESCO, Radio Slobodna Evropa (in Serbian).
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