Pottery

Pottery was one of the most widespread crafts of Gemer-Malohont. The names of the Malohont villages Hrnčiarska Ves and Hrnčiarske Zalužany are also proof. In the past, there were almost 40 important pottery sites in the region, which employed hundreds of people. It was said about Šivetice that all the potters were there, except for the teacher and the priest.

The presence of a large number of deposits of clay, which even became an export item, was one of the decisive factors in the development of pottery in Gemer-Malohont. However, in addition to potters making plates, bowls, and jugs, clay was also used by tile and brick manufacturers. Sometimes it was even used to make clay whistles, various figurines, and some time after World War II, even souvenirs for visitors to the Domica cave and the Číž spa. The high content of kaolin in clay helped to produce products with excellent fire resistance, which could be cooked directly on an open fire. Local potters here were able to produce up to 50 liter containers. The peak period of classic pottery in Gemer-Malohont was the 19th century. Today, there are only two potters working in the region, Danka Bakšová and Paulína Kortišová, who preserve the tradition of this craft in Hrnčiarske Zalužany. Danka is also the holder of the regional brand Gemer-Malohont Regional Product.