Cretan Potters’ Wheels

The classic wheel for making small pots (the kickwheel) is found across Europe. It is comprised of a small round, revolving work surface (the head) connected by a vertical shaft to a much larger wheel which the potter works with his left foot, sitting to the right of the wheel. The entire mechanism is made of wood and set in a special area of the workshop. A potter’s workshop was discovered by chance in a Minoan villa, with the same layout but a round wheel head made of clay, which may have been set on a wooden base. However, it is an important indication that the Cretan potter’s wheel has remained unchanged since the 16th century BC.

The trohi is a low hand wheel with a large round head, used exclusively for making pithoi. Trohia are always used outdoors in rows for technical reasons.

· The body of the pithos is build up of a series of clay strips. Before the next strip can be added, the previous one must have dried enough and hardened to a certain degree, but still be sticky enough for the fresh clay to be attached. For this reason the potter works on a series of 6-7 trohies in row, so that by the time he comes back to the first the clay will be dry and hard enough to attach the next strip.