Blackstone Pottery

Handmade by the Tangkhul Naga tribe of Longpi (Loree) village in Manipur, the stone pot is ideal to slow cook meat and lentils, and also to store food. These are 100% biodegradable and are microwave safe. They can be used on gas stoves as well as firewood.  No machines or electricity are used in the making process.

The raw materials used are weathered rock and serpentine rock, which according to locals are available at Longpi alone. The two rocks are crushed to a powder and mixed with water in the ration of 5:3 to form a clay like consistency. The dull-brown mixture is kneaded the entire day and flattened on a wooden board for the initial slab work  The raw materials used are weathered rock and serpentine rock, which according to locals, are available at Longpi alone. The two rocks are crushed to a powder and mixed with water in a ratio of 5:3 to form a clay-like consistency. 

The dull-brown mixture is kneaded the entire day and flattened on a wooden board for the initial slab work. Uniquely, Longpi pots are not crafted on a potter’s wheel. Every item is shaped by hand with the help of molds and tools. Once the shaped clay has dried and is hard enough, it is taken to an open bonfire and heated for 5 to 7 hours at temperatures over 1200 degrees centigrade. The pottery is taken out when still hot and scrubbed with a local leaf known as the machee, giving it a smooth finish and nice shine.

The final products are gray-black cooking pots and kettles, charming bowls, and mugs and trays, frequently accompanied with a lacing of fine cane at the handles and knobs. They have a distinctly earthy, yet contemporary appearance.