TERRACOTTA

A typical product of Tuscan craftsmanship is terracotta as the raw material, clay, is found in many areas of the region.

In Tuscany clay has been used to make terracotta since the Middle Ages.

One of its most important features is that it can be adapted to a variety of forms, each suitable for a specific use. In fact the artisans used clay not only for bricks but also for terracotta vessels for the conservation and trade of olive oil and wine.

In the past every piece was signed while the clay was still damp. A nail was used to inscribe each object with the date and the name of the workshop or master potter before putting it to bake in a wood oven.