Silla Kiln

The Joseon Dynasty had white porcelain, the Goryeo Dynasty had celadon, and the Silla period had earthenware unique to Silla.

It was about 40 years ago that Silla pottery excavated from scattered ancient tombs in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, was reproduced.Gyeongju Folk Craft VillageRyu Hyeo-un (69), a master craftsman at the Silla Kilns in Seoul, was the first to study the techniques of making Silla pottery and has continued to preserve them to this day.

Many of the earthenware pieces, such as the lantern cups used as small pieces in the Korean drama "Queen Seondeok," are works of Silla kilns, and the replica of the Four Heavenly Kings statues excavated from the site of Shitennoji Temple beneath the tomb of Queen Seondeok, which is on display at Gyeongju Museum, is also said to be the work of this teacher.

To make Silla pottery, sticky clay from the Gyeongju area is placed on a potter's wheel, which is then turned by foot while thin cowhide and other materials are used to make pottery with various shapes and patterns. The pottery is then dried in a place away from wind and sunlight, and without being coated with a glaze, it is fired over firewood at high temperatures of 4 to 5 degrees in a climbing kiln for four nights and five days.

On the fifth day, when the firing is finished, all the holes in the kiln are completely sealed, and it is left for five days for the ash and smoke inside the kiln to be absorbed into tiny holes in the pottery that are invisible to the naked eye. After that, the ash is scraped out of the kiln, the holes are sealed again, and it is left for 5 days for the temperature of the kiln to drop, and the Silla pottery is completed.

When pottery is fired at such high temperatures, the iron, glass, and silica contained in the clay melt into the pottery, creating a natural glassy glaze that covers the surface of the pottery. In addition, the flames and ash give each piece its own unique character.

The Silla Kiln has a teacher always present at the kiln, so he can show tourists who come to see the Silla pottery how it is made by kicking the wheel himself. There is also an exhibition hall that doubles as a sales area for the completed Silla pottery, so you can purchase Silla pottery at reasonable prices.