This richly illustrated portrait of North Carolina's pottery traditions tells the story of the generations of
"turners and burners" whose creations are much admired for their strength and beauty. Perhaps no other
state possesses such an active and extensive ceramic heritage, and one that is entirely continuous. This book is
an attempt to understand both the past and the present, the now largely vanished world of the folk potter and the
continuing achievements of his descendants. It is a tribute that is long overdue.
From the middle of the eighteenth century through the second quarter of the twentieth century, folk potters in
North Carolina produced thousands of pieces of earthenware and stoneware -- sturdy, simple, indispensable forms
like jars and jugs, milk crocks and butter churns, pitchers and dishes, ring jugs and flowerpots. Their wares were
familiar and everyday, not innovative or unusual, because they were shaped through generations of use for specific
functions. The utilitarian forms were so commonplace and embedded in daily life that few individuals documented
the craft. Turners and Burners is the first book to chronicle these pottery traditions, with close attention to
distinct regional and temporal patterns and the major families involved. It explores in detail the traditional
technologies used, from the foot-powered treadle wheel to the wood-fired groundhog kiln.
Terry Zug became interested in North Carolina pottery in 1969 shortly after moving to Chapel Hill. In 1974 he began
documenting the craft and traveled throughout the state recording the reminiscences of potters, former potters,
and members of potters' families who recalled the old craft in remarkable detail. He systematically photographed
and cataloged old pots, located early shop sites, and carefully recorded the remaining waster dumps of broken shards
and decaying equipment. His primary source, however, was the potters themselves. Their tape-recorded interviews
provide an insider's view of their world and reveal the powerful underlying logic and autonomy of their craft.