See pottery where it is still made by hand

In Sifnos, ceramics are not just pretty objects you buy to remember your holidays. They are part of the island’s history. They are earth, clay, hand, wheel, kiln, the shape that is repeated and changed at the same time. They are also part of the kitchen, because many Sifnian dishes cannot really be imagined without the right clay vessel.

If you have time, don’t stop at a shop window. Step into a workshop. See the place where things are made. Look at the clay before it becomes a vessel. Look at the tools. Look at the potter’s hands. There you will better understand why a “simple” bowl is not simple at all.

On an organized pottery tour, you can see traditional and more contemporary workshops, hear about local techniques, old forms, what has changed and what has stayed the same. If there is a chance to try the wheel, do it. Not because you will create a masterpiece. You probably won’t. But because you will immediately feel how much practice is hidden behind something that looks easy in the hands of a craftsperson.

Pottery is one of the experiences that suits Sifnos so well because it is not an invented activity. It did not come to the island for visitors. It was here before them. That makes all the difference.

Wear clothes that won’t cause a crisis if they get a little dusty or clay-stained. And if you buy something, choose it with your eyes but also with your hands. Ceramics need touch. Otherwise, you miss something.