Nizamabad, in
Azamgarh District of
Uttar Pradesh, is renowned for its black pottery. This particular variety features a shiny black surface with engraved silver patterns. The art of making this kind of pottery originated in the Kutch region of
Gujarat. It is believed to have been brought to Nizamabad during the reign of the Mughal Emperor,
Aurangzeb.
A pot is dipped in a thin liquid matter of clay mixed with a particular vegetable material. The pot on drying is polished with a vegetable material, which produces a black coloration on the surface when baked in furnace. Patterns are engraved on the surface and mercury is applied into them to give a silver finish.
