18 year-old Huynh Le is interested in making earthen pots – a craft handed down by her parents. Skilful hands of experienced artisans turn out beautiful products and help preserving the craft. Clay selecting and mixing play an important role in turning out a good product. Terracotta pots made from Hon Dat are sought after by local people. Hon Dat Town in Vietnam's southernmost province of Kien Giang was known nationwide for being the cradle of the glorious Oc Eo Culture dating back to ancient times. In recent years, the local people have attracted more public attention due to their development of a traditional craft, the making of terracotta pots. In the past making terracotta pots was a sideline of the farmers in Hon Dat, practised when they completed sowing rice. As stated by Nguyen Thi Le, an experienced artisan in Xom Lo Hamlet, building terracotta kilns has been undertaken by the local people of Hon Dat for over a hundred years. The job requires the workers' skills and diligence because a good kiln will help turning out high quality items. When completed, the durable, reddish brown products have a distinctive resonance when tapped. The clay used for earthen pot making from this area is easy to polish, highly adhesive and stands up to high temperatures, qualities favoured by both the craftsperson and the buyers. Several steps are taken to produce a terracotta item, shaping the product with a wooden or terracotta mould, slapping the product with bamboo planks (to extract excess water that can cause the product to collapse before it is baked), polishing and designing the product. All these steps require the artisan's technical and creative expertise.   The step of baking the piece is one that has to be carefully prepared. The temperature in the kiln varies from one area to another, so the products are strategically arranged in the kiln according to size and weight, assuring each piece gets the precise amount of heat and time in the kiln. Dry wood, rice straw and husks fuel the fire. According to Chi Mai, a local female trader of terracotta pots for many years, due to high transportation, labour and material costs, profits are low. Regardless, many young local people in Hon Dat are interested in doing this craft. Huynh Le, an 18-year-old high school graduate, did not take her university entrance exams, instead she opted to stay home and indulge in this traditional craft that has been practised by her family for many years. Although production of various kinds of items made of metal and other materials has developed and replaced traditional terracotta products, the craft of making terracotta pots has been retained by Hon Dat farmers who can supply themselves and people nationwide with this useful household utensil. Terracotta pots are very close to their daily life, like wet rice that has attached to them for generations. Visiting Hon Dat today, we can see young men and women working in groups to prepare the earth, build the kiln, mould and bake the pots. Old people are drying the products in their yards. With their skillful hands and diligence, beautiful terracotta pots are turned out everyday, proving the craft's preservation over the time. After-backed products. Giving the final touch to the products before they are transported to the markets, including those in the remote areas. Story by Huu Thanh - Photos by Kim Son – Minh Quoc – Huu Thanh