Ninh Binh’s ceramics conservation efforts pay off

Ninh Bình (VNA) – The northern province of Ninh Binh, which recorded the appearance of pottery from about 8,000 – 9,000 years ago, has made significant efforts to revive the local pottery village in Yen Mo district.

Ninh Binh is an ancient land, where prehistoric people lived in limestone caves with many material creations, including terracotta pottery. Ancient artifacts discovered at the Man Bac archaeological site in Yen Mo's Yen Thanh commune have reflected a brilliant culture and an important part of the prehistoric pottery peak in the northern region.

According to Pham Hong Tung, head of the Institute of Vietnamese Studies and Development Sciences, the Ninh Binh pottery is among the earliest of its kind in the region and in the world. Through different historical periods, the province has always played the role of a centre of Vietnamese pottery.

The pottery has a continuous development path, shares common features with others in different Southeast Asian regions, and boasts its own unique features, he noted, adding this is a significant cultural resource that Ninh Binh needs to develop into a special product serving its sustainable development.

According to history records, thousands of years ago, Bo Bat pottery village (now Bach Lien village in Yen Thanh) was famous for its unique white ceramic products. In 1010, when King Ly Thai To moved the capital from Hoa Lu, Ninh Binh , to Thang Long (now Hanoi), some local artisans followed him to produce ceramics serving the court and the people. They have settled in a new land along the Red River and established the Bat Trang ceramics craft village as today.

After nearly a thousand years of being lost, with enthusiasm of relevant local authorities and businesses, the pottery profession in Ninh Binh has been restored. With preferential loans, and support from the One Commune One Product (OCOP) programme, the once renowned Bo Bat pottery has regained its position.

The Bo Bat pottery conservation and development limited company in Yen Mo district generates an annual estimated revenue of 2 billion VND (85,215 USD), creating jobs for 27 workers with a stable salary from 7 – 8 million VND/person/month.

Promoting the value of the local pottery has helped preserve the precious heritage, utilise them for economic development in a sustainable way, and enhance the value of the local traditional craft villages.

Standing Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Tong Quang Thin said that in the coming time, Ninh Binh will assign the provincial Department of Culture and Sports to build the Man Bac archaeological site and a temple dedicated to pottery ancestors in Yen Thanh commune into a tourist destination.

Ninh Binh is also working towards the building of a Bo Bat pottery museum, forming a cultural heritage complex that preserves the craft, serves sustainable tourism development, adds value to traditional occupations, and creates stable jobs for locals.

The province is striving to realise the goal of welcoming 5.35 million visitors this year for a total revenue of over 5.1 trillion (221.7 million USD). This effort contributes to gradually transforming tourism into a local key economic sector and establishing Ninh Binh as a prominent tourist destination in the Red River Delta and the country as a whole./.