Latgalian pottery

Latgalian pottery or Latgalian ceramics, also known as Silajāņi ceramics is the best-known subset of Latvian pottery. The region of Latgale historically has been the most prolific producer of wares. Latgalian ceramics rose to the popularity in the Soviet period, when art historian Jānis Pujāts wrote books about the best Latgalian ceramicists and organized several exhibitions to showcase their works.

Types of ware

Most of the types of wares of Latgalian ceramics were used in the local households for everyday use. Examples include vuoraunīks, madaunīks, sloinīks, stuodiņs, ļaks, pīna pūds, kazeļnīks, puorūss, bļūda, kryuze.
For decorative purposes, Latgalian ceramicists were making candlesticks and human, animal, folk figure shaped ocarinas.

Museum collections

In Rainis Museum in Jasmuiža are located the relocated workshop and kiln of Andrejs Paulāns from Šembeļi. In this museum, there is a renovated unique tile stove that was relocated from ceramicist Ādams Kāpostiņš house in Puša. Latgale Culture and History Museum has a collection of the Latgalian ceramicist works.