{"id":15871,"date":"2024-02-09T11:33:31","date_gmt":"2024-02-09T10:33:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/concellodesober.com\/tradicion-e-historia-gundivos\/"},"modified":"2026-04-29T00:29:15","modified_gmt":"2026-04-28T22:29:15","slug":"tradicion-e-historia-gundivos","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/concellodesober.com\/en\/tradicion-e-historia-gundivos\/","title":{"rendered":"tradici\u00f3n e historia"},"content":{"rendered":"[vc_row ct_row_stretch=”stretch_row_content_no_spaces” full_width=”stretch_row_content_no_spaces” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width”][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”15876″ img_size=”full”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row ct_row_stretch=”” bg_type=”bg_color” bg_color_value=”#f9f9f9″][vc_column]
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- TRADITION AND HISTORY -<\/h2><\/div><\/div>[\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row ct_row_stretch=””][vc_column]
<\/div>[\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row ct_row_stretch=””][vc_column width=”1\/4″ css=”.vc_custom_1707307919031{background-color: #f0f0f0 !important;}”][vc_wp_custommenu nav_menu=”82″][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”3\/4″][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text]In Sober, we take pride in one of the Iberian Peninsula\u2019s oldest pottery traditions: Gundiv\u00f3s pottery.<\/p>\n

\u201cPassing through Gundiv\u00f3s<\/p>\n

the first thing meets the eye<\/p>\n

are the pots out to dry<\/p>\n

and the kilns alight.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nowadays, the excellent craftsmanship of Gundiv\u00f3s pottery is preserved by the hands of the artisans Otilia Arias, Tom\u00e1s L\u00f3pez at Figulus and El\u00edas Gonz\u00e1lez at the Rectoral de Gundiv\u00f3s.<\/p>\n

Gundiv\u00f3s\u2019 ancient pottery craft is intrinsically linked to the ancestral heroic viticulture of the Amandi sub-region. During Roman times, the celebrated wine of this area was transported in amphorae crafted by Sober\u2019s potters. For these reasons, Gundiv\u00f3s pottery is considered one of the oldest not only in the Iberian Peninsula, but also across Europe.<\/p>\n

This pottery tradition stands out for its quality and prestige, as it is a fully handcrafted labour intimately tied to the wine-making heritage that defines the local identity. However, the arrival of more durable and cheaper materials, such as plastic and glass, posed a serious threat to the survival of this trade in the mid-20th<\/sup>-century, a situation worsened by the mass emigration of the local population.<\/p>\n

Thanks to a few dedicated potters who cherished the tradition and this incredible heritage this craft survived by focusing on pieces intended for use in the kitchen, the wine cellar, or traditional butchering. Other distinctive handcrafted items were the rooftop-finials, regarded as fertility symbols.<\/p>\n

There is no doubt that when the wine is tasted from Gundiv\u00f3s bowls or cups and liqueurs served in clay chopos<\/em> simply tastes better! The reason is simple: these handcrafted pieces have the unique power to enhance the qualities of the products they contain, from drinks to honey. The remarkable artisanal techniques used in their creation aimed to preserve and bring out the very best in both liquids and foods.<\/p>\n

Its location at the very heart of heroic viticulture, and the availability of clay deposits found in neighbouring parishes made this pottery become a point of reference throughout the Ribeira Sacra.<\/p>\n

Since\u00a0ancient times, Gundiv\u00f3s has provided earthenware for daily household use and for wineries across the region. Key items include bowls, jugs, decanters, as well as the famous honey pots indispensable for beekeeping, an activity that remains very much alive in the area.<\/p>\n

This ancient art ensures that each piece with its unique pre-Roman style shape perfectly combine beauty and functionality, keeping foods and drinks in optimum condition. Today, this remains distinguished by the use of local clay and traditional wood-fired kilns fueled by branches of carqueixa<\/em>, a local broom-like shrub. The pottery achieves its distinctive glossy black\u00a0hue through a final smoking process carried out over a small fire of carqueixa<\/em> branches. Then, while still hot, vessels intended for cold or lukewarm liquids are sealed with\u00a0pitch resin, an age-old-technique used to waterproof them.<\/p>\n

Time seems to stand still when stepping into the workshops of artisans Otilia Arias Garc\u00eda and Tom\u00e1s L\u00f3pez Gonz\u00e1lez (Figulus, in Corvelle) and El\u00edas Gonz\u00e1lez (Rectoral de Gundiv\u00f3s). Tom\u00e1s is committed to preserving the living legacy of Gundiv\u00f3s craftmanship, a tradition that has endured and been passed down through countless generations. As the potter reminds us, this artisanal heritage has its origins in the Iron Age and is distinguished by its exceptional techniques.<\/p>\n

At the Figulus workshop, visitors can admire the meticulous care and attention taken to craft the strips of clay called cirillotes<\/em> or churros, <\/em>which form \u00a0the base of each piece. The making of these strips, combined with the direct firing process and the pitch resin coating, define the special techniques used in this traditional pottery.<\/p>\n

Visiting the Figulus workshop and its beautiful vineyards is a wonderful way to enjoy a premier enotourism and cultural experience. The workshop features a shop and offers guided tours, allowing guests to delve deep into the history and craftmanship of Gundiv\u00f3s pottery.<\/p>\n

A visit to the Rectoral de Gundiv\u00f3s is an absolute must. This 18th<\/sup>-century former\u00a0rectory\u00a0houses its own pottery workshop, a small museum, and a shop. It offers guided tours where visitors can discover the charm of the pieces as they are shaped and lifted from the\u00a0potter\u2019s wheel. During the visit, you will learn about the history and unique traits of this craft, such as the use of a hand-turned wooden wheel and the wood-fire kiln\u00a0process, followed by the traditional\u00a0smoke-seasoning used to give each piece its final character.<\/p>\n

El\u00edas showcases his private collection of dozens of pieces, some over a century old. The star of the collection is the\u00a0xarro,<\/em> the traditional wine jug, alongside many everyday cooking pots knows as cacharreiros<\/em>. The display includes specialised items such as meleiras<\/em> (honey jars) and even an old-fashioned breast pump. Visitor will discover what a bigote<\/em> on a xarro<\/em> is, and the reason behind the sky-blue hue found on certain pieces. The tour also includes seeing an old lareira<\/em>\u00a0(a traditional Galician hearth) and a ceramic\u00a0dovecote, where each pigeon cell was hand-crafted in clay by the village\u2019s master potters.<\/p>\n

The experience includes a partial demonstration of the xarro<\/em> making process. Since kiln-firing is a lengthy process, El\u00edas uses a previously fired piece to demonstrate the smoking technique that gives Gundiv\u00f3s pottery its characteristic black hue. The result of this meticulous craftsmanship is a collection of stunning, one-of-a-kind pieces renowned for their\u00a0durability\u00a0and\u00a0elegant, polished black sheen.<\/p>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner]

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<\/div>[vc_single_image image=”15632″ img_size=”full”][vc_images_carousel images=”15873,15874,15875″ img_size=”full” slides_per_view=”2″ hide_pagination_control=”yes”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row ct_row_stretch=””][vc_column]
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[vc_row ct_row_stretch=”stretch_row_content_no_spaces” full_width=”stretch_row_content_no_spaces” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width”][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”15876″ img_size=”full”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row ct_row_stretch=”” bg_type=”bg_color” bg_color_value=”#f9f9f9″][vc_column][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row ct_row_stretch=””][vc_column][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row ct_row_stretch=””][vc_column width=”1\/4″ css=”.vc_custom_1707307919031{background-color: #f0f0f0 !important;}”][vc_wp_custommenu nav_menu=”82″][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”3\/4″][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text]In Sober, we take pride in one of the Iberian Peninsula\u2019s oldest pottery …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-15871","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/concellodesober.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/15871","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/concellodesober.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/concellodesober.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/concellodesober.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/concellodesober.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15871"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/concellodesober.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/15871\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16283,"href":"https:\/\/concellodesober.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/15871\/revisions\/16283"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/concellodesober.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15871"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}