In this province craftsmanship has had a long historical evolution. Pottery comes from two main areas: the north mainly Hinojosa del Duque and Pozoblanco where the clay has a high content of iron and grains of mica which give the pottery a reddish colour with small metallic grains and the south where the loam has a high content of calcium. After baking the vessels are a pinky yellow that, if salt is previously added, would be a brilliant white.
Particularly remarkable are the small ewers from La Rambla, the earthenware vats from Lucena, the pitchers and earthenware scoops used in waterwheels from Baena and the flower pots from Alcolea del Rio. Potters are now using the designs, techniques and decorative motifs once used by the caliphs. Plates, bottles and bowls are made decorated with geometrical, vegetable and animal forms and words in Cufic.
Cordoba now has the making of jewellery as one of its mainstays of the economy where silversmiths work with both gold and silver, in the many workshops in the town and their designs go from the most classical earrings and rings to the more modern contemporary creations sometimes using new materials.
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| Leather goods from Cordoba |
Leather goods are also well known in Cordoba and is handled in family workshops in the town itself where the old embossing techniques are still used. The last packsaddlers in the province work in Baena where a variety of things are made for the horses such as headstalls, cinches etc. Almodovar del Rio is known for its saddlers. Montero is famous for its handmade shoes, boots, bags, pouches, cartridge belts and gun cases. In Cordoba, gold as well as silk and silver embroidery on velvet is still available which is also well known for its guitars.
Lucena is the most famous town in Andalucia for furniture. Local cottage industry craftsmanship does still exist but you are more likely to find modern factory showrooms selling direct to the public at very reasonable prices.