THE LATHE (Il tornio)

THE LATHE

 

THE LATHE, AN ANCIENT MACHINE TOOL OF GREEK ORIGIN, WAS USED TO SHAPE CLAY BLOCKS INTO DIFFERENT SPHERICAL OBJECTS.

DURING THE AGES THIS INSTRUMENT EVOLVED ITSELF, IN FACT WE CAN FIND:

  • LATHE DUG IN THE STONE;
  • LATHE WITH A WOODEN STRUCTURE (AS KNOWN AS POTTER’S WHEEL);
  • ELECTRIC LATHE (OR AUTOMATIC).

IN ANCIENT TIMES, SINCE IT COULDN’T BE OPERATED AUTOMATICALLY, THE POTTER’S EXTREMELY HIGH CONCENTRATION WAS NEEDED, THE SAME KIND OF FOCUS WHICH IS STILL NEEDED TO RAISE THE UNSHAPED CLAY MASS IN ORDER TO TRANSFORM THEM INTO VASES WITH THE SAME THICKNESS.  THE ANCIENT CERAMISTS OF GROTTAGLIE WERE DEFINED AS ‘’CAMINARI’’ DUE TO THE USED PEDAL. FOR THIS REASON THE ‘’QUARTIERE DELLE CERAMICHE’’ IS ALSO CALLED ‘’LI CAMENNERE’’.

THE LATHE IS FORMED BY A CHASSIS USUALLY MADE OF WOOD ON WHICH A WHEEL, MADE OF THE SAME MATERIAL, SPINS THANKS TO THE ACTION OF A TINY ENGINE, OR MANUALLY PULLED BY A PEDAL. THE CLAY IS THEN GENTLY PUT ON THE WHEEL, WHERE IS HANDCRAFTED BY THE CERAMIST.

 

 

PRODUCTED BY:

SIMONA SCHIENA

BEATRICE GALEONE

FRANCESCO VAMPO

FEDERICO TRANI

MARCELLO SERIO