HISTORY OF FAIENCE IN CONDEIXA

The Neolithic period marked the beginning of ceramics in our territory. 

The "Vase of Casével" was occasionally discovered in 1979 by João da Silva Santo and family, in a deep pit to plant a new vineyard, at the site of Costeiras, Casal do Cabo, in that locality of the municipality of Condeixa.

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So we learned that Conímbriga, world famous UNESCO heritage, has been inhabited since this period. And even the Celts have been here: the toponyms ended in “briga” are the clear testimony of that.

 

Conímbriga was a ruin when the Romans got here in 138 a.C. and took over. Traces of local pottery and/or ceramics have been present here since that Roman period as it has been connected to olive oil and the wine production of these regions. 

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Condeixa most likely attracted the factories and craftsmen due to the excellent location: connected to the Mondego where the good clay was sourced and close to Coimbra where commercially it could be sold or traded. 

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It was in the 1960s that most workshops and factories were founded here, producing the so-called Conímbriga ceramics, with particular attention being given to hand painted pieces. The shapes and motifs are based on models of 15th and 17th century style faience.

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The first half of the 18th century was the golden age of the production. Craftsmen proliferated and production quadrupled. This success was mainly due to the low cost and excellent durability of the pieces, being the earthenware of common use (more robust pieces and simpler shapes) the most requested, not being a synonym of lack of technical excellence, but a purely commercial option. The most traditional colours used in the Coimbra earthenware are cobalt blue, sepia, yellow and green, and the most typical pieces are mugs, plates, platters, bowls, jars and jugs.

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Most factories closed around 1990 as more modern and affordable materials and crafts became popular. Today there are only few factories and painters left with the specific knowledge of this art.