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  • Sung Cup handleless black clay tumbler showing tapered form and natural tonal variation from fire, Lyrnai pottery from Meghalaya India, from WILLAGE
  • Two Sung Cup black clay tumblers side by side showing variation in tone and hand-formed shape
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Sung Cup — Black Clay Tumbler

$28.00
Shipping calculated at checkout.

A handleless cup for tea, water, or whatever you pour slowly. At 9 cm wide and 7.5 cm tall, it sits naturally in one hand — a little heavier than expected, warm to hold, with a tapered form that feels deliberate without being fussy. The surface shifts between brown and black depending on where the fire hit it.

This is Lyrnai pottery from Meghalaya's Jaintia Hills — made by women in the villages of Tyrchang and Lyrnai using clay pulled from the Sung Valley floor. There is no potter's wheel. Each cup is hand-molded, fired in an open kiln for nine to ten hours, then plunged white-hot into Sohliya bark water. That's what turns it black. This tradition received a Geographical Indication tag (GI No. 1095) in 2024.

9 cm diameter × 7.5 cm height (approx. 3.5 × 3 in) · 180 g · Black clay · Burnished with serpentine stone · Microwave safe · Hand wash only · Jaintia Hills, Meghalaya, India

Dimensions

9 cm diameter × 7.5 cm height (approx. 3.5 × 3 in)

Origin

India

MATERIALS

Black Clay, Burnished with Serpentine Stone

STORY

Lyrnai pottery is made by women in two villages in Meghalaya's Jaintia Hills — Tyrchang and Lyrnai, population under 2,000 combined. The clay comes from the Sung Valley, a 26 km² area with a mineral composition found nowhere else. There is no potter's wheel. Each piece is hand-molded, fired in an open kiln for 9–10 hours, then plunged white-hot into Sohliya bark water to achieve the black finish. This tradition received GI tag No. 1095 in 2024 after a decade-long application. WILLAGE carries this collection because this is exactly what we exist to do — bring indigenous craft to tables that would never otherwise encounter it.

Care Instructions

Microwave safe. Hand wash only with warm water and mild soap. The unglazed surface is porous — dry thoroughly after washing. Not dishwasher safe.

  • In stock

Preserve Traditional Craftsmanship and Generational Artistry

Made from locally sourced clay using no electricity, no machinery, and no synthetic materials. The entire process — molding, firing, finishing — is done by hand using methods unchanged for generations. Your purchase supports women artisans in villages with a combined population under 2,000.

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