Firing in the Kassels kiln

Potters usually fired the kiln once a week. They knew their kiln very well and they also knew the best way to load it. The highest temperature was at the front of the kiln, just beyond the place where specially glazed pots were situated. White ware was arranged in the centre of the kiln. Painted pots were placed in larger containers (saggars), so that they were not exposed to open fire. At the back of the kiln flowerpots were placed, because the temperature there was lower. The kiln was fired with chopped wood from coniferous trees; mainly pine trees, which give a clean long flame. The firing usually took 24 hours, during which the temperature slowly rose to 1300°C. At the end of the firing the flames shot out high above the flue. The same process is still being used today.