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Traditional Istalif ceramics are a vibrant blue, a color reputedly made from lapis lazuli, which is found in abundance in Afghanistan. Today ceramists also use a green color made from copper, brown made from the powder found inside batteries, and yellow made from the ash that forms after burning a local plant. Afinal layer of glaze is added before firing.Istalif will of course take time. With no electricity in the village, each stage from kicking the pottery wheel to grinding the glazes and colors to stoking the kiln with wood – requires pure physical labor.
