Traditional ceramic factories, Margarites, Pottery workshops in Margarites village, Crete, Greece

The traditional ceramic factories of Margarites are working pottery workshops in a small mountain village in the Mylopotamos Municipality, on Crete. Around 23 potters work across 19 studios, where visitors can watch clay being shaped, decorated, and fired.

Pottery making in Margarites started in the late 1600s, driven by the rich clay deposits found in the surrounding hills. The craft passed from one generation to the next, and the village became one of the main pottery centers in western Crete.

Margarites pottery is made from red clay dug in the surrounding hills, and finished pieces are often stamped with leaf marks that identify their village of origin. Potters here also produce the tall pitharia jars once used for storing oil and wine, alongside decorated plates, cups and cooking pots sold from the workshops themselves.

Most workshops are open from late morning to early evening, and many offer live demonstrations or short hands-on sessions for visitors. It is worth planning enough time to walk through several studios, as each one has its own style and range of pieces.

The community of Margarites has developed its own framework to define what counts as genuine local pottery, known as the '3Ps': People, Place, and Product. A piece is considered authentic only when made by hand, in the village, by a potter with a personal connection to the place.