At the end of the 15th century, Vila Franca do Campo was the largest town and municipality on the island of São Miguel and is commonly referred to as the island’s first capital. Equipped with a customs house until 1518 and an anchorage that welcomed ships for centuries, it was the stage for the entry and exit of people and goods from an expanding new world. However, in 1522, a tragic earthquake led to the almost destruction of the village, causing many documents from the time to disappear and leaving only a few traces that archaeology has tried to recover.

In fact, the results of archaeological interventions indicate the presence of local ceramics production only in contexts from the second half of the 16th century onwards, with the ceramics from earlier chronologies corresponding to imports from the Portuguese kingdom and others crossing the Atlantic.

Some references to Rua dos Oleiros, in the lower part of the old town, still appear in the 16th century, but it was in the parish of São Pedro, in the area known as ‘Vila Nova’, more than a century later, that the settlement of potters and their tents reached its peak. Local ceramics are traditionally utilitarian ware, indispensable in people’s daily lives. There are countless shapes and types of pieces for the kitchen, table, hygiene, liquid and food storage, as well as for construction and other uses.

The clay was extracted on the island of Santa Maria and arrived in Vila Franca by boat, where it was unloaded and distributed by the potters, who stored it in clay pits in their tents and used it as needed. The work on the wheel was done by men, while the women usually helped clean the pieces before they were dried and fired. The pieces were sold by mule’s carriers all over the island and/or directly by the potter.

The traditional production method continued for three centuries, proving to be an important and characteristic economic activity in the town, with around 22 potteries registered at the beginning of the 20th century. However, with the appearance of utensils made from more common and resistant materials such as plastic and aluminium, the activity diminished and almost disappeared.

Given the relevance of this activity and its significance as a material and intangible heritage for the town, the Vila Franca do Campo Municipality and the São Pedro Parish Council have acquired and recovered 3 traditional potteries and a kiln, with the aim of protecting, preserving and making the most of a pottery route. However, the municipality’s aim is not only to rehabilitate the spaces, but also the activity itself, by training new potters and promoting this heritage through cultural mediation, guided tours and musealisation.

As part of a strategic plan for social and economic dynamics, membership of the Portuguese Association of Ceramic Towns and Villages is essential for sharing experiences and good practices in collaborative activities and cultural enrichment.