The anagama kiln
The Anagama (Japan), Tonggama (Korea), original from Asia, is a cross draft kiln. Like the Noborigama it is built on a slope. The firebox is at the entry of the chamber, sometimes with a slight separation, the chamber is elongated and separated from the chimney by a decompression chamber.
This kiln gives beautiful effects on bare clay, as the work is exposed to the embers, the ashes, and the flames licking the clay, which gives particular tints (yellow, orange, bleuish, greenish, brown and black tones) and aspects of eroded or volcanic earth.
To get these effects a long firing is necessary (5-7 days), and to charge the wood, at the end of the firing, through the stoke holes at the side, to get the temperature even and all the work covered with enough ashes and ember, even in the backside of the kiln.
It also permits quicker firings (48 hours) for glazed work.This big wood consumer needs a team of experienced firers to get the required effects.
The CCCLB’s anagama kiln was built in 2005-2006 by the ceramists of the Association Céramique La Borne.