Pottery in Iranian Kurdistan has long been the domain of specialized women known as Howvargars (هه ورگر) Their motivations for making pottery vary, including economic exchange, domestic necessity, curiosity, or leisure, with some making pottery for free because of their social or economic status. This study explores their manufacturing settings and techniques and the transmission of pottery traditions through interviews with current and former Howvargars, their relatives and customers. The preservation and dissemination of these traditions are examined via the work radius, village relocation for marriage, and generational skill transmission. Despite some active potters, the Howvargars represent a declining group whose mobility has significantly influenced the spread of ceramic traditions across regions.
