Guellala, on the southern coast of Jerba, has been producing pottery for at least two thousand years — ancient writers referred to its kilns, and the tradition has continued uninterrupted. The village sits on a slope above the sea, and the potters work in underground workshops dug into the soft rock, where the temperature stays constant and the clay keeps moist. You can watch them throwing pots, firing kilns, and painting the distinctive red and white geometric designs that characterise Jerba ceramics.
The pots themselves are practical and beautiful: amphora-shaped storage jars, flat plates painted with fish and geometric patterns, and the unglazed terracotta vessels used for keeping water cool by evaporation. Prices are reasonable and the pottery makes for one of the more unusual souvenirs of Tunisia.
The Guellala Museum on the hill above the village gives useful context — scale models and mannequins recreate Jerbae traditional life, from olive pressing to Berber weaving. The view from the roof over the southern coast is good enough on its own to justify the climb.