.
Clay is sourced locally from areas along small drains and ponds. This clay is extremely moldable and is of two types: Nada, a coarse black clay with a high sand grog and Alu, a finer gray clay used for throwing. The two clays are mixed together in equal parts with the addition of 20% dried and sifted donkey dung, which helps to disperse the heat through the plaque, provides strength and lessons the thermal shock during firing.
Most men wedge the clay with their feet and then knead it by hand into a round ball ready for use. This is laid flat in the courtyard where the floor has been dusted with dung so it doesn't stick. It is further evened out using wooden tools and water that renders it into a smooth slab approximately 15mm thick that works as the base surface of the tile.
