Lamberte, Rico A.

Science Technology and Society

BSA 1-1 Prof. Benigno T. Mendiola

TAPAYAN JAR
 I. TAPAYAN JAR IN THE PHILIPPINES

Tapayan is derived from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian tapay-an which refers to large earthen

jars originally used to ferment rice wine (tapai). Tapayan jars range in size from 30 cm (12 in) to
larger than 100 cm (3.3 ft). They typically have bulbous "shoulders" and flat unadorned bases.
Horizontal (lug) or vertical handles may be present, to a maximum of eight. The mouth of the jars
were typically wide, but jars used for storing wine can have relatively smaller mouths and were
tightly covered to prevent the alcohol from evaporating. Early native tapayan were mostly
unglazed, while later tapayan and imported martaban were glazed (usually on the outside) and
were thus more suited for storing liquids.

Tapayan in the Philippines are most commonly used for water storage, fermentation, and
cooking. Tapayan was distinguished from the much smaller cooking clay pot
(palayok or kulon). Tapayan are also known as kalamba or angang in Tagalog and Itawis.
Tapayan used exclusively for storing water are sometimes called banga or balanga, to distinguish
them from other tapayan. Banga were an essential part of traditional Filipino kitchens and were
normally kept in the banggera, the kitchen counter made of slatted bamboo that extends from the
outer walls of the house. Specialized tapayan used for fermenting food products, with thicker walls
and an airtight cover, are also distinguished as burnay in Ilocano

In Filipino culture, the "Tapayan" is an earthen knee-tall jar used for storing water for
washing. In many bahay kubos (huts) for the barrios, there is a tapayan near the entrance hagdanan
(bamboo ladder) and another one at the back porch called the batalan. The function of this
placement and implement is this: whenever you come up a house, polite manners necessitate that
you wash your muddied feet. Ergo, the water jar and the tabo (coconut shell ladle) are just the right
implements. In addition, the attached back-porch batalan serves as the out-bathhouse where there
are several tapayans.
Lamberte, Rico A. Science Technology and Society
BSA 1-1 Prof. Benigno T. Mendiola

II. STEPS IN TAPAYAN MAKING

 The jar maker takes a piece of the clay according to his desired jar size. He sprinkles it
first with fine sand before placing it on the potter’s wheel, which he manually operates
with his foot.
 For huge jars, the molder creates the lower and upper parts separately. Then the another
helper combines the two parts
 Other helpers do the ears and cords which decorates the jar.
 Other helpers attach the “ears” and “cords” which have been designed with grooves.
Some craftsmen tried designing the jars with dragon figures but they are not as well liked
as the traditional unadorned and unglazed jars.
 The jars are then left to dry for a day and then placed in the oven or dragon kiln, which is
50 meters long and more than four feet high. Made of bricks, its roof is designed with
dragon’s scales. The jars are cooked in 1200°C heat, vitrifying the sand and clay to form
a metal glass-like surface that resonates like a bell when struck by stone. After three days
in the kiln, it takes another 20-22 hours for the jars to sufficiently harden.