Kannenbäckerland

'jug bakers' land') is a cultural landscape in central Germany, which extends from Wirges in the Westerwald hills to Bendorf and Vallendar in the Middle Rhine valley.

[1] The Kannenbäckerland owes its name to the fact that, in this region, the largest clay deposit in Europe was found and, since the 16th century, has been used to make the well-known grey and blue Westerwald Pottery.

Clay was extracted in Wirges, worked in the western districts of Höhr-Grenzhausen and Ransbach-Baumbach and stored on the Rhine near Bendorf and Vallendar for transportation to the markets.

Other well known sites in the Kannenbäckerland are Bannberscheid, Ebernhahn, Hillscheid, Hilgert, Hundsdorf, Leuterod, Mogendorf, Moschheim, Nauort, Ötzingen, Sessenbach, Siershahn and Staudt.

[4] Traditionally the "Kannebäckerland" supplied the Frankfurt region upstream on the Rhine with Apfelwein Bembel, a grey earthenware jug with bule decoration for serving apple cider.

Saltglazed stoneware from the Kannenbäckerland with typical regional decoration
Even mass-produced pottery plays a role: mineral water bottles from the 19th century in the Tower Museum in Mengerskirchen .