BM08 – BUTTER CHURN VESSEL

These stunning terracotta butter churns originate from the mountains near the historic city of Konya, Turkiye. Traditionally, these containers were utilized for churning butter from yogurt. Ancient pottery findings indicate that these pots were used for milk storage, with yogurt serving as a means to preserve milk due to its natural acidity that hinders the growth of harmful bacteria. When the yogurt was agitated after a 5-6 hour process, the butter would surface. The butter derived from fresh yogurt is known as ‘yayik butter’ and has been a longstanding tradition in Turkiye for many centuries.