Despite the low social position of craftspeople, potters were given special protection under tribal customary law and anyone who harmed them was obliged to pay especially high penalties. The erosion of Yemen's social hierarchy began with the proclamation of a republic in 1962 and today people from various social groups can mix more freely. Potters are found working throughout Yemen. While in some villages several families earn their living from making and selling pots, most pottery is produced by a single potter or a pottery-making family in the village. Their production supplies local demand only.
Workshops are always close to the potters' homes, or even inside the house, with kilns nearby.
Potting is a full-time, year round profession but some potters also grow vegetables and fruit for domestic consumption. Clay is easily obtainable from natural deposits and is not traded or transported over long distances. Modelling is the simplest method of manufacture. The clay is worked by hand from a solid lump. Toy animals are also made in this way.