Clay crafts of West Bengal are considered to be one of the most ancient forms of craftsmanship in India. West Bengal has preserved the rich tradition of the most ancient craft of India.

West Bengal is famous for the craftsmanship of clay craft. The clay crafts of West Bengal have got its recognition because at the time of cultural refinement and progression, the craft got the Royal Patronage and the artisans got the encouragement to develop this unique craft. The artisans create different items out of clay and to give the items a distinct style and luster a lot of techniques are followed by the artisans. The craftsmen involved in clay crafts usually follow two separate schools. One is the terracotta school in which the figurines are burnt to get the desired hardness and another is the school that does not follow the method of burning the clay items. This second process is more prevalent in Kumartulli and Krishnanagar in West Bengal.

The clay crafts of West Bengal are available in different forms that include toys, the figures of Gods and Goddesses, animal and bird figures, mythological characters, pots, containers, plates for food , carts and figures of rural day to day life. The terracotta toys are created with minute details and the craftsmen are also deft in creating jewelleries out of clay that are called terracotta jewelleries. Sometimes to give the created items a life like charm and splendor, the artisans apply vibrant glossy or matt colours to the clay figurines. The human figurines, the statues of deities and other figurines of famous personalities are crafted and painted in this way. The terracotta Bankura horse of Bengal is quite famous in India and outside India as well. The artisans of West Bengal are called `kumbhakars` (potters) and they create utilitarian items made of clay on the potter`s wheel. The raw material, alluvial clay, is found in and around Bengal`s rivers. These are shaped and fired in simple kilns. Kumartuli in Kolkata is well known in all over the world for creating images of popular gods and goddesses including the idols of goddess Durga which are indeed exquisite works of art and stand apart from the other forms of craftsmanship. The decorative terracotta panels of temples in Murshidabad, Bishnupur, and Midnapore, are exemplary of the terracotta work of the artisans of West Bengal.

The clay crafts of West Bengal are the unique instances of the rich cultural heritage of west Bengal and the artisans have been living on this crafts for generations. Apart from creating deities and utilitarian items the craftsmen create different decorative items with discernable variations and artistry.