This unique craft got its name from an old village outside of Moscow where masters of the potter’s trade made their home. Over time, more than 20 villages near that original village of Gzhel also began focusing on the manufacture of ceramic and porcelain. The porcelain produced in and near Gzhel stands apart thanks to its use of paint containing cobaltous oxide in the decoration process. It is this paint that produces the vibrant blue color that distinguishes Ghzel ceramics from all others. Curiously, the chemical element of cobalt that is used to decorate Gzhel porcelain was named in honor of underground sprites called kobolds. According to legend, kobolds live in the bowels of the earth and scheme against miners, trying to prevent them from stealing the treasures of the earth. When painted onto porcelain, cobalt shines a brilliant blue. During the painting stage, however, the cobalt paint is black and gray. It is the firing of the item that turns the cobalt paint blue. In the process of creating Gzhel porcelain, each piece undergoes a multitude of procedures.