Unlike the Latvians and, even more so, Lithuanians, Estonians did neither manufacture nor utilise pottery during most of the last four hundred years or so. Instead of earthen- or stoneware, metal cooking pots together with lathe-turned or cooper-made wooden tableware and storage vessels were used.

Some sort of change arrived only in the second half of the 19th century, a period that witnessed the foundation of several large potteries in the Setu villages around Petseri (Pechory), that had the deposits of clay with satisfactory quality available nearby. It was from these pottery shops that the peddling potisetud ('Pot-Setus') obtained their goods - simple, scantily decorated bowls and cups - which they then sold or exchanged for rags for paper mills.

In the footsteps of the Setu potteries of old, several clayshops together with the traditions of pottery fairs and peddlers' caravans have been revived in southeast Estonia.