What a Split Pot Taught Me About History and Culture.

On a recent trip to a charity shop in Manchester, I came across something unexpectedly fascinating: a split cooking pot. A simple, unassuming object, yet it instantly made me pause. Charity shops here feel like living museums, filled with everyday artifacts that quietly carry stories from decades or even centuries ago. There’s a beautiful sense of continuity. This didn’t start with me, and it won’t end with me.

Rethinking Fire

Growing up in Mumbai, India, I always had a four-burner gas stove. Cooking multiple dishes at once was just how kitchens worked. It never occurred to me to ask what if you only had one flame?

In 18th and 19th century Britain, coal and wood were precious. They were not always accessible to working-class homes, so cooking had to be efficient. That’s where the split pot came in. With two compartments and one flame, each side had its own lid and handle. It was designed to prepare two meals at once while saving heat, time, and fuel. Ingenious in its simplicity.

A Lens into Culture

As a UX designer, I often reflect on how context shapes interaction. This pot isn’t just cookware. It is a quiet commentary on resourcefulness, scarcity, and domestic culture. It speaks to a time when limitations inspired smart design, long before the age of abundance.

And it reminded me that sometimes the most ordinary objects offer the most extraordinary insights, if we’re willing to look closely.