Pottery

Pottery is the process and the products of making things like bowls and cups from clay and other natural materials. These materials are heated to very high temperatures to make them hard and last a long time. It is one of the oldest human inventions. The earliest known pottery vessels were found in Jiangxi, China, and they are very old, from 18,000 BC. Pottery can be found all over the world, including Jōmon Japan, the Russian Far East, Sub-Saharan Africa, South America, and the Middle East.

Pottery is made by shaping clay into the form you want and then heating it in a bonfire, pit, or kiln. This makes the objects strong and hard. Some pottery is made just to be useful, but some is also considered ceramic art. It can be decorated before or after heating, and there are different kinds such as earthenware, stoneware, and porcelain.

Ceramic containers have been used for cooking for a very long time because they hold heat well and spread it evenly. Unlike metal, ceramics give off far-infrared waves that help cook food deeply. Different kinds of pottery, like earthenware and stoneware, are chosen for different cooking needs to keep food tasting good and lasting longer.

Main types

Main article: Earthenware

Main article: Stoneware

Main article: Porcelain

Pottery comes in three main types: earthenware, stoneware, and porcelain. Earthenware is the oldest kind, made from clay baked at low heat. It was often shaped by hand and can let water through unless covered with a glaze. Stoneware is baked at higher heat, making it strong and not letting water through. It has been popular in places like China, Japan, and Germany. Porcelain is the strongest and prettiest type, made at the highest heat. It began in China and later spread to Korea and Japan.

Archaeology

The study of pottery helps us learn about ancient cultures. By looking at the materials, designs, and decorations, archaeologists can understand the skills and habits of past peoples. For example, similar pottery styles often show shared cultures, while differences can show trade or cultural exchanges.

Pottery is strong and often lasts a long time after other items have gone away, making it a key source of information for archaeologists. By studying pottery, we can learn about a society’s organization, daily life, and beliefs. The way pottery is made and decorated can also show how different groups interacted and shared ideas.

Clay bodies and raw materials

Body, or clay body, is the main material used to make pottery. Potters can use different types of clay bodies such as earthenware, stoneware, or porcelain. Each type has its own special qualities, like how easy it is to shape and how strong it becomes after it is fired.

The main ingredient in pottery is clay. There are several types of clay used, including kaolin (also called china clay) for porcelain, ball clay for its ability to be shaped easily, and fire clay for being able to withstand high heat. Other materials mixed with clay include feldspar, which makes it easier to harden the pottery, and quartz, which helps the pottery shrink less when it dries.

Production

The production of pottery has several steps. First, the clay is prepared. This may include kneading to make sure the moisture is even. Air in the clay is removed by a machine or by hand. When the clay is ready, it is shaped in different ways.

One way to shape clay is by hand-building. Pieces can be made from coils, flat slabs, or by pinching. Another way is using a potter’s wheel. A ball of clay is spun and shaped into a hollow form. Other ways include press moulding, granulate pressing, and using machines like jiggering and jolleying. These help make flat and hollow pieces quickly. There are also methods like slip casting, where liquid clay is poured into a mould. Injection moulding is used for making complex shapes.

Before firing, the pottery must be dried. This can happen in stages, from slightly moist (called plastic) to almost completely dry (bone-dry). Drying removes moisture so the piece is ready for the next step.

Firing is when the pottery is heated to high temperatures. This makes it hard and permanent. Different types of pottery are fired at different temperatures. The atmosphere inside the kiln (whether it has lots of oxygen or not) can change the colors of the pottery. Pottery can be fired using different fuels like wood, coal, gas, or electricity.

Pottery can be decorated in many ways. Painting, glazing, carving, and burning the surface are popular methods. Glazes protect the pottery and can add color and a shiny finish. There are special techniques like using salt or ash to create unique glaze effects.

Overall, pottery is made by preparing clay, shaping it, drying it, firing it, and then decorating it. Each step helps create the final piece.

History

Main article: Ceramic art § History

Pottery has been made for a very long time, even from prehistoric times. Because pottery lasts a long time, we can learn about ancient people from the pieces we find. Many early cultures are known for the pottery they made.

Before people could make pottery, a few things needed to be true. There needed to be clay nearby, a way to heat the clay very hot, and a reason to make pottery. Some of the earliest pottery was found in China and the Czech Republic.

Early pottery was often made by hand, using simple methods like pinching and coiling. The first way to fire pottery was using bonfires. Over time, new tools like the potter's wheel made it easier to make pottery. Different kinds of kilns were developed to fire pottery at higher temperatures.

Pottery developed in many parts of the world, often separately. In East Asia, Japan is known for Jōmon pottery with rope designs, and China developed fine porcelain. In South Asia, early pottery was found in India, and in Southeast Asia, each group had its own pottery traditions.

In West Asia, pottery began around 8000 BC. The invention of the potter's wheel made pottery easier to produce. In Europe, early pottery was found in Russia, and later in places like Greece and Rome.

In the United Kingdom, the city of Stoke-on-Trent became famous for its pottery, led by Josiah Wedgwood. In Arabic pottery, new techniques like lusterware were developed. In the Americas, Native American cultures developed their own pottery traditions. In Africa, some of the oldest pottery in the world was found. In Oceania, pottery was used by cultures like the Lapita, but not by Indigenous Australians.