The Different Types of Pottery

Pottery is one of the oldest human handicrafts, dating back to prehistoric times. The craft grew along with civilization, as people developed better ways to store food and prepare it. It’s also been a great way to express creativity.

Early pottery was made by lining baskets with clay. This allowed liquids to be transported, and the clay liners would take on a shape as they dried. Our ancestors then began to make pots for themselves, mainly for use as containers. This type of pottery is referred to as earthenware, and fragments have been found at the archaeological sites of Dolni Vestonice and Catal Huyuk.

When pottery is finished, it undergoes a firing process that changes its chemical and physical properties. This is done in a kiln, which today can be either gas or electric. The first round of firing, which is called a bisque firing, is a three-step process that happens at various temperatures and requires special knowledge.

The second round of firing is called a glaze firing. This is applied to the glazed and decorated clay, and it happens at a higher temperature in the kiln than the previous firings. This is a multi-step process that can be difficult to master and requires advanced skills.

Many pottery makers are familiar with a third technique called wheel-throwing. In this method, a ball of clay is placed on a rotating wheel that the potter controls with a stick or a foot pedal. The potter moves the clay in a circle to form the desired shape of the piece being created. This is a faster technique that produces more uniform results than hand-building, but it requires skill and practice to be mastered.