What is Pottery?

pottery

Pottery is a ceramic art that involves shaping and firing clay to make it hard and nonporous. It is a skill that requires a lot of practice, but once mastered, it can be used to make beautiful home decor pieces. Pottery is also very durable, making it a great option for everyday use.

Early civilizations discovered that heating clay transformed it into a material much more useful to them, which is why pottery has always gone hand-in-hand with human advances. Pottery items have been found throughout the world in cultures as far-flung as China, Japan, Korea and Sub-Saharan Africa.

Basically, pottery is made out of a combination of raw materials, including clay and other minerals. The specific clay ingredients are referred to as the “clay body.”

Once the pottery has been formed, it is usually fired in a kiln, either electric or gas. This process, called firing, makes the clay nonporous and changes its chemical makeup, which allows it to withstand water and other liquids. It also gives it a hard, glassy texture and protects it from corrosion by metals or other organic materials.

The first step in the preparation of clay for pottery is called de-airing, which can be done automatically through a pugmill or manually by wedging. The resulting leather-hard clay is now ready to be shaped and glazed. It is usually given two or three firings at different temperatures, known as bisque and glazed firings. The resulting pottery is called stoneware.

Auto Amazon Links: No products found. http_request_failed: A valid URL was not provided. URL: https://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?SearchIndex=All&multipageStart=0&multipageCount=20&Operation=GetResults&Keywords=What+is+Pottery%3F|Pottery+Stuff&InstanceId=0&TemplateId=MobileSearchResults&ServiceVersion=20070822&MarketPlace=US Cache: AAL_cece0cca3cd8fef6ebcaf6a55db69642