What is Pottery?

Pottery is a type of ceramic that can be shaped into vessels, including cups, plates and bowls. Its use dates back thousands of years. Pottery is typically made by hand. Some pottery, especially functional pottery for the home such as teapots, is oven and dishwasher safe.

Clay, the main material used in pottery making, is a natural resource found in a variety of locations worldwide. Its unique properties have influenced civilizations and culture.

Among the most important are its plasticity – the ability to be molded without cracking; and its vitrification – the process of heating it that transforms it from a soft, flexible material into a durable, almost indestructible one. The former characteristic allows potters to create a wide range of forms while the latter protects the material from the kinds of water that would otherwise cause it to disintegrate and collapse.

Pottery production is a time consuming and labor intensive process. Various procedures are used to ensure consistent product quality, from the initial mixing of raw clays and the preparation of glazes to the firing of the finished products in a high-temperature kiln. In the process, each piece is monitored closely for proper color, viscosity, gravity, and other critical parameters.

There are two basic techniques for constructing a vessel from clay by hand – pinching and coiling. Pinching is the simplest and oldest method, in which a fist-sized ball of clay is pinched to shape its walls. Coiling involves the use of pre-rolled strips of clay that are joined together to construct a hollow form. Both techniques require significant skill and experience to produce a finished product.