Pottenbakkerswiel

Pottenbakkerswiel, Dutch for potter's wheel, is a device used in pottery to shape clay. It comprises a circular wheel mounted on a frame and driven to rotate, either by a foot pedal (kick wheel) or by an electric motor. The potter places damp clay on the wheel, centers it, and shapes it as the wheel turns, using hands and shaping tools.

Throwing on the wheel produces a symmetrical vessel by pulling and compressing the clay upward as it spins. After shaping, the pot is left to stiffen slightly and then refined by trimming and smoothing with knives, ribs, and sponges while still mounted on the wheel or after drying to leather-hard stage.

Historically, wheels were developed in ancient Mesopotamia and the Indus Valley in the late Neolithic/early Bronze Age and later spread to Europe, where they became central to ceramic production. In traditional studios, kick wheels remain common in artisanal settings, while electric wheels are standard in schools and contemporary workshops.

Modern variants include table-top electric wheels and foot-driven kick wheels. The potter's wheel is primarily associated with wheel-thrown pottery and is often used in combination with hand-building techniques. It remains a defining tool in ceramics education and production.