pottery

Pottery is the craft of making objects from clay and other ceramic-forming materials, which are hardened by firing. It covers a spectrum from functional wares such as bowls and jars to decorative and sculptural pieces. Pottery can be produced by hand-building, wheel throwing, or mold construction.

The basic process includes shaping the clay, drying it to a leather-hard state, and assembling forms as needed. After an initial bake, called a bisque firing, the pieces are glazed and fired again in a glaze firing. Glazes provide color, texture, and a water-resistant surface, and may be applied by brushing, pouring, or dipping.

Clay bodies are commonly categorized as earthenware, stoneware, or porcelain. Earthenware is fired at lower temperatures and is porous unless glazed; stoneware and porcelain require higher temperatures and produce more durable wares. Decoration can involve slips, engobes, underglazes, in-glaze or overglaze painting, and various texturing techniques.

Historically, pottery emerges in many regions during the Neolithic period and has played a central role in daily life, trade, and ritual. Notable traditions include ancient Mesopotamian and Egyptian wares, Chinese ceramics such as porcelain, and later European tin-glazed and wheel-thrown wares. In contemporary times, the field includes studio pottery, artisanal craft, and mass-produced ceramics spanning household goods to technical ceramics used in industry and medicine.

Pottery remains a versatile practice that blends practical function with artistic expression, reflecting local materials, technologies, and cultural identities.