qeramikat

Qeramikat, called ceramics in English, is the field that encompasses the arts, crafts, and sciences of making objects from inorganic non-metallic materials and then firing them at high temperatures. It covers a broad range of products, from utilitarian pottery and tiles to fine porcelain and sculptural works.

Materials and methods: The main raw material is clay, often combined with other minerals such as feldspar and silica to create different clay bodies. Shaping methods include hand-building, the potter's wheel, slip casting, and extrusion. After shaping, items undergo a first firing (bisque or biscuit firing), then glazing, then a second firing to vitrify the glaze.

Types and applications: Earthenware, stoneware, and porcelain represent major ceramic families, distinguished by composition and firing temperature. Ceramics are used in household ware, construction (tiles, bricks), and industrial applications such as advanced ceramics used in electronics, medical devices, and aerospace. Studio pottery and decorative ceramics emphasize artistic expression.

History: Ceramics are among the oldest human technologies with evidence dating to the late Neolithic and early Bronze Age in multiple regions, including Mesopotamia, the Nile valley, China, and the Americas. Porcelain originated in China, later spreading worldwide. The 20th century saw a rise of studio pottery and the development of technical ceramics in industry.

Today, ceramics combine traditional craft with modern science, emphasizing material properties, glaze chemistry, sustainability, and digital fabrication techniques such as 3D printing and precision kilns.