Pottery is an old form of art that used to be used to make plates, cups, bowls, water jugs and a bunch of other things. B.C, It, was used to make baby baths, high chairs, potty seats, bellows, crucibles, cooking pots, water pipes and even marbles. In facts, pottery is one of the oldest inventions known to mankind, as we have discovered pieces of pottery that date back to between 29.000 B.C and 25.000 B.C. In the Czech Republic, the Gravettian culture of Venus of Dolni Vestonice figurine was discovered, marking history as one of the oldest pieces of ancient inventions. The Czech Republic is not alone in these discoveries, as we have found pottery dating back to 18.000 B.C in China, as well as Japan, Russia, Sub-Saharan Africa and South Africa. The earliest piece of pottery, found in the Americas, was in Brazil in 5.500 B.C. Back in the old times, pottery was used as a way to define social identity, for people to show who their individual selves were.
The American Society for Testing and Materials describes pottery as ‘’all fired ceramic wares that contain clay and is not a technical, structural or refractory product.’’ Pottery is made by forming clay into different shapes, that are either useful or decorative items, and exposing them to high temperatures of heat to remove the moisture in order to make it hard and strong so it doesn’t shift forms.
Nowadays, we have more information and tools to make our pottery shine with beauty and please the eyes of those looking at it or using it. You can decorate a piece of pottery both before and after ‘’baking’’ it. Usage of stencils to carve, stamps to decorate and tools to shape can be done prior to firing and decorating with stencils, paint, beads and accessories, that are not tolerable to heat, can be used to decorate your pottery after it is done hardening.
Many people create pottery and play with clay as a hobby that is inexpensive, simple and has multiple ways to be decorated. You might have a pottery class around your town that you can attend either alone or with a partner to bond, get some stress out or even to actually learn how to create beautiful pieces that you can sell. Doesn’t matter what your motivation is, making pottery is a fun, clean(mostly) and different activity that most can make easily. Look up on the internet to see if you have any pottery making classes around you today and join the fun!