Pottery as an Art in History

Out of all of humankind’s handicrafts, pottery is the oldest. Even writing, the very method of
communication used to create this article, came after the first pots. And like many things, it’s
theorized that it was discovered by complete accident.

In ancient times, people would transport water in handwoven baskets. The water, especially
that from rivers, would have some clay in it. As the clay dried out, it would take on the shape of
the basket. Eventually, people realized that these clay linings could be used as sturdy containers.
They gathered clay, shaped it, and baked in the sun or hot ashes, sometimes decorating them
with primitive tools. Thus, the first clay pots (and by extension, all of pottery) were born.

The first potter’s wheel is believed to have come from Sumer in 3129 BC, although there is
evidence that points to other places of origin. Precursors to the wheel started appearing as early
as 4500 BC though, so an exact date is likely impossible. That said, the idea of using a wheel to
assist in the creation of pottery was shared by many cultures.

Paleolithic Pottery

For primitive Stone Age cooking pots, all that was needed was a supply of clay and a source of
heat. Thus most Chinese pottery of the Upper Paleolithic (until about 10,000 BCE) was roughly
made earthenware, fired in bonfires for a short time at temperatures up to 900 degrees Celsius.
Vessels were made with round bottoms thus avoiding any sharp angles or rims that would be
more prone to cracking. Glazes were not used, while decoration was limited to the use of coiled
"ropes" and basketry. (In Japan, from about 14,000 BCE, the "Jomon" culture was named after
the decorative technique of leaving impressions on the outside of the pot, by pressing rope into
the clay before firing it.)

Neolithic Pottery in China: Although Chinese pottery had been made continuously since 18,000
BCE, it remained relatively primitive. During the era of Chinese Neolithic art, however, the
introduction of the potter's wheel and better kilns, as well as the emergence of parallel
technologies in smelting and metallurgy, helped to improve the range and quality of all types of
ceramic ware.

Early Neolithic (c.7500-5000)

The earliest Chinese Neolithic pots were red-coloured earthenware, hand-made (by coiling),
fired in bonfires. Decoration was limited to simple designs applied by stamping and impressing
techniques.

 Pottery in the Neolithic era is an extensive subject that can be divided by many groups
within many groups; however, some common characteristics are seen throughout the
world. The dates for a culture’s adoption of pottery often define it’s a progression into
the Neolithic category, with the exception of the Far East where pottery predates
agriculture.
 Pottery during the Neolithic era is mostly in terracotta or clay and many cultures,
despite their separation by continents and oceans, decorated these pieces with simple
geometric designs and then later broke into shaping them to resemble animals or other
objects.
The ancient Greeks are also renowned for their pottery,
particularly their vases. These pieces are frequently
decorated with stories of mythological heroes and the Greek
pantheon. Depending on what color clay was used- red or
black- the background color would change. Black
backgrounds were painted on red pots, for example, and
vice versa.

Eventually, people figured out that mixing sand in with the clay resulted in pots strong enough
to withstand being directly in a fire. This was likely sometime during the medieval period. The
same concept is used today when creating casserole dishes for baking. It also helps prevent
warping, cracking, or exploding inside of the kiln during firing.

It wasn’t until the thirteenth century that stoneware first appeared. In Germany, potters fired
finer clays at higher temperatures. This created strong pots that were naturally non-porous.
Stoneware is used not just for cooking but as decorative pieces as well. However, the durability
and non-porous qualities keep it a popular choice in the kitchen to this day.

Porcelain is a special type of pottery first produced in China. Made from a mix of kaolin and
felspar, the result was a very beautiful but fragile item. It was so popular that potters across
Europe and the rest of Asia began developing new techniques in hopes of replicating Chinese
porcelain. Whether or not they were successful in capturing the same beauty, however, is up to
personal preference.

Like many things, however, pottery can be extremely

fragile. While it’s depressing when such pieces of art are
broken, there’s an art form to repairing them as well.
The Japanese practice of kintsugi (literally “golden
repair”) takes pieces of pottery that have been broken
and filling in the cracks with gold or silver. A
longstanding tradition (with no exact origin date), it
adheres to the philosophy that repairs shouldn’t be
erased and should be considered a part of the pot’s
history.

Roman Glass
Roman glassware includes some of the finest pieces of art
ever produced in antiquity and the very best were valued
higher than wares made with precious metals. However,
plain glass vessels such as cups, bowls, plates, and bottles
were also used as everyday containers, in particular, for
storing and serving food and drinks. Glass was also used by
the Romans for its decorative qualities and could be
incorporated in mosaics and decorative panels in both
Roman spherical perfume containers in coloured glass. 1st-2nd century CE. Provenance unknown. (Archaeological Museum
of Pavia, Italy). walls and furniture.
The material was also used for windows, to create jewellery, mirrors,
game pieces, magnifying glasses, sculpture and, in the form of powder,
even as a medicine and toothpaste.

As glass-makers mastered their art, glassware became ever more

intricate and ambitious in design and glass could now be transformed
into dazzling works of art. Gem-cutting techniques were used to create effects such as those seen in
cameos. Perhaps the most famous example of this technique is the 'Portland Vase' which was made
sometime during the reign of Augustus (27 BCE - 14 CE) and which depicts the marriage of Peleus
and Thetis from Greek mythology.