History of Pottery

History of Pottery  Part 1

It is amazing that the oldest known body of pottery dates back 10,000 years, during the Neolithic revolution. Then lifestyles in the Middle East and Africa were transitioning from nomadic hunters and gatherers to farmers who put down roots and planted crops. Although baskets were useful handicrafts used for gathering, they couldn't hold liquids. This was also long before hoses or irrigation systems were in the picture, and farmers needed to be able to water their crops.  It was essential to find a material that was readily available and inexpensive, pliable enough to shape and light enough to carry. Clay  was an abundant resource in the region and fit the bill perfectly. Early pots were built by stacking rings of clay, which were then smoothed out and fired in a hole in the ground, under a bonfire. These pots were undecorated and expendable -- they were created simply as a means to transport liquids, and sometimes were only used once they were being disposed of.