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Ceramics Overview
Home » Arts & Crafts » Ceramics » Ceramics OverviewCeramics refers to any object made of baked clay. Ceramics began in the Stone Age when it was discovered that fire could turn soft clay shapes into permanent pieces. Archaeologists believe the ceramic animals and female figures first shaped out of clay to have been part of a system of mystic beliefs and rituals. These rites and images were thought to enable enough wild animals to be killed for food and clothing and to cause women to give birth to enough healthy children to continue a viable hunting tribe.
By 6500 BC, ceramic figurines and pottery were being made in many villages in Western Asia. When man settled into villages, the art of weaving and basket making was begun. It is thought that basket making likely led to the technique of pottery making as a way of waterproofing their baskets. It was not long before scratched marked decorations began to appear on pots followed by painting the pottery. Bonfires were the source of firing the ceramics by previous civilizations and tribal groups.
The ways in which pots were made in the past influenced the works of both amateur and professional potters of today. Ceramics have gone from just being a utilitarian vessel to being pieces of art.
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