ceramic

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Object made from clay, hardened into a permanent form by baking (firing) at very high temperatures in a kiln. Once clay has been turned into ceramic, it can no longer be recycled in water. Ceramics are very versatile. They are used not only for dishes, vessels, and other decorative or functional household objects, but also for building construction and decoration (bricks, tiles), for specialist industrial uses (linings for furnaces used to manufacture steel, fuel elements in nuclear reactors, and so on). Different types of clay and different methods and temperatures of firing create a variety of results. Ceramics may be cast in a mould or hand-built, using the pinch, coil, or slab methods. Alternatively shapes and vessels can be formed by ‘throwing’ on a potter's, or pottery, wheel. Technically, the main categories are earthenware (including terracotta), stoneware, and hard- and softpaste porcelain (see pottery and porcelain).

Western history
The earliest ceramics date back to the beginning of the Neolithic in the Near East, Asia, the Americas, Europe, and Africa.

Roman Potter's wheel; lead glazing; decorative use of slip (watered-down clay).

medieval Sgraffito (scratched) tiles and other products (earthenware decorated with slip of a contrasting colour, which is then scratched through) such as those made in Bologna, Italy. Lead-glazed jugs made in England and France, coloured bright green or yellow-brown with copper or iron oxides. Tin-glazed ware in southern Italy and Spain by the 13th century, influenced by established Islamic techniques.

14th-century Germany Stoneware developed from hard earthenwares; tin glazes developed; colour added by thin slips mixed with high-temperature colours. Later, mottled brown glaze recognized as characteristic of Cologne, referred to as ‘tigerware’ in Britain.

15th century Hispano-Moresque painted ware imitated by Italians, developing into majolica by mid-century, using the full range of high-temperature colours; centres of the craft included Tuscany, Faenza, Urbino, and Venice. Some potteries, such as that at Gubbio, additionally used lustre glazes. Typical products are dishes and apothecary jars.

16th century Potters from Faenza spread tin-glazed earthenware (majolica) skills to France, Spain, and the Netherlands, where it became known as faience; from Antwerp the technique spread to England. The English in the 17th century named Dutch faience ‘Delftware’, after the main centre of production.

17th century Faience centres developed at Rouen and Moustiers in France, Alcora in Spain, and in Switzerland, Austria, and Germany. Blue underglaze was increasingly used, in imitation of Chinese blue and white designs, reflecting the growth of orientalism.

18th century European developments in porcelain, also in using a rich palette of low-temperature enamel colours. The vitreous enamel process, first developed at Strasbourg in about 1750, spread around northern Europe.

19th–20th century The Industrial Revolution changed the course of ceramic history. Large pottery factories opened in the UK, Europe, and the USA, and handcrafted pottery declined for a time. However, by the end of the 19th century and in the 20th century, manufacturers became aware of the market for individual work, and began to use independent ceramicists. The trend of ‘pottery painting’ (painting on fired clay) continued into the 21st century. Ceramics were also increasingly used in the creation of fine art.

Green symbolizes hopes of prosperity. Yellow stands for economic development and work. Blue represents peace and happiness. The sun represents light and enlightenment. Effective date: 31 December 2001. >>