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Clay and the Development of Pottery



Clay and the Development of Pottery

Pottery has always been one of the earliest crafts developed by ancient cultures due to its practical uses. In Mesopotamia, clay and mud were abundant resources, really the only resources, thanks to the region’s geography. The prevalence of reeds suggests that the people of Mesopotamia may have also had a strong weaving tradition, which could have influenced the decorative patterns seen on some pottery.

The earliest pottery was created using the coil method, where clay was shaped into vessels by layering coils of clay and smoothing them together. These early pots were fired at low temperatures, making them relatively fragile. Everyday pottery was often simple and undecorated, while vessels intended for tombs or special purposes featured more elaborate designs. Over time, advancements in technique led to the coil and turn method, in which a pot was rotated slowly (using a rudimentary wheel-like device) to shape and join the coils more precisely. The potter’s wheel, as we know it today, was a later innovation.


Decorated pottery in ancient Mesopotamia was incised, etched with patterns, or finished with glazes. Much of this decorated pottery is classified as slipware, which refers to ceramics coated with a thin liquid clay mixture (slip) or a similar material called engobe:

  • Slip: A mixture of clay and water applied to pottery for decoration or as an adhesive layer. Slip can be colored or left natural and typically provides a smooth surface for additional decoration.
  • Engobe: A type of colored slip mixed with metallic oxides or other pigments. It is more opaque than regular slip and is often used to create a base coat or decorative designs before firing.

Examples of Ancient Pottery

            Pottery is a great starting point for understanding ancient cultures, and there are several reasons why it’s so important. For one, pottery is one of the most common artifacts found in archaeological digs. It’s incredibly durable—made from fired clay, which can last for thousands of years. Even when broken, archaeologists and curators can often reassemble the pieces to study their original form. Pottery offers insights into everyday life, showing us what people used for cooking, storage, and rituals, as well as what they considered visually significant or beautiful.

The four pots I’m introducing here highlight a range of uses, from practical to decorative. They also show how pottery designs reflect broader cultural patterns. The decorations and imagery on these vessels, such as incised patterns or painted motifs, often resemble or overlap with forms seen in other media, such as cuneiform. Through pottery, we can see connections between functional objects and the symbolic or artistic traditions of the cultures that made them.

Many of the pottery pieces and artifacts we study were found in funerary contexts, meaning they were recovered from burial sites or tombs. These artifacts were often created for significant individuals, though occasionally items from the tombs of less prominent figures have also been preserved. The state and decoration of the pottery—whether simple or elaborate—help us understand not only the daily routines of the people who used it but also their spiritual or cultural practices surrounding death and the afterlife.






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