Every now and then I come across a universality that reminds me, we are all the same. Pottery is one of these universalities. Every single culture figured out pottery; from Masai people in Africa, to Mayans, to Polynesians, to Celts. It doesn’t matter where in the world you are, there is pottery.
I came across Mike Dodd, a potter, who had this interesting idea of where it came from and why everyone figured it out. Imagine this: you need to transport water from the river to your hut. And while at the riverbank you notice clay and you notice that you can line the inside of your basket with it and less water drops out.
Now at some point your hut burns down. Perhaps you were careless with your evening fire and in the remains of your now burned out hut is the hardened remains of the clay, with the impression of the basket still there but now hard and impermeable.
This happy accident has occurred over and over, all around the world. And as time goes on the vessel changes shape and size. Various minerals are add to change it’s texture, it’s elasticity, or it’s color.
Techniques are improved and pots are coil built, and then become thrown on wheels and then the wheels improved. Firing is standardized, and controlled
Marks are made, patterns created, decorations established. Clays are refined, and chemicals purified to the point where you get porcelain.
At the end of the day it is taking earth, mixing it with water, putting it in a fire and creating a vessel that enriches lives. Pottery is universal.