Ceramics are objects made of moistened clay, shaped and then baked. All ceramics are Earthenware, terracotta, brick, tile, faience, majolica, stoneware, and porcelain. Ceramicware is decorated with clay inlays, relief patterns on the surface, or incised, stamped or embossed designs. For coating, the ware, a creamy mixture of clay and water (slip) can be used. After drying, the ceramic ware is baked in the oven until it has hardened.
To make the pottery non-porous and give it a smooth, bright, decorative finish, Glaze, a silicate preparation added to the clay surface and fused to it during firing, is used. Ancient Mesopotamia and Persia used large architectural tiles with colourful glazes. In the 6th and 5th centuries B.C., the Greeks developed red, black and white glazed pottery figures and scenes. The Romans used relief decorations. Additional changes were made to Persian, Syrian and Turkish pottery.
In Spain, lustreware-the first sophisticated ceramics of the modern era-was produced by the Moors of the 9th century. Other refinements were Italian majolica, Dutch delft, German Meissen and English Wedgewood. Chinese porcelain dates from the T’ang dynasty, and Chinese stoneware dates back to about 3000 B.C.
Sources
Ceramics. In World Encyclopedia. : Philip’s. Retrieved 28 Jan. 2021, from https://www-oxfordreference-com.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/view/10.1093/acref/9780199546091.001.0001/acref-9780199546091-e-2196.
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