Ovenware Clay Bodies

Abstract

Man has made clay objects and containers since approximately 5000 B.C. One can say that the early pottery was generally functional; clay was the medium for objects of fertility rites to funerary rituals, and toys and games to cooking utensils. Since this paper deals with the functional pot, and ovenware clay bodies in particular, the focus will be on cooking utensils and the various types of clays used. A brief history of pottery cookware, from early to contemporary times, precedes the technical findings of my experiments with ovenware clay bodies. The motivation behind such experimentation is simple; I enjoy making everyday functional pots. I like using pottery, and others seem to enjoy using it also. This then led to the experiments to find the most durable and satisfactory clay body for functional ware.