The Ultimate Pottery Quiz

Pottery consists of three different "wares": earthenware, stoneware and porcelain.

The earliest pots were used for carrying liquids and grains and for storing seeds. Early man began to use pots for cooking not long after.

According to the American Hobby Industry Association, the craft industry is experiencing a revival, growing by almost $10 million between 2000 and 2004.

Greek craftsmen created utilitarian pots that were used for drinking and pouring, and were the first to add color and decorative touches to their pieces.

The earliest slow potter's wheel used a simple moving platform. The fast wheel graduated to an axle to turn the platform and with the advent of electricity, the motorized potter's wheel, that we know today, came into use.

Chinese potters made porcelain from white kaolin clay and ground granite, firing it at very high temperatures to create delicate and decorative pieces.

The invention of lead glazes by West Asian potters raised the level of pottery considerably. Pots were now waterproof as well as decorative.

Earthenware pottery, such as terra cotta pots, is fired at the lowest temperatures, and the finished product is usually red, brown or orange.

When stoneware clay is fired at high temperatures it turns into a glass-like substance, making it waterproof.

Kaolin clay is also known as white clay, China clay and white cosmetic clay. Because it's less plastic than other clays, it is more difficult to work with.

The easiest way to get started working with clay is by using one of the three hand building pottery techniques: pinch, coil and slab construction. Just grab some clay and get started.

Native American potters use coil construction to make bowls. Just roll pieces of clay into narrow cylinders, attach the ends to form circular coils, stack the coils to form a pot and smooth the insides with your fingers.

To attach the square sections of slab construction to make a box, use a paste of clay and water called slip.

Let your pot dry slowly and evenly. When it is 75 percent dry, known as leather-hard, you can smooth its sides with a wooden rib tool.

The correct term for using a wheel to shape pottery is throwing. Modern pottery wheels are designed to create uniformly circular pieces.

You can either bang your clay onto a table (wedging) or knead it like dough (spiral kneading) to remove as much air as possible before throwing. Removing air bubbles is important because an air bubble can cause a piece of pottery to crack during firing.

Bats are made of metal and come in different sizes. Place your clay in the center of the bat and center it securely before starting the wheel.

Ribs used to shape clay can be made of wood, metal or plastic and come in many shapes and sizes.

Clay pottery is fired in a special kiln, usually in several steps. The first round of firing is called bisque firing and produces bisqueware.

Handle your fragile greenware with care when it comes off the pottery wheel. You don't want anything to happen to it before you put it in the kiln for firing.