Pottery and Beyond: Our Passion for Ceramics Through the Ages

When sipping on a pipping hot tea or coffee served in a beautiful cup, it is easy to understand why a passion for all things ceramic is shared around the globe and has been for thousands of years. The history of pottery, its practices across different cultures, and how those traditions have spread all form together into the shape of a fascinating and complex legacy. 

From the ornate china tea caddy to the contemporary stoneware used in the most trendy coffee shops today, an international adventure that centres on ceramics is worth taking— even if we mount that journey of exploration from the comfort of home!

My Own Ceramics Adventure: From the Silk Road to Kentish Town

Recently the Karakum Home team found ourselves attending two glorious pottery making and pottery painting classes at Social Pottery in Kentish Town, London. Here was the perfect place to indulge our love for this ancient artisanal craft, and it brought our fascination with the history of pottery bubbling brightly to the surface.

Stunning homeware ceramics are a point of pride here in our online store, and fittingly so, because pottery was a precious trade commodity on the Silk Road. In fact, the functional and often highly aesthetic pottery invented in the Far East quickly transformed life as it travelled westward along this vital trade route. Over time, pottery centres grew and thrived at its interlaced junctions in places such as Turkmenistan, Iran, Uzbekistan, and Turkey, to name but a few. 

What Is Pottery and Where Does Its History Begin?

Pottery is among the most ancient of human inventions and archaeology has revealed that its practice dates back tens of thousands of years. Early examples include those found at the Xianrendong Cave and Yuchanyan Cave sites in China, which were dated to some 20,000 and 18,000 years ago, respectively. Meanwhile, other pottery artifacts were found in the Russian Far East from 16,000 years ago, and in Jomon, Japan, from 12,500 years ago.

Among the incredible diversity of ceramics originating around the world, there are three main types known as earthenware, stoneware, and porcelain. The difference between them is a sliding scale in density, water permeability, and the heat at which they are fired. The use of certain minerals also produces different ceramic qualities, such as clay used to make terracotta, and kaolin and felspar used to make delicate and translucent porcelain.

The Evolution of Ceramics as Art

As the history of pottery progressed, the practice of firing clay and other moulded minerals went from a process that used only a bonfire or fire pit to one that called for more and more advanced kiln design. As we prepared our creations for the kiln at Social Pottery, it was tempting to imagine what the same moment would have felt like back in Ancient Egypt, where the first insulated kilns are thought to have been invented.

Of course, over the centuries, numerous cultures also began to decorate their ceramics— either before or after firing—to create spectacular cultural relics that provide us with uniqueinsight into the lives and mythologies of those who lived before us.

As human creativity so often ensures, practical pottery became a vehicle for expression and distinct styles of decoration emerged around the globe. The contrasting black and terracotta motifs of Greek pottery come to mind, as do the sculptural 3D reliefs of the Roman Empire—with both telling us so much about the lives, beliefs, heroes, and idols of those who created them. 

Meanwhile, patterned Islamic pottery showcases a phenomenal array of colours, sacred geometry, and calligraphy designs. Fascinatingly, this particular style often called on innovative tin-derived glazes, akin to those that create the white opaque finishes seen in traditional Chinese ceramics.

Intertwined Traditions of Ceramics and Our Favourite Hot Beverages

While in London to visit Social Pottery, we couldn't resist also stopping into Gail's and Saint Espresso to see contemporary ceramics in action. The modern coffee shop is a wonderful setting to see the time-honoured traditions of ceramic tea and coffee receptacles in their elements. And although ceramics have long been used for things like grain storage and oil storage—and particularly cookware in the Far-Eastern cultures like Japan and China—it is perhaps associated tea traditions that we enjoy romanticising the most.

As much as the ceramic teapot might be associated with English culture here in London, the classic handled and spouted pot in fact dates back to China in around 1500 AD, when they were first fashioned in Yixing. With time, tea ceremonies were ritualised within wedding ceremonies in China and as sacred household practices in Japan. 

When tea began to travel Westward over the Silk Road, vase-like ceramic canisters or tea caddies were used to transport and trade this immensely precious commodity. In fact, the word “caddy” is derived from the word “catty” or “catti” which was a popularised Asian unit of measurement.

Pulling our minds back to the present day, pottery and ceramics are enjoying a colourful and diverse Renaissance that serves as the perfect salve for the stresses of modern living. Not only are unique ceramic pieces wonderfully Instagrammable, but they also remind us to slow down and savour each flavour, treasuring even the simplest experiences.

If you'd like to enrich your daily moments of self-care with curated ceramic pieces that have travelled from East to West—just as historic pieces once travelled the Silk Road— then be sure to explore our kitchenwares and barista collection . Every artistic creation is ethically sourced from authentic manufacturers as we strive to ensure that our collaborations carry the rich and bountiful story of our universally shared passion for ceramics into tomorrow!