| In today's world, if you decide to get into pottery, | | | | kilns, it's not like they would know anything about |
| you've got a lot of options at your disposal. There | | | | clay oven polymer techniques. Instead, they would |
| is all sorts of information and many purchasing | | | | build a fire over a shallow pit that contained the |
| options available that the process is pretty much | | | | unfinished pottery. The fire reached a |
| laid out for you. Sure, you need to have the | | | | temperature that would finish the pottery without |
| creativity and the inspiration to create new and | | | | using a kiln. Try telling a modern potter about |
| beautiful things, but you can also find templates | | | | these techniques-they'll probably tell you they're |
| and ideas online for that if you so desire. That's | | | | happy to have a kiln at their disposal! |
| what makes even more impressive the beautiful | | | | What is consistent among all Native American |
| pottery created by ancient Native Americans. The | | | | pottery is their unique beauty. Some may look at |
| effort and attention to detail in simply making the | | | | it and call it primitive, but it's amazing what can be |
| clay makes one appreciate being able to buy | | | | created simply by used human hands and a few |
| something pre-made. And those Native American | | | | tools. And the fact that the clay they used was |
| women certainly didn't have anything like AMACO | | | | made from such materials as crushed seashells, |
| glazes at their disposal! In fact, many Native | | | | plant materials, and sand is incredible. Hours and |
| American pottery pieces were left unglazed and | | | | hours were devoted simply to mixing the clay to |
| were instead rubbed a high polish with a stone or | | | | a perfect consistency, a foreign concept in |
| bone. | | | | today's now culture. In fact, clay pottery art has |
| The primitive techniques didn't stop the Native | | | | taken so many leaps forward that if this were still |
| Americans from making beautiful pottery, | | | | the process, it's doubtful that many would give it |
| however. Each piece was expertly crafted with | | | | a second look. So on one hand it's great to |
| much care, ensuring that there were not any | | | | marvel at the Native American pottery techniques |
| weak spots in the pottery. Clay was worked until | | | | and on the other hand it's a good thing that |
| it was the right consistency, then shaped slowly | | | | technology came along and made things so much |
| and carefully into whatever the piece was to | | | | easier! |
| resemble. Since Native Americans never used | | | | |