Why were roman pots made from clay?

Answer 1

Roman pottery was made in various ways from using crushed shell, shale, old broken pots crushed. This was the added to the clay and mixed to stop it from reducing in the kiln or shrinking. This type of pottery tends to be much coarser and grit like surface. However it all depends on the geology of the clay been used as each will vary greatly

Mortaria was a little differ this was produced on a wheel and the grit added to the bowl to make grinding foodstuff much easier. However they also added iron slag and other rough material.

Pottery was either handmade or turn on a wheel it was up to the person who was producing the pottery for sale which he did prefer.

So really no hard or fast rule on how the pot was produced so long as it functions and can be used.

Wrote by archaeologist of 20 years and pottery specialist from a museum in UK

Answer 2

In their own homes, they would mostly use stone or wood. Marble was for the very rich only. In temples - but only important temples of major deities, built to impress - marble would be more common.

Answer 3

Pottery is made of ceramic. Non-synthetic (modern) ceramic, apart from porcelain, is made with clay mixed with other materials. There are three main types: earthenware, stoneware and porcelain. Terracotta, a type of earthenware, was the main ceramic used in Europe and the Mediterranean and the Middle East until the other two types reached Europe from China during the Renaissance, well after the Romans.

Terracotta was generally made with a mix of ball clay, quartz and feldspar (a mineral). When kaolin (see below) reached Europe, it was also added. It was used to make pottery, statues and roof tiles. In the case of the latter it is still used. It is also still used for flower pots.

Stoneware is made of fire clay and up to 30% quartz and 0-15% feldspar and chamotte (fire sand). It was first created in China during the late Shang dynasty (c. 1600 BC-c. 1046 BC). It was produced on a large scale by the Han Dynasty (206 BC-220 AD). The first European stoneware was made by Johann Friedrich Böttger (see below) in 1707 and was a very significant stage in the development of porcelain in Europe.

Porcelain is made from kaolin (also called China because it was first used in China) which is layered silicate mineral and aluminium oxide. It gains toughness, and translucence when fired at high temperatures 1,200-1,400 °C; (2,192-2,552 °F) as it form glass and mullite (a mineral) within its compound. It was developed in China during the Eastern Han Dynasty (196-220). It was first brought to Europe in the 16th century by Portuguese traders. The first successful attempt to produce it in Europe (for the Medici of Florence) was in the late 16th century. Commercial porcelain in Europe was developed by Von Tschirnhaus and Böttger in Germany in 1708.

Answer 4

Roman artists built statues out of marble and plaster. They also used paints, and they used wax to repair statues.

Answer 5

Stone, cement, and wood. Many roof tops were made of wood. In Pompeii the stone foundations, roads, and walls survived the eruption but all the wooden roof tops burned.

Answer 6

All pottery is made of clay. This clay can be of various types, from earthenware to porcelain. The Romans used various clays in their pottery/ceramics.

Answer 7

Concrete