Jeremiah 18:4 - "And the vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter’s hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to do."

Romans 9:21 - "Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lamp one vessel for beauty and another for menial use?"

The exact origin of pottery is not known, although its use is traced to Neolithic times, and probably discovered accidentally that clay could be shaped by hand and then that it could be hardened by the sun. Later, crude vessels were conceived and formed, and ceramics, one of the oldest of the arts, had its start. The study of pottery has yielded more knowledge of the history of the human race than has that of any other of the arts.

The story of pottery touches on all ages and all lands. The potter’s wheel, one of man’s earliest mechanical inventions, was highly regarded by ancient peoples. Its invention was claimed by both the Chinese and the Egyptians.

The potter’s work involved making clay utensils for the average family as well as elegant ware for the wealthy. His was a necessary occupation, because the fragile clay pots were easily broken and had to be replaced frequently.

Potter’s clay, which contained fine sand, animal and vegetable matter, and gravel, was washed and purified in a series of vats on descending levels. After the lowest vat’s contents were strained through cloth, it was spread out on a hill for "weathering." Next, it was made plastic by treading on it with the feet and mixing it with water. The clay was next tossed up into the air to drive out air bubbles. The potter would then knead the clay for many hours. Finally, the clay was "thrown" onto the potter’s wheel to be shaped.

The potter shaped his clay into its desired form while the wheel revolved counter-clockwise. By jabbing his forearm into the wet clay, the potter could hollow out his object. Upon finishing, the article was then returned to the wheel for removal of excess clay, for smoothing, or for strengthening its bottom so that it would not leak. The piece was then kiln-dried.

Decorations, including zig-zag patterns, half-moons, keys, scrolls, pictures of men and women, animal scenes, and circles were added to even inexpensive cooking vessels. Unlike the Egyptians, Palestinian potters did not coat their work with liquid glass (glaze). Instead, they burnished the piece with shells, pebbles, or a tool.

The pottery making centers were at the edge of town, near an open field, where vessels could be dried. And, in many cities, the potter’s field became the burial ground.

The objects which they made included jars, cooking pots, buttons, bottles, toys, writing material, statuettes, and ceramic tile, many of which the pottery maker or ceramics maker of today also manufactures, in much the same way.