- Historic Period: 18,000 BCE – Ancient China
Pottery is one of the few scientific techniques used by ancient people that remained somewhat consistent. Early pottery involved the use of manipulating clay and shaping it to make things like pots, plates, and other ceramic necessities. The oldest pottery we’ve found thus far dates back to roughly 18,000 BCE in ancient China, which shouldn’t shock most of us. Several Asian territories were home to small civilizations before a more organized larger civilization took over the land. It is interesting to point out that many cultures developed pottery concepts on their own. Some were even so proud of their pottery, they were buried with the stuff! Of course, pottery is different from other uses of clay but some still like to connect them.