Primitive Pottery

Primitive pottery is the oldest way of making things from clay. Instead of a potter's wheel, you shape the clay by hand using simple methods like pinching, coiling and flattening it into slabs. People have made pots this way for thousands of years, long before wheels and kilns, and it's a wonderfully hands-on craft for families to try together.

Long ago, people dug clay straight from riverbanks and the ground. They mixed it with water, sand or grit to make it easier to work, then shaped it by hand into bowls, pots and cooking vessels.

To make the clay hard and strong, they fired it in a pit in the ground or in a bonfire. This is called pit firing. The smoke and flames often left beautiful dark marks on the pots, so no two ever looked the same. Some potters rubbed their pots with a smooth pebble before firing to make them shine, which is called burnishing.

A pinch pot is the perfect place to start. You roll a ball of clay, press your thumb into the middle and pinch the sides gently as you turn it, until a little bowl appears.

A coil pot is made by rolling long clay sausages and stacking them in rings, one on top of another, then smoothing them together with your fingers.

Beads and pendants are lovely small makes too. You roll or shape the clay, then poke a hole through with a stick so it can be threaded onto a cord. You can press in patterns with twigs, shells or leaves, just as early potters did.

Yes, it's a brilliant one for children. There are no tricky machines, just clay, water and your hands, so even younger campers can join in. Your Activity Leader shows you each method step by step, and there's no right or wrong shape. Children love squishing and shaping, and grown-ups often find it just as absorbing. It's also a gentle way to talk about history and how people lived long ago.

Clay can get everywhere, so wear clothes you don't mind getting a little muddy. Roll up sleeves and take off rings and bracelets before you start, as clay likes to hide in them.

You might also like Pottery Wheel, Wabi-Sabi Pottery and Beading.

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