General Ceramic Knowledge Trivia Quiz

Answer: decomposed granite

Clay is formed by the weathering of the igneous rock granite. The sheets of alumino-silicates are weathered and deposited in hollows and low-lying areas. Pure weathered granite will decompose into kaolinite, from which porcelain is made. If the clay has been transported and mixed with other refractory materials, it may become either stoneware or earthenware clays, which melt at lower temperatures than the purer kaolinite.

Answer: kiln

Kilns come in all shapes and sizes, and burn all types of fuel. They range from a small electric jewelry kiln the size of a shoebox, to a large tunnel kiln used in industry that may be over one hundred yards long.

Answer: Egyptians

The potter's wheel was invented in Egypt around the year 3000 BC. The flat rotating area upon which pots were made had a longer shaft and a flywheel added, which allowed the potter to make more pots with proportionately less energy expended.

Answer: True

The proportions are different, but the materials are the same. Most clays, when heated to a higher temperature, will melt into a glass.

Answer: glaze

Although all of the incorrect answers may in fact be found on the surface of a piece of pottery, the ceramist intentionally adds glaze to the surface of the piece to decorate the pot and make the surface impermeable to water, rendering the piece useful in daily life. The glaze is heated along with the pot and is transformed into a glassy surface when the proper temperature is achieved.

Answer: False

Although many early pottery glazes did in fact contain lead, or galena, great efforts have been made to eliminate that material in modern ceramics. Lead is an active flux (or melter) and a color enhancer, which makes a glassy glaze at a relatively low temperature.

This explains its popularity in early cultures. The downside was the health hazard to both the ceramist and the user, as the lead was able to be leached out of the glaze and ingested, causing neurological damage. Most modern ceramics have eliminated lead, and those that use it generally have it present in fritted form, which renders it insoluble and safe. Lead also burns out of the pottery glazes at a low temperature, and many modern ceramics pieces are fired at temperatures above lead's useful temperature range, making it useless.

Answer: Chinese

The Chinese developed the first porcelain clay bodies around the 10th century. These came from an elastic white clay called kao ling, from which the English term kaolin comes. Western potters did not develop a suitable clay or high firing kiln until the 18th century. Majolica, Delftware, Faience, and Bone China are the names of ceramic ware which was made to imitate porcelains before Europeans were able to manufacture a true porcelain of their own.

Answer: thrown

Many potters have indeed "thrown" away pots that haven't met their expectations. Nevertheless, the technique of spinning a pot on the potter's wheel is known as throwing. While it is uncertain where the term throwing originated, the best guess is that it is derived from the German "thrauen", meaning "to turn." The process of working on the potter's wheel in the American southern backwoods is still often referred to as "turning."

Answer: False

No, but the Japanese do.

Answer: False

No, clay is actually one of the most common materials on earth. Ever heard of the term "dirt-cheap"? That pretty much describes the price of clay. In most ceramics, the cost of the clay is but a tiny fraction of the final price of the piece (although a few certain highly specialized clay types have indeed become scarce).

The labor of the ceramist comprises the greatest portion of the final cost.