The science of making pottery is called ceramics. Pottery is one of mankind's oldest art forms. Pottery was made for practical applications, as well as artwork, thousands of years before metalwork was developed.
Pottery is made from clay.
Clay that is baked at a low temperature is porous, meaning it has the ability to absorb water. Clay that is baked at higher temperatures vitrifies, that is, becomes glassy and no longer has the capability of absorbing water. All clay products can be classified as porous or vitrified. Pottery can be shaped in several ways. Early methods, still used today, hand formed the clay or used a pottery wheel.