Earthenware

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Earthenware is a type of nonvitreous pottery that is fired at relatively low temperatures, usually below 1200°C. Because it is fired cool, it can absorb water unless it is glazed. Today most domestic earthenware is glazed to be watertight. It is softer and weaker than porcelain or stoneware and is often thicker and more easily chipped.

Earthenware is made from clay mixed with minerals like feldspar. It is fired to become opaque and non-vitreous. Typical colors after firing are white, buff, or red, with iron-rich clays turning red in an oxidizing atmosphere and darker colors in reducing atmospheres. The raw clay is very plastic, making it easy to shape with wheels, rollers, or presses. Because of its porosity, fired earthenware must be glazed to hold liquids.

Commonly used for tableware and decorative items, earthenware also includes everyday items like flower pots and tiles. Its history is long and widespread, with many cultures producing notable wares. While stoneware and porcelain were developed later in different places, earthenware remained important for sculpture, pottery, and decorative forms such as tin-glazed majolica and Delftware. Modern studios sometimes use a two-fire process—a biscuit firing followed by a glaze firing—though some experiment with firing sequences in different orders.