Clay: The History and Evolution of Humankind's Relationship with Earth's Most Primal Element

by Suzanne Staubach

Overview

More than a third of the houses in the world are made of clay. Clay vessels were instrumental in the invention of cooking, wine and beer making, and international trade. Our toilets are made of clay. The first spark plugs were thrown on the potter's wheel. Clay has played a vital role in the health and beauty fields. Indeed, this humble material was key to many advances in civilization, including the development of agriculture and the invention of baking, architecture, religion, and even the space program. In Clay, Suzanne Staubach takes a lively look at the startling history of the mud beneath our feet. Told with verve and erudition, this story will ensure you won't see the world around you in quite the same way after reading the book.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781611685039
Publisher:	University Press of New England
Publication date:	09/03/2013
Pages:	304
Sales rank:	978,331
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.40(h) x 1.00(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

SUZANNE STAUBACH is a writer, potter, and bookseller, and the author of Guy Wolff: Master Potter in the Garden.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments • Cooking Pots and Storage Jars: Porridge, Ale, and International Commerce • Hearth and Home: Ovens, Heat, and the Invention of Baking • The First Machine and the Development of an Industry • Set the Table: From a Simple Bowl to a 2,200-Piece Dinner Set • A Word or Two: The Invention of Writing and Books • The Most Popular Building Material: Cities, Walls, and Floors of Mud • Sanitation: A Nice Hot Bath, a Drink of Water, and Don’t Forget to Flush • Farming Made East: Irrigation, Propagation, and Incubation • Electricity, Transportation, and Rocket Science • To Your Health! • Art, Toys, Gods, Goddesses, and Fertility • A Fitting Death: Urns, Gravestones, Companions, and Thieves • Conclusion • Appendix A: How to Make Your Own Pinch Pot • Appendix B: Museums • Notes • Bibliography • Credits

Editorial Reviews

"[Staubach's] background as a potter imbues her prose with a thematic intimacy."-- "Booklist"

"Most of us see clay as the stuff at the end of our shovel. . . . Staubach sees spark plugs, semiconductors, and surgical equipment."-- "Milwaukee Journal Sentinel"

"Staubach . . . provides readers with a joyful introduction to an art she clearly loves. . . . Highly recommended."-- "Library Journal"

"Staubach successfully communicates the passion she feels for her material (both literal and literary) in this extensively researched overview of clay."-- "Publishers Weekly"

From the Publisher

Staubach, a potter and freelance writer, successfully communicates the passion she feels for her material (both literal and literary) in this extensively researched overview of clay. What is this ubiquitous stuff? It began as granite, which over millions of years was ground down by rain, sleet, snow and chemical forces into what we now know as clay. The first known clay objects were small religious figures, followed by pottery vessels, in Neolithic times. The oldest such pottery known was produced by the Joman peoples of Japan. In addition to an informed discussion of clay ovens used by various cultures over time, the author compares these cultures' designs as pottery grew to be an art form. Ancient Greeks, for example, created a unique appearance by controlling the atmosphere of their kilns. Clay, Staubach says, has served many purposes: clay tablets were used for the earliest writing; it also became the key ingredient for building houses and, in modern times, sewer pipes and flush toilets. Some sections of this account will be of most interest to potters, pottery aficionados or those with an interest in earth science, but Staubach leavens her facts with captivating anecdotes throughout. Photos. Agent, Ed Knappman. (Nov.) Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

Publishers Weekly

Staubach, a writer and potter, provides readers with a joyful introduction to an art she clearly loves. We learn about clay as used for dishes, plumbing, stoves, writing tablets, chicken feeders, silos, and garden furniture and in art and home construction. No location or time period is ignored: Staubach examines the use of clay in various regions (e.g., Mexico, Egypt, China) and across time, from ancient history to today. She devotes each chapter to one general topic, such as tableware, sanitation, or building materials. We learn about the firing and glazing of clay and how potters have worked this material throughout time. We also gain an understanding of humankind's relationship to this humble material. Staubach's writing is clear and easy. At the conclusion readers will find bibliographical notes by chapter and a complete bibliography. Highly recommended for all collections, particularly those in art/ceramics.-Michael D. Cramer, Schwarz BioSciences, RTP, NC Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

Library Journal