Starting with the basic question, "What is pottery? ", this work investigates why and how ceramics have been made throughout the world ever since humans first began manipulating clay during the Stone Age, over 12,000 years ago. Drawing on the ceramic collections of the British Museum, and the work of its scientific staff, 25 contributors examine the evidence for more than 30 pottery traditions. These range from prehistoric Japan, ancient Egypt, and pre-Hispanic Peru through classical Greece, Ming China and medieval and Renaissance Europe, right up to contemporary Africa and India. The focus is on the working methods of the potters themselves, their raw materials and production techniques, whether within the family, workshop or factory. The handbook incorporates current research with the latest technological developments and highlights the continuing link between potters past and present. An epilogue looks at the legacy of these traditions in the work of modern potters.