Ancient History of the Old Potter's Wheel
The wheel is one of the most critical inventions in human history. While we typically think of wheels as a tool used for transportation and agriculture, the first use of the wheel was the potter's wheel. Pottery was a critical skill in the ancient world, providing cooking pots, vessels for food and water storage and opportunities for creativity. The wheel, even in its simplest form, was a labor-saving device for the potter, enabling him to work faster and more efficiently.
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Invention
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The first evidence of the invention of the potter's wheel is on ancient stone tablets from Ur in Mesopotamia, today part of Iraq. These tablets date to 3,500 B.C. Evidence of the use of the wheel for transportation comes from the same region about 300 years later. It is possible that pottery wheels were used in the Indus Valley of India even earlier.
Early Potter's Wheels
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The earliest pottery wheels were simply rounds that could be turned to allow the potter to more easily use coil-building techniques to form pots. These simple wheels allowed the potter to access all sides of her work without moving. These wheels did not accommodate thrown pottery as we know it, but still sped up the process of making pottery. Pottery at this point was likely still made predominantly in the home for individual use.
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The Flywheel
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While making a coiled pot on a rotating round base improved the speed and ease of pottery making, the true innovation in the potter's wheel was the flywheel. This enabled the potter to kick a lower wheel, sustaining a fast and even speed on the upper wheel. This type of pottery wheel may have developed as early as 3,000 B.C. in China and the Middle East.
Changes and Innovations
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The new pottery wheel changed pottery from a part-time task in the home to a professionally managed task. Pottery making also became a male-dominated task, with professional potters working in their communities. Other artists might specialize in decorating pottery, glazing or working the kilns to fire pottery. Fast coiling still remains a common pottery form.
Thrown Pots
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With a fast rotating wheel, potters had an alternative to the fast coiled pot. Pots could be thrown more quickly than they could be coiled, allowing for faster production. Thrown pottery required a very heavy wheel to achieve adequate momentum. Throwing on a momentum wheel as opposed to a powered wheel requires a cyclical rhythm. By the 18th century, mechanically powered wheels became an option, improving throwing techniques.
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