Stone Age to Bronze Age I Pottery

Pottery. Pottery was introduced to Britain in around 4000 BC. Here are some ways in which the style and uses of pottery changed over time, from the Stone Age to the Bronze Age. The first pottery was made by hand. These were simple coil pots with round bases. Potters used stones to smooth coils of clay together, making the pot both shiny and waterproof. They were fired over an open hearth, or bonfire, at temperatures between 600 to 800 degrees. These pots were mostly used for storing or cooking food. In the Neolithic period, potters began to make impressed wares. They used tools such as their fingers, fingernails or bird bones to make an impression or mark in the clay. Sometimes they wrapped cord around a stick and pressed it into the clay to make a pattern. The clay was mixed with crushed flint to make it stronger. From around 3000 BC, grooved ware came into fashion, along with flat bases. Vessels might be bucket, barrel or flower pot shaped. They were decorated with zigzags, lines, dots and other patterns. Potters added crushed pottery or shells to the At the turn of the Bronze Age, beakers were the most common type of pottery. These were large vessels with curved sides and lots of detailed decoration. Many Bronze Age beakers have been found at burial sites. Other Bronze Age vessels included food pots, incense cups and urns.