history of ceramics

There are two categories of ceramics (excluding technical ceramics):

• porous ceramics:
  • there pottery Or terracotta ^b , the oldest, raw and porous, often red, orange or brown in color due to the presence of iron oxide in the dough. The terracotta is fired between 850 and 1000 °C ,
  • there earthenware , which appeared from the 8th ^century in the Middle East. After shaping and drying, the earthenware pieces were fired for the first time between 800 and 1050 °C depending on the type of earthenware: it is the firing of the biscuit . The biscuit piece is porous, which allows for enameling . The piece undergoes a final firing at 980 °C to fix the enamel,
  • refractory products, based on refractory clays, kaolin and of chamottes , made to withstand high temperatures;
• vitrified ceramics:
  • THE sandstone , particularly resistant, composed of a clay with a very high content of silica . First fired between 800 and 1000 °C , the piece remains porous, this is the "souring". The souring allows easy enameling thanks to the porosity of the piece. The second firing, at 1280 °C , allows self-vitrification of the earth and fixing of the enamel,
  • there porcelain , the result of the evolution of Chinese ceramics , produced in the West from the 18th ^century , based on kaolin . It is characterized by its exceptional hardness and translucent appearance. It is fired at 800-900 °C for the smart and 1250-1400 °C for the final piece.