Pot building

Although Jazmine has already outlined some of our building experiences, I am now going to recount my experiences. I will also discuss the techniques I utilized, as well as difficulties I may have encountered.

My goal was to create a vessel, which possessed at least a handful of characteristics of an Anglo-Saxon Urn. Due to the fact that I figured I would be limited by materials (Although I ended up having a decent amount left over in the end) I decided to create a smaller scale replica. Examples I have examined in the literature depict such urns being roughly 9in, and instead I have created an object of between 5-6in.

As the material we were using is somewhat plastic and does not allow for inclusions such as water, we were not able to make a slip or slurry that would aid in smoothing out lines and ridges. As we were utilizing a coil building technique, it becomes imparitive that the sections are smoothed over in order to create strength and favorable aesthetics. This factor also aided in my decision to create a smaller vessel. Without slip I was unable to create the strength I would have preferred, and the malleability of the material would have make working on a larger scare very difficult.

Another aspect of the material that created some difficulty was the fact that it would not dry out on its own. While there was a certain amount of solidification, it would not air dry as regular clay would. However, this also had advantages. We did not have to wait days for the clay to dry to a state in which it would be ready for firing. Instead of traditional firing, the items we created were simply baked (For only 15 minutes).

While we were not working with similar materials to that of Medieval ceramics, the sculpty allowed us to focus more on form and decoration. In the end, I feel this was more of a benefit than a hinderance.

Below I have included a selection of photos to illustrate the steps I took in building my pot.


First, the bottom section was coiled and smoothed out using my fingers. I used a spatula, replicating any flat and easily maneuverable tool to support the edges as I worked.

I continued to use this technique and produced two more sections. These would serve as the upper half of the vessel and the rim. Due to the constraints of the material, I decided to create sections, smooth them out and then assemble them. My aim was to create the highest structural integrity while not compromising the form I was working towards.

I utilized a bowl for support while I completed decorations. In the foreground are two of the tools i used: The spatula/paddle used for support and the pronged fork I used to replicate the decoration tool as illustrated in Jaymie's post below. In addition, I used a simple stick to at dots.

And a final closeup of my designs before baking.

As the material we used was completely white, I plan on simply painting the object in order to achieve a certain level of realism. Once again, I will post pictures and comments on my progress.

-SDP