User:TheA04/Potter's wheel/Bibliography

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History - Information on missing techniques and groups that made use of Ceramics and the Potter's Wheel
Before discussions involving the Potter’s Wheel starts there is need to acknowledge the techniques used before the Potters wheel. Prior to using a wheel all of these civilizations used techniques such as pinching, coiling, paddling, and shaping to create ceramic forms. In addition, several of these crafts can continue to be used while on the wheel to create more rounded or symmetrical shapes.

In Japan the potter's wheel first showed by in the Asuka or Sueki period (552–710 CE) where wares were more sophisticated and complicated. In addition to the new technology of the wheel, firing was also changed to a much higher temperature in a rudimentary kiln. The industrialization continued through the Nara period (710–794) and into the Heian, or Fujiwara, period (794–1185). With higher temperature firings, new glazes followed (green, yellowish brown, and white), in addition new styles and techniques of glazing emerged.

Ceramics wares that emerged from China were processed with a very similar beginning as Japan. Chinses pottery was started in the Neolithic era about 4300 BC down to 2000 BC. Unlike Japan, who focused on production of everyday wares, China create mostly decorative pieces and created very little opportunities for industrialization and production of ceramics wares. Because China focused on decorative wares most of their pottery was centered around porcelain instead of earthen wares seem almost everywhere else. Porcelain took off during the Ming Dynasty and the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), this is when the decorative landscapes and flower emerged in the iconic blue and white porcelain ceramics. Although the art has died out, several places in China mix traditional elements and methods with modern design and technologies.

Native Americans have been creating ceramics by hand and in more modern eras started incorporating a wheel into their work. Pottery can be identified in the Southwest of North American dating back to 150 CE and has been an important part of Native American culture for over 2,000 years. Historically Native Americans have been using the coiling method to achieve their decorative and functional pieces, and the technology to create an electric wheel did not show up until the arrival of Europeans. However, smaller turntables or slow wheels could have been used occasionally. Nowadays the wheel is used to speed up the process of Native American pottery, while still retaining the cultural ties and the symbolism.

Industrialization - Information on Industrialization
Social consequences that can arrive of these technological advancements include increased economic advancements in the sales of pottery created using the potter’s wheel and industrialization of the ceramics processes. The potter’s wheel greatly increased the production rate of ceramics, which allowed for more products to be created. In Japan, pottery took on a functional role as ceramics became a material for bowls and pots that were priced very reasonably. However, with the industrialization of ceramics in Japan, ceramics also lost some of its historical value, and some techniques and meanings of the ceramics were lost in the process.

The Native Americans made sure to utilize the ceramic wheel in such a way that their historical culture and meaning behind the ceramics were not lost. Only using the wheel to lessen the burden of hours and hours of work put behind these pieces.

Social Issues
There is interplay between the potter’s wheel and many different social identities that can be discussed, most noticeably: class, disability, and underrepresented groups. Class has a connection to the pottery wheel in modern times due to the high cost to obtain the materials and technology to complete the craft. Therefore people who come from lower income backgrounds are excluded from trying pottery and are separated from this technology.

Disability also creates a divide in the interplay of pottery. The determination of who gets to use the potter’s wheel is separated by the necessity for a person to be physically able to participate. This separates people based on their ability to utilize their bodies. The potter's wheel requires some amount of physical ability, and this is a boundary that may not have a solution. However, you can create function pieces for those with disabilities with the potter’s wheel.

People are separated by the underrepresented groups and the overlooked contributions throughout history. History, especially history taught in the west, is focused on the western contributions and overlooks the Native Americans, Asians, Africans and the Middle East. In addition many groups are treated as less deserving of recognition. Many groups of people who made inventions related to the potter’s wheel are not credited or treated without respect.

The original ceramics wheel was only available to artists and had to be created by craftsmen. It is through industrialization that people from different walks to life can try using a potter’s wheel. In addition, there have been more movements to make art more accessible people from many different classes. The potter’s wheel can solve some boundaries with functional pieces of ceramics, however there are still many barriers such as money and physical ability that the potter’s wheel creates.