Ceramics were the first fire arts that appeared during the prehistoric period before the art of glass and metal working. Produced from clay, ceramics encompass every terracotta object. Depending on its composition and firing method, ceramics are produced in many forms: traditional pottery, glazed or siliceous pottery, stoneware, and earthenware, and soft- and hard-paste porcelain.
As a major fire art, ceramics have been by far the greatest source of inspiration and creativity to man. It remains an extremely reliable indicator of the lifestyles in each epoch: ceramics reflect lifestyles, alimentary practices, cultural developments, and technical progress. Earthenware and porcelain attest to the excellence of the ceramic arts.
