Usually, when drinking tea or coffee from our favorite cup, we do not think about the processes our mug had to go through to finally reach our home. Whether it’s a one-of-a-kind piece or a mass-manufactured product, there are always some thoughts and efforts put into its design and its making.

Every ceramic piece begins with the preparation of clay followed by actual shaping. When we are finally satisfied with how our article looks, it goes into firing. The final stage is painting and decorating. Of course, the techniques can vary depending on the person and school. Not to mention the different materials that are used when molding an item. You can find more about ceramic techniques here.

Once humans discovered that clay could be formed into something by mixing it with water and then firing, a key industry was born, laying the foundation for what we know now as ceramics.

The oldest known ceramic artifact is a statuette of a woman that dates back to the late Paleolithic period. The first examples of pottery appeared in China several thousand years later (18 000-17 000 BCE).

Today, we can find all kinds of cute ceramic pieces that sometimes are too hard to resist. From nicely patterned vases to little statues of cute animals, the ceramics serve not only as auxiliary tools but as decorations too. Scrolling through this list, we found more than enough works of art we would love to own. What about you?

Did you know that ceramics can also be used to improve our mental health and well-being? Artistic creation has allowed humans to find expression and communicate since the beginning of human history. In recent decades, scientists have recognized the transformative potential of art. Art therapy has increasingly been included in mental health treatment programs around the world and has been proven to help patients heal faster.

So what do you think, dear pandas? Did you find something interesting? Let us know in the comments and don’t forget to upvote your favorite ceramic pieces!