Short History of Ceramics in Kitchens
Humans have always created solutions for everyday problems that have existed throughout human history, and the history behind ceramic kitchen utensils is a long and interesting topic that we would like to explore with you, dear reader, in our post. Ever since humans figured out ways to help fix problems in their everyday lifetime, the subject of a more enjoyable meal time has always become a priority in people’s thoughts. Clearly, who would want to sit down for a meal after a hard day’s work, only to be left with the problem of eating from their palm, or even from leafs and tree barks. And so our ancestors found a solution, and that solution has stuck with us even to this day, without changing anything from its original design.
People found that if they use clay, they could create surfaces that could hold fluids in a much efficient way, without wasting and spilling over precious food. This concept seems so simple and pretty self-explanatory to us, not even noteworthy some might add, but one must imagine the engineering marvel of its potential when using the eyes and brain of ancient human societies.
People found that if they use clay, they could create surfaces that could hold fluids in a much efficient way, without wasting and spilling over precious food. This concept seems so simple and pretty self-explanatory to us, not even noteworthy some might add, but one must imagine the engineering marvel of its potential when using the eyes and brain of ancient human societies.
Studies show that working with pottery was practiced by human societies even before the Neolithic period, with some of the oldest pottery wares ever found dating back to the years 29000-25000 BC. The most commonly known man-made ceramic items are the Gravettian figurines, which resemble forms of household decorations. Ancient Chinese, Greek and the ancient people that resided in what is now modern-day the Czech Republic, placed pots made of clay to cook their food directly in fire pits. Some historians say that Native Americans used pre-heated ceramic pots to finish off their food, and thanks to the heat that was being stored in the pots, they could keep their food warm during feasts.
Cookware made from ceramic pots and pans were common within household environments, all the way up to the late 17th century. But for better or worse, humankind was beginning to step into a new age. An age of machinery and mass production. The Industrial Revolution brought with it what seemed to be the end of ceramic kitchen utensils. Metal factories around the world started mass producing metal and aluminum pots and cutlery, swarming markets and households and driving off old artisans of the pottery trade. They were cheaper and much easier to make but also carried with them much more downsides that became obvious as time went by.
Cookware made from ceramic pots and pans were common within household environments, all the way up to the late 17th century. But for better or worse, humankind was beginning to step into a new age. An age of machinery and mass production. The Industrial Revolution brought with it what seemed to be the end of ceramic kitchen utensils. Metal factories around the world started mass producing metal and aluminum pots and cutlery, swarming markets and households and driving off old artisans of the pottery trade. They were cheaper and much easier to make but also carried with them much more downsides that became obvious as time went by.
In the 1960s, following the First and Second World War, people started paying attention to what technology and mass production were doing to the land around them. Human junk was beginning to surface, both literal and in people’s minds, and ceramic utensils quickly came back into people’s hearts and thoughts.
There are clear benefits to ceramic cutlery over the mass produced aluminum or metal kitchen utensils. Clay is a natural material that doesn’t require any additional chemical compounds added into it in order to be used. Thanks to its non-toxic properties, companies like the people over at Wilson Cutlery have begun creating green and eco-friendly ceramic cutlery, designing beautiful and fulfilling items that are both pleasing to the eye, but also practical and pleasing to the touch. Thanks to successful companies like these, the ancient art of working with ceramics can still be allowed to survive.
Well, that’s it for this short history of ceramics. If you’re interested in continuing the tradition of using ceramic kitchen tools and utensils in your humble abode, be sure to visit Wilson Cutlery, and get some ideas going for forming your own new set of ceramic pottery.
There are clear benefits to ceramic cutlery over the mass produced aluminum or metal kitchen utensils. Clay is a natural material that doesn’t require any additional chemical compounds added into it in order to be used. Thanks to its non-toxic properties, companies like the people over at Wilson Cutlery have begun creating green and eco-friendly ceramic cutlery, designing beautiful and fulfilling items that are both pleasing to the eye, but also practical and pleasing to the touch. Thanks to successful companies like these, the ancient art of working with ceramics can still be allowed to survive.
Well, that’s it for this short history of ceramics. If you’re interested in continuing the tradition of using ceramic kitchen tools and utensils in your humble abode, be sure to visit Wilson Cutlery, and get some ideas going for forming your own new set of ceramic pottery.
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