Basic Primitive Pottery

This pottery video is to show the basics of rudimentary primitive pottery so we can use a clay vessel to make hide (sinew) glue, a very important glue for early people, in next week's video.

[@tonykaczmarek278]

Hey Ryan, if you ever want to make a lid , how I do it is place my pot upside down on a piece of flat rock. Trace around it with a burnt stick , place a small ball of clay in the middle and work it flat to the edges of your tracing. Add a little clay as a handle. Think something like a cut off pumpkin stem.that kind of shape works nice. Let dry till you can remove it from the rock and it'll kind of hold its shape. Place on top of pot so it sags to the rim and shapes itself to it. After it drys warm and fire it. You have a perfect fitting lid.

[@jimajello1028]

Very well done. Mixing your clay with temper is imparative. When studying with Dr. Errett Callahan the pots also were allowed to dry for a period of time. They were then put into a center area to be fired. Coals & wood that were still hot were placed about two feet in a circle around the pots. As these embers began to change to a low temperature they were slowly pulled into the area of the pots & completely covered them. After cooling down a fire was again fired & allowed to burn for three hours. This fire would then burn out & the embers were allowed to cool for a full day. When completely cooled to the air temperature they were then dug up & examined. The majority of pots had fired without damage. However, some did in fact have different levels of breakage. I have had very little experience examining the many ways pots can be primitively fired. It was a fascinating process when we actually cooked with them & also used them in other capacities. Thank you for teaching me your method. This was a very informative video. This will surely improve any attempts I make to make & fire pots.👍

[@creepingslaytor6073]

Here's my tip for weeping pots, season them how you would a cast iron using a fat it will seal the pot to not leak at all

[@thorashebear7604]

oooh, that's good to know!!

[@creepingslaytor6073]

@@thorashebear7604 I've also heard that starches work I just haven't tried my hand at starch sealing yet

[@thorashebear7604]

any idea if doing so will still hold a flammable liquid? not sure if it would disintegrate the fat and end up leaking through. friends and I plan to shoot a clay pot with an arrow to light a bigger fire. just something I'll have to experiment with and find out lol

[@creepingslaytor6073]

@@thorashebear7604 I used it to cook until I accidentally tripped into it, so I know heat doesn't effect it, but I bet it'd hold one as long as it isn't like caustic, I've burned tiki fuel and olive oil mixes in clay pots I've made before to use as a quick heat source and that didn't weep through at all

[@creepingslaytor6073]

@@thorashebear7604 I make a combination of hand made ceramic oil lamps but I turn them into heaters, and they'll get hot enough to season themselves as they slowly burn away some oil

[@tonykaczmarek278]

Trick I've used adding egg shell and clam shells for temper. Either find old clam shells that turn to powder if you crush it in your hands or place egg shells/clam shells in clay bowl, heat up till they are baked through then crush up and add as temper. I know you can use raw shells but its a lot of work crushing them up. I've used an invasive called zebra muscles because raw it crushes up to dust easily because its so thin. I also use cottonwood fluff. I'm in nw ohio and the clay here works great if you cut in 1/3 temper ( fluff + shell powder) made some very durable pots bowls cups and lids. I use them a lot and wash with my other dishes. Have to season them regularly. I dig a pit to fire them. In the end I use dirt and fresh weeds to smother the heap of ashes. Lots of weeds. Waite 3 days and dig it out

[@mandaloolux9216]

Just be careful when firing because shells can turn to calcium oxide. I'm not sure what amounts are safe and at what temp. I think 700c? Not sure but I know calcium oxide is not good in large amounts

[@paulsmithprimitivebushcraft]

Awesome to see you making some pots! Got a few pointers that may help, as someone who dabbles with Primitive pottery a fair bit. For temper your best option would actually be some ground up flint! It's what was used most often in my part of the world, just take your thin debotage and crush it up! And add it in, another easy option is just sand! About 20% sand 80% clay split the idea being the silica in the sand (like flint) is stable enough to act as a grog or temper For the firing I would suggest making a pit, you can put the pots in, load it up with wood light the top and walk away, it's much more controlled! The heating and cooling is where people (me included obviously) lose things, it can be as simple as a gust of wind the wrong way and its too hot/cold and that's all she wrote But all that being said like you say it's function before form and if it works it works! Love too see it! 😁💙🤜🏻

[@seanstenson95]

Just to clarify: are you burying the pots or just leaving them in a pit (is there a recommended depth)? If so, are you laying the wood over the hole and lighting the fire directly above or ringing the hole with the wood like a circle? Hope you get this and recomment. I've been thinking of taking my first steps into the primitive world 🤣😁

[@AncientPottery]

Hey, great video and good results for someone who is admittedly not a pottery expert. I would gladly mail you a nice Southwest style primitive bowl for you to use with your glue making, just get in touch if you are interested.

[@mastermindseye]

Hi Andy, someone commented that you could ferment something and use that to increase plasticity. Have you heard of this? Is there anything you would use to increase plasticity?

[@AncientPottery]

@@mastermindseyeOrganic activity can increase plasticity but in my experience the difference it makes is very small. You could try levigating the clay to remove all the sand and silt and see if that helps. Otherwise you are better off finding a better clay.

[@mastermindseye]

@@AncientPottery thank you!

[@mandaloolux9216]

Dang Andy, wish I made this video because I worked ❤❤❤ one of your beautiful bowls. I just became a member and I am obsessed 👀. Thank y you for all the useful information. Very well done and nicely presented.

[@SuperMeethead]

I've always wanted to get into pottery, but the topic always terrified me. I'm gonna bite the bullet and try it out though

[@creepingslaytor6073]

Here's a few tips I picked up from my primitive pottery times, read about pukis and coil and scrape if you want a somewhat quick ancient technique for pottery making, look up Andy ward if you haven't already, he is a wealth of information when it comes to that

[@ronaldgoodrich5460]

Its really not that hard. Mine functions but are ugly. I quit just because what are you gonna do with it all.

[@yoursoulisforever]

Thank you for your excellent video!

[@jsmythib]

If I knew 40 years ago I could make permanent stoneware from river/clay and fire, I would have made ALOT more. Great video. I have only used sand- as much as 50% and had very little cracking issues.

[@prestonhenderson6428]

I ordered a flint napping set and I am going to try it

[@rossk7927]

My understanding of the problems caused by calcium in your clay (from the shells here) is that if you fire it hot enough you create quick-lime which can sit dormant in your pot until it someday gets wet, expands, and causes spalling. I'm just starting to dabble with primitive pottery but I don't think your fire got hot enough to form quick-lime. But if you do get spalling due to moisture contact, try firing at a little lower temperature and maybe double check my facts here 😁

[@terrygreennway9655]

Really enjoyed the video. Terry Greenway

[@joannem3568]

This was interesting, I have red/ tan clay on my property and last year I tried to make some small shallow bowls , one was successful, the others cracked. This year I will try again and I'm going to use shells, and sand and maybe crushed chert. I'll experiment and see what works best. Thank you everyone for your advice.

[@lobopropredatorcontrol]

Great content 👊🔥🔥

[@entrepreneursfinest]

A lot of the pottery I find in central Louisiana has quite a bit of charcoal and coarse fiber in it. It also appears that they crushed broken pots which had already been fired (possibly failed in firing) and used that in the mix.

[@sigma6656]

Damnit, I know that there is a specific name for using crushed ceramic as a temper, but I can't remember what it's called. NVM, I just decided to figure it out myself. It's called grog en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grog_(clay)

[@dooleyfussle8634]

Hmm, how did you collect your clay? Just dig it out of a bank? It actually looks pretty good as you are working it. Most "fresh" clay has a lot of organic material in it that has to be worked out of it, a long and laborious process. Once it is "clean" you add the temper and do the folding process you mentioned. I have a lot of clay in the banks of a lake I live on and hope to make a pot or two this summer. Your video is a great tutorial to get me started. Thanks Ryan.

[@creepingslaytor6073]

Honestly I rarely work out those materials, I only use my pots for storage of food and basic cooking, so I just dug the clay, take out the big chunks and then knead it with a lot of temper than use as is

[@dooleyfussle8634]

@@creepingslaytor6073 good to know, because cleaning it is a lot of work. I guess if you are in to some kind of production line you will get more pots all the way through the process, thus maximizing the number of pieces surviving to the end.

[@mudpiemudpie785]

Your clay is a pretty color.

[@allwildgardens4936]

Second input, if you dry the pot upside down on it's rim...the roundness of it's bottom will remain intact. Another way is to suspend a hide on three stakes and place the ppt in the middle. Thank you for all you share.

[@terryqueen3233]

I'm pretty sure I've seen you make glue before but I'm excited to watch you do it again. Since I don't have any sinew I have to use pine pitch and I'm sure that that works. I just can't use Buffalo chips I have to use Cow Patties and Ashes so will that work good enough for a glue

[@superrodder2002]

My father showed my brother and I a place in a local river where the local indigenous people used to collect it to make their pottery. light grey and slicker than snot if you make the mistake of stepping in it. LOL ask me how I know. I've kept in the back of my mind- just in case I need to ,but have never needed access to pottery clay.

[@kimzimmerman9010]

Where and how did you harvest the clay, I am in eastern NC and there is no clay deposits here that I know of. Keep up the good work, love your channel KZ

[@allwildgardens4936]

What do you have in your area that was traditionally used to ferment...let it turn to vinegar, than add it to your clay...it should greatly increase it's placistacy.

[@jamesclass1744]

how do you find the wild clay? Very interesting video ty

[@johnkeck1025]

You can flint knap porcine and different ceramics.. I wonder if you could make your own knapping stone... 🤔

[@scottshore1426]

That is a wonderful video but I was wondering what I could use up in Tennessee for a catalyst or support to the clay?

[@huntprimitive9918]

Either sand or crushed up pottery shards will work

[@radagast6682]

Happy summer solstice. What is the reason for adding the shells?

[@kantill]

Would you be able to use wood ash for your temper? I know some of the native pottery up here in Alaska used it.

[@rickyprince7281]

Ryan. I was wondering if you can add Yucca fiber along with the shell into the making of a clay vessel?

[@stevenolan7972]

I know next to nothing about pottery, but could you process those shells into quick lime and then use that powder as a temper in your clay?

[@jonathonmiller6320]

Have you considered putting vegetation in/around the pots as they air dry? It could slow down the air drying process and add some humidity to it, a little artificial atmosphere control.

[@jsmythib]

Humidifier reduced to- 'Just throw weeds on it'. :)

[@joannem3568]

As I said I have clay on my property, however I noticed visiting a local stream that the bottom was clay , a gray clay which cracks more, however I'm going to harvest some and try that also. So to help answer some others questions, where to harvest clay. Try any local water ways , creeks, streams and rivers

[@sotiredoflies]

So I did a lot of wheel thrown pottery in the past. I assume that the shell is being used like sand? Just a suggestion. If you add organic material to the clay, age the clay. Many ancient cultures especially in Asia using porcelain do this. Porcelain is also a difficult clay. By adding organic matter you are creating an environment for microbes to grow. These microbes and molds that break down the organics leave behind a slimy goo that actually helps make the clay workable. There are caves in Japan and China that have clay set aside by grandparents or even older.

[@sotiredoflies]

Oh also add your grog (shell, sand ) to really wet goopy clay so that it is evenly mixed. This would also be a good time to add really fine organic ingredients for aging. If you are folding the clay when wedging it will add air pockets. It is kind of hard to explain how wedging works like this.

[@sotiredoflies]

Love your channel. If I can find a link , I will add it on a famous native American family from the southwest and how they fire and make pottery.

[@sotiredoflies]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/iZy4eKBubKl4Zs0

[@mikeyjohnson5888]

As long as the shells were roasted and ground before hand, they are made up of mostly calcium carbonate, a precursor to lime. Depending on when water is introduced into the process you will have made a cement/clay hybrid material. I guess if it gets hot enough in an aerobic environment you may get some latent oxides that will seal the clay but at the same time wouldn't be able to handle heat shocks over time.

[@jasonbucknell6945]

In Iowa, where I live, we have alot of freshwater clam shells. Will they work as well as scallop shells?

[@mrnight7530]

do egg shells work just as well? as somewhere land locked with only small snail shells around id need to find other alternatives

[@georgechristovich6239]

Question: is there value in firing earthenware twice? Thanks.

[@BubuH-cq6km]

a good source for primitive pottery information is Andy Ward's KZbin channel 😉

[@duanerogers1166]

My understanding is that you need to put your shells into a metal can and cook it in a fire simular to making charcoal some how this breaks the shell down and makes it easy to powder it

[@seanstenson95]

Do you seal your pottery?

[@timo9355]

Why do a lot of pottery shards people find have grooves or lines in them?? String or something to hold them together during the drying process???

[@entrepreneursfinest]

I'm going to touch base with an expert potter that I know and see if he would be willing to hand a few tips out. He makes replica ancient pottery and is familiar with the old world methods.

[@lindasano1552]

Very good video, I would love to make my own pots out of clay as I live in the west close to the coast. I'm just unsure of how to find clay in my area, I know there must be some as the soil has a lot of clay but I don't think I can harvest that. I would also like to ask, do you do anything different when making pots for pine glue?

[@Trailsend72]

Look near rivers

[@lindasano1552]

@@Trailsend72 about three weeks ago I found a river, the entire bottom of the river was pure clay, much of it. But ty anywayd

[@Trailsend72]

@@lindasano1552 happy to help I’ll be experimenting with tempers this weekend

[@lindasano1552]

@@Trailsend72 oh nice, I have trouble with tempers

[@Trailsend72]

@@lindasano1552 I’ve never tried we shall see how it goes

[@travjf15]

Are the shells “cooked” or have you picked them straight off the beach?

[@unicornkulfimag598]

Where can I get this type of clay?

[@ebikewitheric6823]

I found adding ashes makes it more plastic

[@ronaldgoodrich5460]

Is that natural clay?

[@duanerogers1166]

How it was done without a metal container I'm not sure but I'll bet there was as way they did it

[@lesmohr6289]

Can you use egg snells

[@lesmohr6289]

Or turtle shell

[@tonykaczmarek278]

Yep egg shells work great. If you heat them first then grind up you come out with a much finer temper than you will just using them as is but either way works

[@kaydenl3]

I’m twisting some grass into a rope as I watch this and it keeps touching my phone and messing with the video 🥲