The Lost Art of Reduction Pit Firing Pottery

[@AncientPottery]

I tried this reduction firing last year and did not have as good results as in this firing. You can see that firing here kzbin.info/www/bejne/jaCqnKxrYrGFb9k

[@angeladazlich7145]

Dang Professor Andy you clean up good! My professors got scruffier the higher up the chain they went. BTW this info is VERY helpful since I want to bring similar pots to Silver City, thank you so much.

[@AncientPottery]

LOL. I know a lot of us will want to try the authentic Mimbres this fall. Hopefully I will get another chance to practice this before the conference.

[@tatovive]

Hey man! I loved the Professor clip. Dr science :) Keep up the good works!!

[@AncientPottery]

Thanks! Will do!

[@marciacunningham5877]

Hi, Andy. I have learned SO MUCH from you. I love experimenting just like you. I'm really enjoying making pots and experimenting with mineral glazes and my clay dug from my property. However, I can't help myself, being a sculptor for 40 years. I am designing and making clay animals, starting with a hollow ball and adding the animal features to the ball. Just having fun! A famous scientist once said.."Creativity is intelligence having fun". Michael

[@AncientPottery]

I'm glad to hear that you are learning from my content. Thanks for watching. The fun thing about this art form is that you can learn and learn and learn and there are still new things to learn.

[@glynnphillips9703]

You're brilliant

[@latetodagame1892]

Dude! You are really amazing!

[@AncientPottery]

Thanks

[@bje2920]

Nice work

[@AncientPottery]

Thanks

[@bje2920]

@@AncientPottery your welcome

[@mikkiland]

Always a learning experience with your videos, thanks!!

[@AncientPottery]

You are welcome, thanks for watching

[@federacionlaborista3521]

I really enjoy watching your videos. Very original and interesting.

[@AncientPottery]

Thank you very much!

[@Javaman92]

Well done as usual. Oh and you clean up well. 😁

[@AncientPottery]

Thank you 😁

[@nom_b]

I was laughing so much when I saw Professor Ward I didnt hear what he said and had to rewind and try again. :-D

[@AncientPottery]

Ha ha, thanks

[@coopart1]

Very cool ! I look forward to pottery camaraderie in Silver City this October !

[@AncientPottery]

Thanks, yes, I am looking forward to it.

[@lizmikols2075]

Pleased to meet your alterego, Dr. Ward.

[@newyorknewart]

I ENJOY YOUR CHANNEL TREMENDOUSLY. I LIVE IN NEW YORK CITY, BUT HAVE FRIENDS IN GHANA, WEST AFRICA, AND ONE MADE A VIDEO ON LOCAL NATURAL POTTERS IN THE NORTH OF GHANA. I THOUGHT YOU WOUND LIKE THEIR BUILDING THEIR ENORMOUS OPEN PILE (KILN), WITH WOOD AND STRAW, FOR MANY POTS AND SIZES AT ONCE, SOME VERY LARGE. I AM INCLUDING A LINK FOR HER VIDEO. TRAVELLED TO TAMALE GHANA TO LEARN AFRICAN POTTERY FIRING | HOW GHANA CLAY POTS ARE MADE - Jasmine Ama (Ghana KZbin vlogger) In this video, I share with you the steps required in African Pottery Making and firing. I travelled to Tamale Ghana to a small town called Kukuo where a majority of the Ghanaian women make these Ghana pots and sell to the local markets for a living. I hope you enjoy the step by step process used by these women from sifting the clay, to adding, water, kneading, making the pots and then drying and firing the pots. kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZqKsloSlj7FmhLc

[@AncientPottery]

Thanks great video.

[@markgibsons_SWpottery]

Wow! Andy, I can't seem to tell you how much I love those big red bowls! Great pieces and that experiment taught me what I need to know for my next paint job. I've been using bee plant for my binder and the paint usually rubs off. I'll stick with clay as my binder since it worked in every case here! Thanks!

[@AncientPottery]

Yes organic binder only works to keep the paint in place before firing. Thanks!

[@simonstergaard]

Just found your channel.. As a chemist, interested in geopolymers and archeology, this is super interesting.

[@AncientPottery]

Awesome! Thank you!

[@andrewsackville-west1609]

So inspiring. We've got at least two colors of wild clay exposed on a hillside. It's getting to be time to stop watching and start making. I love the simple, straightforward process and demonstrations.

[@AncientPottery]

Excellent, get started!

[@mrfxm55]

The secret ingredient I saw demonstrated once by some natives besides the gathered native source oxides is the sticky part of any cactus in small amounts to bind the powder and as a thickener.

[@AncientPottery]

Yes, organic binder, I use similar materials, that is what the bee weed is that I referenced in this video.

[@joshuawarner1437]

Hi Andy, great video as always. I’m going to be experimenting with pine sap as a binder to help keep my paints from smearing around as I handle them prefiring. Just discovered your merch, I think I’ll be getting a shirt to pay back for the free wisdom!

[@AncientPottery]

I appreciate that Joshua. I have never tried pine sap but it should work, an organic binder is important to keep from making a mess of your painting while handling the unfired pot.

[@EXARCWithGrandpop]

"Professor Ward" looks like your brother, any relations (lol) Just kidding. Nice video Andy. Do you have an opinoin on how to file roof tiles? Pit or above ground? Or should I stay with a updraft kiln?

[@AncientPottery]

Unless you are just firing 3 or 4 at a time, I think the updraft kiln will be the best way to distribute the heat to many tiles at once.

[@EXARCWithGrandpop]

@@AncientPottery As always thanks

[@ArtTasticCreations]

How long do you leave the fire burning? Is there a particular timeframe? Thank you for sharing your knowledge.

[@AncientPottery]

Usually just until the wood burns away, maybe a half hour or so.

[@ArtTasticCreations]

@@AncientPottery Thank you for the information. I definitely want to try these techniques. They don't seem too difficult either. This is very important and valuable information. Thank you for sharing your expertise.

[@mywonderingmind]

I have a really interesting piece I would like to know more about. I have photos for refrence. Could you help me with it?

[@AncientPottery]

Sure. You can get my email on my KZbin about page or my website contact page ancientpottery.how or Instagram message.

[@cjgaming5544]

I have a tip to add temper to wet clay: Make a rouaf circle Make one horizontal and vertical line (+)Like this but the plus should extend to end of circle And take out ¼ of clay piece and put temper at the place where you took the clay out and put the clay again I know I can't explain 😅 You should watch 'primitive lifeways' Video 'how to temper wet clay'

[@AncientPottery]

That primitive lifeways guy is a bozo, don't even get me started.

[@IrfanSquad2024]

Good

[@AncientPottery]

Thanks

[@airstreamwanderings3683]

I was at the edge of my chair the whole time - most excellent. The Anasazi Shuffle Dance was entertaining. How hot did your reduction fire get? Great experimentation that adds a lot to the primitive body of knowledge. Most excellent, thanks.

[@AncientPottery]

Thanks Wes. I learned that dance working for the Forest Service. The fire got to a little over 800 but not very much over, maybe 820 or so.

[@cjgaming5544]

If I wet process clay what percentage of sand I need to add and please tell the ratio

[@AncientPottery]

I use 20% as a starting point, but every clay is different.

[@artladybluntzer4112]

Now can you plunge the hot pots into water similar to ruku firing?

[@AncientPottery]

I’ve never tried it, might be a fun experiment.

[@mihaiilie8808]

@@AncientPottery If you think to plunge the pots in water ,then i reccomend Obvara instead of Raku ,because Obvara its much more ancient technique.

[@Kylbir]

Super interesting results! I noticed you used thicker logs on the reduction pit fire, is that preferable to get higher temps?

[@AncientPottery]

yes, higher temps and more importantly longer firing times. The finer material is good for the Salado pottery because it is a very brief fire.

[@Kylbir]

How did the firing duration compare to the surface firing? Twice as long? Did you notice a slower temp rise or faster?

[@petrapetrakoliou8979]

Hi Andy! Really instructive experiment, thank you! Why did you pull out the burning wood from the reduction fire, were you afraid that it would smouther the white painted parts of the pot? I would have left it in to create more carbone monoxide which would have reduced even more the iron, but you got it right anyway. I'll be trying the same kind of fire soon once I find the time to finish painting my pot. Did the Anasazi have access to copper or lead to use in their pigments? We often have an image of Precolumbian cultures as non metallic, but I suppose many were in fact using copper - but here maybe we're just talking about the mineral not the actual reduced metal. Balint

[@AncientPottery]

I was trying to avoid that smoke which could make my pottery come out grey, the paint was already fully reduced by that point. They did not have iron or copper the metal, they were using iron oxide and copper carbonate rocks which are abundant in this area.

[@thebeesknees745]

You can make your own hematite with steel wool and hydrogen peroxide. Takes a bit but the steel wool will turn to powdered rust (hematite) and the hydrogen peroxide will keep it in the +3 oxidation state giving it a bright color.

[@AncientPottery]

Nice tip thanks. I imagine rust is pretty common everywhere and can be used the same way.

[@mihaiilie8808]

Red iron oxide its soo cheap at any home depot like store...

[@nokiot9]

Did you get one of those grants to study this stuff? I bet you qualify for one if you write about it after

[@AncientPottery]

No, I have spent a lifetime studying this stuff but never had a grant.

[@mihailvormittag6211]

👍

[@latetodagame1892]

Who was that guy?

[@AncientPottery]

Indeed

[@nahidrayat3413]

👍👌😘

[@AncientPottery]

thanks

[@garethg7515]

Really dude where do you live that you have to watch out for when you fire suppose new world order

[@AncientPottery]

Kind of judgy.