More on Medieval Pottery

During the Medieval European era eating from pottery was not favored by the Aristocracy. Wood cuts and illuminated manuscripts of the times show us that ceramic pots were more likely to be found in the kitchens or in the taverns. Still, ceramics were ubiquitous; shards of kiln wasters and broken pottery are found at almost every archaeological site. So many discarded pieces have led some to describe Medieval European pottery as the equivalent of the modern paper plates or Tupperware.

Her Antirian Majesty Miranda Faoltrina prepares to enjoy Amberguard's Harvestfeast.

In our “Modern Middle Ages” though, pottery is a popular and valued craft. People use ceramics for feast ware and there is increased interest in redacting medieval recipes and preparing them with the cooking methods and styles of pottery used during the period. There are some very ugly medieval pots out there. They were a utilitarian tool, often made without adornment and care for the shape. I suspect much of the clay near available near the land’s surface was short, lacking the kaolin that helped make the Chinese clay of the same period so plastic and which resulted in beautiful shapes.



Arthur Dearhurst, Baron Wastekeep, with his balluster drinking jug

I am not interested in replicating work unless I am delighted with it, this encourages me to research until I find shapes I consider strong and beautiful, of which there are aplenty. There exists a variety of styles of many of these medieval mainstays; I choose the styles I make through my own interest, from suggestions of customers and “beta testers”.