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”.

These Medieval clubs

Constantine sautes pork in a pipkin with rice cooking in the lided pipkin on the edge of the braiser.

Chances are you have seen us clashing loudly with swords and armor in city parks, looking comfortable promenading through Renaissance Fairs, or demonstrating everyday activities of a Medieval Household at Libraries.
In particular the medieval organization named The Society for Creative Anachronism, or SCA, has been growing and changing since the 1960s when it began. Now with 30,000 paid members and many more unpaid members. Other than a fervent interest in the medieval era there seems to be very little in common between the individuals Medievalists, who run the gamut of education, professions, age, and aspects of the various medieval organizations they favor. From the extremes of people who just like to party in odd clothing, through the range of those who try to live so authentically among other activities they part with their eye glasses for the weekend event. Most participants, however, fall in between the two extremes and, as much as we love spending weekends camping in pavilions and wearing ‘garb’, we are more than aware that it isn’t possible to be completely medieval and we are happy to be back in a land of refrigerators and central heating when the event has concluded.

Hrafnir Fiachsman roasts a pork loin in a pipkin.

Since the 1960s when the SCA began there has been a noticeable increase in medieval scholarship and putting the crafts and tools of the era to practical use in the form of experimental archaeology. It is not unusual to see a Viking starting his campfires with flint and steel, a Norman grinding the pigments for her Illuminated Manuscripts, or a Celt carving bone needles for embroidery. The focus of my medieval experience is pottery.


Katerjine kneeds bread for baking and uses the jug in the foreground for adding liquid when required. In the background craftsmen prepare to cast pewter. Others enjoy the beautiful day