A Brief History of Ceramic Innovation

Abstract

Innovations in the field of ceramic materials has played an important role in all critical epochs, called revolutions by sociologists and historians (Fig. 1.1). The first of these was the Neolithic Revolution. In the Middle East, its origins date back to around 10,000 years. On one hand, it was an agricultural revolution associated with the transition from a nomadic gatherer and hunter lifestyle to a settled lifestyle. This made it possible for farmers to produce an excess of food, and enabled the development of breeding livestock. On the other hand, it was an urban revolution, which was manifested in the formation of large societies in Mesopotamia, Egypt, Indus valley, China and Central America, concentrated in small areas, i.e. cities, where hardly anyone worked in agriculture. Consequently, division of labour emerged, which favoured the multiplication of material and spiritual goods.