Blackware

/ˈblæk.wɛr/ noun

Definition

Dark pottery or ceramic vessels, often prehistoric or from specific cultural traditions, made using reducing-fire techniques that turn clay black.

Etymology

From 'black' + 'ware,' an archaeological and ceramics term describing pottery fired with limited oxygen, which creates characteristic dark coloration and has been made for thousands of years.

Kelly Says

Ancient blackware pottery, like that made by Southwestern Indigenous peoples, required potters to create oxygen-poor fire conditions—a sophisticated technique showing advanced understanding of chemistry!

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