Pottery is one of the oldest human inventions, originating before the Neolithic period, with ceramic objects such as the Gravettian culture Venus of Dolní Věstonice figurine discovered in the Czech Republic dating back to 29,000–25,000 BC, and pottery vessels that were discovered in Jiangxi, China, which date back to 18,000 BC. In art history and archaeology, especially of ancient and prehistoric periods, pottery often means vessels only, and sculpted figurines of the same material are called terracottas. End applications include tableware, decorative ware, sanitaryware, and in technology and industry such as electrical insulators and laboratory ware. The definition of pottery, used by the ASTM International, is 'all fired ceramic wares that contain clay when formed, except technical, structural, and refractory products'. The place where such wares are made by a potter is also called a pottery (plural potteries).

Pottery is the process and the products of forming vessels and other objects with clay and other raw materials, which are fired at high temperatures to give them a hard and durable form.

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