Pottery Making in Bible Times: He is the Potter, We Are the Clay

In modern times, the image of a heavily laden caravan of camels and donkeys with clay pots hanging from their saddles or bundles holds a certain fascination for us. In biblical times, however, it presented a common sight, as clay was readily available and frequently used.

Both clay and potters played important roles in ancient times. Many everyday tools and objects, found in every home, were made from clay. These included pots, pans, plates, water urns, containers, kilns, ovens and lamps.

The importance of pottery

In ancient times, pantries would have been lined with jars and jugs of every shape and size. Each one was designed and crafted for a particular purpose, meeting the various needs and practices of daily life.

These vessels played a vital role in preserving essential food supplies, highlighting the practical importance of pottery in sustaining ancient communities. The widespread presence of pottery wheels and clay extraxtion pits further illustrates the prevalence of pottery production, as these tools of the trade were found throughout the ancient world.

The production process

The clay pits, where the pottery-making process began, were a familiar sight, bearing witness to the ancient tradition of working with clay in ancient Palestine.

First, the potter had to find the perfect clay, which he did by observing the land and looking for signs of clay deposits. He would be drawn to any weathered, cracked earth resembling tree bark. This often indicated the presence of clay beneath the surface. Similarly, areas that retained water after heavy rainfall could also indicate clay soil.

Preparation of the clay

First, an assistant cleaned the clay. Preparing the clay for spinning required considerable skill and physical effort. Clay often contains sticks and stones, which makes it challenging to work with. The moisture content also has to be just right. If the clay is too wet, it is soupy and difficult to shape; if it’s too dry, it remains hard and unyielding.

To overcome these challenges, the potter usually relied on dedicated assistants whose main task was to clean and manipulate the clay to achieve the desired consistency. This involved adding water or sand to achieve the perfect texture, while kneading the clay with their hands and feet. This hands-on approach enabled the assistant to understand the clay’s qualities and make precise adjustments to prepare it according to the potter’s specifications.

Potters and their assistants worked together to transform raw clay into beautiful, functional pottery, combining their expertise in the process. This collaborative process demanded practical skill, intricate artistry, and a harmonious partnership.

Personal application:

The Holy Spirit, is like a potter’s assistant, putting us through a similar refining process. He helps us to remove spiritual impurities and debri that weigh us down, softening our hearts so that God can mold us. He also strengthens our character, enabling us to withstand the challenges and hardships we encounter.

Formation of the clay

Shaping clay into pottery is a timeless art that requires skill, patience, and creativity. Once the clay has been meticulously cleaned and prepared, the potter can begin the transformative process forming the clay on the rapidly spinning potter’s wheel. This process is called ‘throwing.’

Using their deft hands, the potter molds the raw material into the desired shape. Every movement is purposeful and every touch is intentional, as the potter coaxes the inert substance into life, bringing its potential to the fore. It is mesmerising to witness the once formless clay taking on new dimensions and contours, gradually revealing the potter’s artistic vision.

Thus, art is brought forth from the humble earth, with each piece celebrating the age-old dance of the potter with his clay and the wheel.

Personal application:

Scripture likens us to clay being formed in the hands of God, our Potter. He formed Adam, the first man from nothing but a humble piece of clay. Yet Adam was formed in the image of God.

Embracing the concept of being clay in the hands of our Potter fosters humility. It prepares us to accept the shaping forces in our lives, be experiences, relationships or outside influences. Just as clay yields to the potter’s will, we must also be open to the lessons and opportunities that God sends us to help us grow and mature. He wants to make us in His image, to make us like Jesus. However, this can only happen when we surrender to His will.

The containers

Ancient pantries and granaries contained containers of all shapes and sizes, each one serving a different purpose. The smallest containers, used for herbs, spices and even tiny mustard seeds, displayed the precise skill of ancient potters. The larger ones with wider openings were ideal for storing staples and grains and demonstrated how versatile the potter was in his craft.

Essentially, ancient pottery was more than just containers; it also symbolised cultural, practical and aesthetic values. Each one tells a story of craftsmanship and purpose, offering a glimpse into daily rituals and the rich tapestry of ancient life.

Personal application:

In many ways we are like these clay vessels. Some contained tiny, seemingly insignificant mustard seeds while others held fine olive oil for temple worship. Like these vessels, we also come in all shapes and sizes, each with our own unique purpose and significance, whether great or small.

May we draw strength from this knowledge and remember that no matter how small or insignificant we may feel, we have the potential to become valuable instruments in God’s hands. By continuing to embrace the transformative power of faith, in surrender and obedience, we can become worthy vessels in the hands of the divine.

The curing process

At this stage, the pottery is set aside to dry, in a process known as ‘curing’. To the untrained eye, the pot may appear ready for firing in the kiln. However, an expert potter knows how important this step is. This allows excess water to evaporate from the clay, which greatly reduces the risk of the pot cracking when fired.

The clay has been through a lot at this stage. It’s been dug from the ground. It has had things pulled out of it and it has been trodden under foot. It has been pounded, pushed, and pulled. Then it has been left to sit on a shelf, gathering dust. But all this has served a purpose. It is now ready to withstand the heat of the oven.

Personal application:

Even though we may feel ready for service, God sometimes sets us aside, too. He knows the fiery trials we will face in life and in serving Him. So he makes us wait, knowing that our ego, pride and sin must die before we can truly trust and obey him. Although it may seem as though we are gathering dust while we wait, God is preparing us for everything that lies ahead.

Preparation for the fire

Even after the curing process, the potter may still wait. He doesn’t fire up his kiln for just one pot, he waits until he has enough to fill the oven. Then he stacks them together in the kiln, ready for baking.

Personal application:

Like pottery, we are more useful as part of a team. A single pot sitting in the pantry certainly can’t hold all the necessary supplies. Nor can one pot serve every purpose. By using our own particular gits and talents for His glory, we can fulfil God’s purposes together. The Lord places us in a community, because we need each other. Together we find the strength to withstand the fiery trials and tribulations we will encounter.

Going through the fire

The vessels must then undergo a firing process. Several hours of extreme heat are required to transform them into useful, long-lasting items. Only then are they laid aside to cool, ready at last to be filled and used. Similarly, we will only be ready to be filled and used for God’s glory and purposes once our Master Potter allows us to go through testing fires.

Our divine potter

“O Israel, can I not do to you as this potter has done to his clay? As the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand.”

Jeremiah 18:6 NLT

Like ancient potters preparing clay, God prepares us for the work he has planned for us. And, like those potters, he also employs assistants. We have His Word to guide us and the Holy Spirit to help us grow and become more like Christ.

The pottery journey begins with the discovery of raw materials and culminates in the creation of beautiful, functional pottery. Similarly, our spiritual journey starts with us as raw clumps of clay, which God transforms through His great power into useful servants for His kingdom. Although we are ordinary, we are made for an extraordinary purpose!

But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. 

2 Corinthians 4:7

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Sources:
The Master Potter: Pottery Making in the Bible, by Bryant G. Wood PhD, via Associates for Biblical Research.org.

📷 Image credits: potter | clay oven by Norbert Nagel from by Wikimedia | clay pots on shelves & large clay jars by David Padfield from FreeBibleImages.org.