Ceramics is one of the most ancient industries going back thousands of years – the first material produced by man! Once humans discovered that clay could be found in abundance and formed into objects by first mixing with water and then firing, a key industry was born. The use of ceramics increased dramatically with the establishment of settled communities dedicated to agriculture and farming. Clay-based ceramics used as containers for water and food, art objects, tiles and bricks spread with the First Agricultural Revolution from Asia to the Middle East and Europe.

To give you a sense of how ancient this industry is, one of the latest breakthroughs in the production of ceramics was the invention of the wheel, in 3,500 BCE!! The introduction of the wheel allowed for the production of ceramic artifacts with radial symmetry.

As the use of increasingly elaborated painting on ceramics evolved, these objects eventually became genuine pieces of art. Decorations also involved the use of oxidizing and reducing atmosphere during firing to achieve special effects. Greek Attic vases of the 6th and 5th centuries BCE are considered the apex of this evolution.

Galilee and ancient Israel – Canaan – were an integral part of the ancient trade routes of the Fertile Crescent, perched within the “Cradle of Civilization”. As such, Galilee is full of examples of ceramics from all historical eras, not least the 1^st Century and the everyday objects that would have been part of the world of Jesus and his followers.

We continue to celebrate this ancient, functional form of art with the following Ceramic gems originating in Galilee and included in our Secret Galilee Gallery Gift Parcel!!