For over 25,000 years, humans across the globe have shaped, decorated, and fired clay. Despite great differences in location and time, universal themes appear in the world's ceramic traditions, including religious influences, human and animal representations, and mortuary pottery. In Global Clay: Themes in World Ceramic Traditions, noted pottery scholar John A. Burrison explores the recurring artistic themes that tie humanity together, explaining how and why those themes appear again and again in worldwide ceramic traditions. The book is richly illustrated with over 200 full-color, cross-cultural illustrations of ceramics from prehistory to the present. Providing an introduction to different styles of folk pottery, extensive suggestions for further reading, and reflections on the future of traditional pottery around the world, Global Clay is sure to become a classic for all who love art and pottery and all who are intrigued by the human commonalities revealed through art.

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While researchers and educators may find individual chapters useful for discussions about pottery's relationship to people, communities, animals, religion, and the afterlife, the text as a whole is an enjoyable and quick read, with numerous beautiful illustrations that a general audience would also appreciate.

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Ambitious in scope and successful in describing the central role that works of clay have played preserving common cultural narratives . . . Essential. All readers.