Ceramics (Greek - pottery, from a word keramos - clay) are products made by clay, mixtures of clays and with mineral additives sintering. It is possible to select ceramics basic kinds: terracotta, a majolica, faience, porcelain. Ceramic production is among the most ancient on the earth; in fact the ceramics history originates since primitive-communal system, when a person has learnt to process clay and begun to produce clay crockery. The Stone Age products were charred on fires first, and later there were special kilns. The availability of an easily accessible material - clay has caused early and almost universal development of ceramic craft.

Initially, the main type of pottery were thick-walled vessels, which clung manually by building individual harnesses clay. In the clay, so it is not cracked during burning, pounded shells and crushed granite, were added. Later an ornament, which had a magical significance, began to decorate ceramic products.

The faience know-how, known to Ancient Egypt masters in 15 century BC, after again has been re-invented in 3-4 centuries in China. In III—V centuries AD in China the first porcelain products appear, and in VI—VII centuries in Tan epoch china manufacture started up. The Chinese ceramics is particularly diverse: bowls, jugs, vases, flasks, dishes, boxes for blush, fumigators, censers, teapots and many other products decorated by various relief and painted patterns were produced. Most known are such-like china products, covered with grayish-green glaze of different colors, have received in Europe the name "celadon", different small statues of humans and animals, which were fabricated from the I millennium BC and often found in graves excelled with exceptional vividness. But international fame was received primarily by Chinese porcelain, outstanding with particularly high quality of the ceramic mass itself; white, subtlety. Used for the manufacture of Chinese porcelain local natural materials - porcelain stone and kaolin contain only a small amount of coloring impurities (iron oxides), and this determined the high quality of china porcelain.

Potter wheel and colored glazes invention was outstanding achievement of the Ancient East ceramists. Clay tablets with cuneiform texts, found out in library of Assyrian tsar Assurbanipala in Nineveh (VII century BC), contain method of preparation frit glazes description.

The special place in ceramics history is occupied with antique Greece ceramics. Its blossoming was preceded by pottery development on the island of Crete, one of the leading centers of Aegean culture.
Cretan vessels from different periods, with very diverse painted decoration reached us.
In the Ancient Greece policies the ceramics becomes one of the art crafts main kinds and reaches its blossoming in VI — V centuries BC. Different types of vessels have been developed depending on intended use. For example, the crater had a wide neck; it was intended for wine with water mixing; kylix – basin with two handles - wine drinking cup.
But the greatest glory was got by amphora - vase with two high handles, intending for oil and wine storage. For a long time Corinth masters produced for all Greece flat ceramic plates with which buildings walls and temples were tiled. They were decorated with 3D relief more often. Hereinto, in temples Greeks brought ceramic tablets with promises to gods. . The ceramic sculpture has been widely widespread in classical antiquity. The small town Tanagra has especially become famous for such sculpture. In III century BC art small (5-30 cm) terracotta figurines (ital. terra cotta - burnt land) has reached blossoming here.