Final answer:
Creating forms on a potter's wheel is referred to as throwing or wheel throwing. This technique is used to craft various clay shapes such as pots and bowls by shaping the clay on the rotating wheel. Different cultures have used various methods, with some utilizing the potter's wheel for sophisticated work, while others shaped their pottery by hand or with molds.
Step-by-step explanation:
Creating forms on a potter's wheel is called throwing or wheel throwing. This is a process in which a lump of clay is placed centrally on the wheel head and then smoothly shaped into forms like pots, bowls, or vases as the wheel rotates. The skill and methods to make pottery were traditionally passed down from generation to generation, often defining clay recipes, firing techniques, and pot shapes. While not all pottery is made using a wheel—some historical examples include hand-formed or mold-formed types—creating forms on the wheel has been an important advancement in ceramic technology.
For instance, the Neolithic Longshan culture used a high-speed potter's wheel to create exceptional thin-walled vessels known as eggshell pottery, noted for its high polish and sophisticated shapes. In contrast, other cultures, such as the Mayans, did not use the wheel and instead coiled and rolled strips to make their ceramics, which were then embellished with designs or hieroglyphs post-firing. The final decoration on ceramics could be done by incising, texturing, painting with slips of colored clay, or even leaving them undecorated. Creating forms with a potter's wheel requires a combination of technical skill, muscle control, and artistic expression to produce both functional ware and artistic pieces.