This book aims to provide an introductory guide to identifying some of the basic types of pottery that may be found by accident, in systematic fieldwalking, and in archaeological excavation. Clay is an exceptionally versatile material. It can be made into many useful and beautiful objects, decorated in a splendid variety of ways, and if exposed to high temperatures, made into pottery. Both rich and poor have used pottery since the Stone Age, so the way the craft developed gives unusually clear insights into intimate details of lifestyle and outlooks in even remote periods. It has been said that "archaeology is built on a foundation of potsherds". Some archaeological sites have produced over a million sherds, so, as a result of several centuries of highly complex logical reasoning, scientific analysis and cross-referencing with other material, pottery has become invaluable for making inferences about ancient societies. The book details mostly with pottery made in Britain, though at all times it mast be borne in mind that nay pottery found could have come from any period or any location in the world.
As a rule of thumb, lowland areas have tended to produce more ancient pottery than highland, presumably due to a combination of lifestyle and availability of raw materials.