According to archeological evidence, ancient civilizations first used wooden baskets to collect water. After finding basketry to be an ineffective method of holding water, people decided to use clay--a light, commonly available substance--to create vases, creating the art and craft of pottery. Although nomad societies and those in proximity to gourds didn't find much use for pottery, most communities--ranging from ancient societies located in the modern Czech Republic, Greece and Turkey--found terra-cotta vases useful for carrying liquids. Most of the earliest vases, often decorated, date back to 6,600 B.C.
Originally, around 6,500 B.C., terra-cotta vases were made by building up coils of clay from a circular base, smoothing the walls of the vase and either allowing the vase to bake in the sun or building a fire over an underground kiln. From about 550 to 480 B.C., ancient Greeks in the city of Athens and the district of Attica created intricate methods of decorating the vases. In modern times, terra-cotta vases are formed and fired in hot kilns. Although ancient potters didn't glaze their terra-cotta vases, modern works of clay are often glazed.
From what archeologists have unearthed in their digs, most early Neolithic pottery was not decorated. However, when early terra-cotta vases were decorated, the adornment took the form of patterns carved or cut into the clay prior to it being fired. Later, during the time of the ancient Greeks, mythological figures and their stories were painted on the terra-cotta vases while the clay was still damp. By introducing red ochre and black potash to the clay, Greek artists painted red figures onto the clay, silhouetting them in black. In modern times, painters decorate terra-cotta vases in any fashion or color they desire.
The baked clay vase is now most often used for two purposes: aesthetic or horticultural. Usually, terra-cotta pots are stationed for decoration in homes and offices or used to house plants. Although the vases aren't necessarily used for their original purpose, they retain the red coloring and durable structure that has made them a favored medium for potters for hundreds of centuries.