Clay played a vital role in early civilisations> Archeological excavations have revealed clay structures dating back from around 15,000 to 10,000BC. Clay played a vital role in early civilisations, serving as material for cooking vessels, storage jars, and even tablets for writing in Mesopotamia. Ancient cultures such as the Chinese, Greeks, and Mayans refined clay techniques to produce both practical pottery and intricate ceramic artworks. In modern times, clay continues to flourish as both a creative and functional medium, visible in handmade pottery, sculpture, and architectural tiles. Archaeological excavations have revealed clay structures dating from around 15,000 to 10,000 B.C., evidence of Palaeolithic occupation. These structures are thought to have been seasonal or semi-permanent dwellings for hunter-gatherer groups. However, no clay artefacts from this period have been discovered. Because of its heaviness and fragile nature, clay was not yet suitable for portable or everyday tools. Instead, during the period between roughly 10,500 and 8,000 B.C., clay was primarily used in architecture, hearth construction, and simple furnishings. It is also in this era that evidence emerges of the earliest known clay sculpture: a small female figurine, marking the beginning of clay’s role in symbolic and artistic expression. Image 1 courtesy of https://www.penn.museum Among more recent hunter-gatherer communities, such as Australian Aboriginal peoples, clay was used for body decoration and camouflage. The other significant find during the 6500 to 6000 BC period was geometric shapes. These shapes have been handmade and as a result are not symmetrical. They will have been shaped using the palm of one hand and the thumb of the other. It is suspected that these shapes were used in games but also there is a likelihood that they were used in calculi or a primitive form of calculation or counting. Image 2 courtesy of https://www.penn.museum During this period there is also evidence of written tablets which may have been used to communicate with others, however the writing was not as we know it today as the main markings were geometric shapes which are believed to represent numbers Image 3 courtesy of https://www.penn.museum During 6500BC to 550BC the first evidence of beads that were used for adornment were found. Also during this period was the first evidence of clay used to make drinking vessels. This clay was very thin and sandy and was fortified by the use of sand and possibly Lime. Image 4 courtesy of https://www.penn.museum Egyptian bead necklaces are a good example of how art was used to tell a story or express an emotion. Faience beads dating from Egypt's New Kingdom to Late Dynastic Period, c. 1570-535 BC. (These beads have been restrung due to the deterioration of the original strings.) Image 5 www.ancientresource.com These colourful beads were crafted in ancient times from faience, a clay-like material that turned vibrant hues—turquoise, yellow, red, and blue—when fired. They were woven into intricate funeral shrouds depicting gods, animals, and youthful portraits of the deceased, then laid over the sarcophagus before burial. Over time, the twine decayed, and the tombs were lost beneath desert sands.

Looking at Natural Fibres and their uses thought history. Today, we continue the legacy each time we create with intention. What began as survival has become a deeply personal and cultural form of storytelling. Craft still allows us to express who we are, where we’ve come from, and what we value—connecting us not only to our roots, but to each other.