Pottery is any object made of clay and then baked. Pottery may be sculpture, tiles, bricks, or containers such as vases, cups, and plates. Ancient civilizations in the Middle East, Mexico, South America, and Asia all made pottery. One early example, found in Asia, dates from about 7000 B.C. There are three basic kinds of pottery : stoneware, earthenware, and porcelain. They are classified in this way according to the kind of clay they are made from and the way they are baked. Pottery can be shaped by hand or it can be shaped on a potter is wheel. The potter shapes the clay with his fingers as the wheel spins. The clay is them fired, or baked, in an oven to harden it. Before firing, the pottery may be decorated. Today, most pottery is made by machines in factories