Terracotta, terra cotta or terra-cotta (pronounced [ˌtɛrraˈkɔtta]; Italian: "baked earth",[2] from the

Latin terra cocta),[3] a type of earthenware, is a clay-based unglazed or glazed ceramic,[4] where the
fired body is porous. Terracotta is the term normally used for sculpture made in earthenware, and
also for various utilitarian uses including vessels (notably flower pots), water and waste water
pipes, roofing tiles, bricks, and surface embellishment in building construction.[5] The term is also
used to refer to the natural, brownish orange color, of most terracotta, which varies considerably.
This article covers the senses of terracotta as a medium in sculpture, as in the Terracotta
Army and Greek terracotta figurines, and architectural decoration. Asian and European sculpture
in porcelain is not covered. Glazed architectural terracotta and its unglazed version as exterior
surfaces for buildings were used in Asia for some centuries before becoming popular in the West in
the 19th century. Architectural terracotta can also refer to decorated ceramic elements such
as antefixes and revetments, which made a large contribution to the appearance of temples and
other buildings in the classical architecture of Europe, as well as in the Ancient Near East.
In archaeology and art history, "terracotta" is often used to describe objects such as figurines not
made on a potter's wheel. Vessels and other objects that are or might be made on a wheel from the
same material are called earthenware pottery; the choice of term depends on the type of object
rather than the material or firing technique.[6] Unglazed pieces, and those made for building
construction and industry, are also more likely to be referred to as terracotta, whereas tableware and
other vessels are called earthenware (though sometimes terracotta if unglazed), or by a more
precise term such as faience.

Contents
[hide]

• 1Production and properties

• 2History
• 3In art history
o 3.1Architecture
• 4Advantages in sculpture
• 5See also
• 6Notes
• 7References
• 8External links

Production and properties[edit]

An appropriate refined clay is formed to the desired shape. After drying it is placed in a kiln or atop
combustible material in a pit, and then fired. The typical firing temperature is around 1,000 °C
(1,830 °F), though it may be as low as 600 °C (1,112 °F) in historic and archaeological
examples.[7] The iron content, reacting with oxygen during firing, gives the fired body a reddish color,
though the overall color varies widely across shades of yellow, orange, buff, red, "terracotta", pink,
grey or brown.[8] In some contexts, such as Roman figurines, white-colored terracotta is known as
pipeclay, as such clays were later preferred for tobacco pipes, normally made of clay until the 19th
century.[citation needed]
Fired terracotta is not watertight, but surface-burnishing the body before firing can decrease its
porousness and a layer of glaze can make it watertight. It is suitable for use below ground to carry
pressurized water (an archaic use), for garden pots or building decoration in many environments,
and for oil containers, oil lamps, or ovens. Most other uses, such as for tableware, sanitary piping, or
building decoration in freezing environments, require the material to be glazed. Terracotta, if
uncracked, will ring if lightly struck.
Painted ("polychrome") terracotta is typically first covered with a thin coat of gesso, then painted. It
has been very widely used but the paint is only suitable for indoor positions and is much less durable
than fired colors in or under a ceramic glaze. Terracotta sculpture was very rarely left in its "raw"
fired state in the West until the 18th century.[9]

History[edit]
Terracotta/earthenware was the only known type of ceramic produced by Western and pre-
Columbian people until the 14th century, when imported European fired stoneware began
production. Terracotta has been used throughout history for sculptureand pottery as well as
for bricks and roof shingles. In ancient times, the first clay sculptures were dried (baked) in the sun
after being formed. They were later placed in the ashes of open hearths to harden, and
finally kilns were used, similar to those used for pottery today. However, only after firing to high
temperature would it be classed as a ceramic material.