Clay
eBook - ePub

Clay

The History and Evolution of Humankind’s Relationship with Earth’s Most Primal Element

  1. 304 pages
  2. English
  3. ePUB (mobile friendly)
  4. Available on iOS & Android
eBook - ePub

Clay

The History and Evolution of Humankind’s Relationship with Earth’s Most Primal Element

About this book

More than a third of the houses in the world are made of clay. Clay vessels were instrumental in the invention of cooking, wine and beer making, and international trade. Our toilets are made of clay. The first spark plugs were thrown on the potter's wheel. Clay has played a vital role in the health and beauty fields. Indeed, this humble material was key to many advances in civilization, including the development of agriculture and the invention of baking, architecture, religion, and even the space program. In Clay, Suzanne Staubach takes a lively look at the startling history of the mud beneath our feet. Told with verve and erudition, this story will ensure you won't see the world around you in quite the same way after reading the book.

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Yes, you can access Clay by Suzanne Staubach in PDF and/or ePUB format. We have over one million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.

Information

Table of contents

  1. Cover Page
  2. Title Page
  3. Copyright Page
  4. Dedication
  5. Contents
  6. Acknowledgments
  7. Introduction
  8. 1. Cooking Pots and Storage Jars: Porridge, Ale, and International Commerce
  9. 2. Hearth and Home: Ovens, Heat, and the Invention of Baking
  10. 3. The First Machine and the Development of an Industry
  11. 4. Set the Table: From a Simple Bowl to a 2,200-Piece Dinner Set
  12. 5. A Word or Two: The Invention of Writing and Books
  13. 6. The Most Popular Building Material: Cities, Walls, and Floors of Mud
  14. 7. Sanitation: A Nice Hot Bath, a Drink of Water, and Don’t Forget to Flush
  15. 8. Farming Made Easy: Irrigation, Propagation, and Incubation
  16. 9. Electricity, Transportation, and Rocket Science
  17. 10. To Your Health!
  18. 11. Art, Toys, Gods, Goddesses, and Fertility
  19. 12. A Fitting Death: Urns, Gravestones, Companions, and Thieves
  20. Conclusion
  21. Appendix A: How to Make Your Own Pinch Pot
  22. Appendix B: Museums
  23. Notes
  24. Bibliography
  25. Credits
  26. Index