Gilebert

Making and Using a Potter’s Wheel

Gilebert le braceeur de Dijon For nearly 6,000 years, a simple device has aided mankind in the making of ceramic pots. This item is the potter’s wheel. From simple hand wheels to assist in the making of hand-built coil pots to the faster production of the kick-wheel or the stick-wheel, all fall into a categoryContinue reading “Making and Using a Potter’s Wheel”

Gift Cups for the East Kingdom

This is specifically Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA) specific. I was one of several individuals asked to make items to be used as gifts for the Middle Kingdom to East Kingdom gift baskets. As I make pottery, I was asked to make a set of cups for Their Majesties East. These cups should be madeContinue reading “Gift Cups for the East Kingdom”

Laurel Challenge

This page is a work in progress. This is a challenge made to me by Duchess Rebekah MacTiernan to document and produce an object that has inspired me on my journey in the Arts and Sciences within the SCA (Society for Creative Anachronism). This is a difficult thing for me to accomplish. I really enjoyContinue reading “Laurel Challenge”

Provenance for Hand cups (beakers)

I was asked a few years ago about some provenance for the small hand cups I produce. I have finally found an extant example of a beaker very similar to mine. This is a beaker in the British Museum attributed as being Neolithic/Bronze Age pottery. https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/H_POA-194-2 These are some hand cups I have previously made.Continue reading “Provenance for Hand cups (beakers)”

Beads for Isolde

I was asked by Isolde de la Ramée to make a few beads for her that she could give as tokens of appreciation. She asked for beads that would be passable for a persona of the 12th century. With the help of my friend and Laurel to whom I am apprenticed; Helewyse de Birkestad; IContinue reading “Beads for Isolde”

Firing pots in a Pit

View of one of the finished pots. Color is very near to that of a pot made from commercially available clay that was fired at the same time. I have used this pot to hold water while working on other pieces of pottery.

Making some pots

Here I am making a pot using a rib made from a piece of wood from the pile of wood for the camp fire. I formed the basic pot using the pinch method. I started with a small ball of clay; about the size of a tennis ball. Using my thumb, I made the initialContinue reading “Making some pots”

Working dirt to clay

After digging and drying the clay, one needs to decide which method to use to make the clay. Method one: levigating (slaking with water to separate large particles from smaller). Using a large volume of water and agitation to separate out the heavier particulate (sand, small stones) from the lighter clay particle and light organicContinue reading “Working dirt to clay”

Digging dirt

Processing clay from wild or raw dirt requires digging a hole in the ground and getting the first of many loads of clay-bearing earth to process. I was fortunate that I had friends that were willing to let me dig a hole in their yard to get the raw materials. The reason I was allowedContinue reading “Digging dirt”