The "CERAMIC" word drift of the Greek term KERAMIKE, by KERAMOS derivation, that means clay. Ceramics are the set of activities destined to the elaboration of all the species of objects, with clay of any classroom, decorated or not, using it property that possess the clay of if moulding easily in the raw adobe state (wet), acquiring hardness to the measure that advances its drying or for effect of the boiling.

It was during the Neolithic period, phase of the development technician of the societies human beings, correspondent to its access to a productive economy, that the ceramics were invented. This period, characterized for the development of new techniques has however as factor of primordial importance the establishment of new relations between the man and the natural way, decurrently of the discovery of ways to control and to develop the features for its sedentary.

It was considered during much time that the ceramic one was a feature of this period. However the recognition of a daily pay-ceramic Neolithic period in the Next East (Jericó) and the discoveries to ceramic vases in dated nomadic groups of about 6000 AC. in Japan, compels us to consider it the existence of two phases: the daily pay-ceramics enter the end of VIII millennium AC. and the principle of the VI and ceramics to follow to this date until that age the of Bronze was drawn out.

It was in the Southwest of Asia (Iran, Palestine and South of Turkey) that the wheat and the barley grow up spontaneity, as well as existed in the wild state Bovine and goat the cattle that had allowed the revolution (pass to a production economy) above referenced.

It is not therefore to find odd that the initial development of ceramics if has given in the Next seen East to have there been that the necessity was verified to store collected foods of agriculture; of houses to shelter an increasing population; of symbols that satisfied the necessities spirituals and ovens that transformed the decorative flour of the wheat into bread that led to the construction of vases, bricks, statuettes and elements in clay.

Relativity to Portugal its important to relate some following aspects:
It had a first period where if they had revealed the influences European and Mediterranean for the appearance and development of this art, through the " invaders " in the first case and of the merchants in as.

The appearance of a specific type of ceramics proceeding from a situated culture in the Valley of the Tejo and that later the Europe was spread for all: the "campaniforme" ceramics.

The existence of typical ceramics (ceramic Iberian), to the time of the inbound of the Romans and the importance of these. Later of the importance of Arabs for the future development of the pottery.

The existence of some regional types during the Average Age, some of which last until the present.

The great development verified in last centuries XVII and XVIII, especially in this last one, due to existence of countenance ceramists as Brioso and Vandelli and to the foundation of Fabric of the Rat that was in the base of the appearance of other important plants for all the territory.

The appearance in century XIX of the porcelain (Seen Glad) and of the fine faience (Sacavém) in part as reaction to the invasion of our market for English, better and cheaper products, because manufactured for the new processes left the Industrial Revolution.

The increase of the number of factories verified in the ends of century XIX and first decades of century XX and its decrease in the following decades, as consequence of the industrial concentration that was mark of the " great rising industry ", process the one that the ceramics was not forgotten.