The Daily Grind

I have been using elbow grease over the last week, grinding up some old broken pots to make "grog" - to be added into raw clay for making replica pots for the Hengistbury Head pottery project.
The resulting grog is sieved through various sizes to separate them. I can then use them to create different clay fabrics, that behave differently while being made into pots, fired and then in functional use. They will also change the appearance of the surface, giving a mottled texture if coarse.
They should help the pots stand up to the extremes of heat within the firing processes, giving the clay more "body" and enabling the steam to escape more easily as they dry out.
I have also been grinding sea-shells and pre-heated flint, which were also used in ancient times.
More information at :-
www.crumbleholme.plus.com/Beakerfolk/beakerfolkhh.htm