Primary clay

Description

Clay found on the site of the parent feldspathic rock. Primary clays are relatively pure containing only the impurities that were originally in the parent rock, such as feldspar, quartz, and mica. Primary clays, such as china clay or kaolinite, are typically white, large-grain, and somewhat aplastic with low shrinkage. They have a high melting point and fluxes are usually added to decrease firing temperatures.

Synonyms and Related Terms

residual clay; primaire klei (Ned.); argila primária (Port.)

Authority

• Henry Hodges, Artifacts: An Introduction to Early Materials and Technology, Ronald P. Frye, Kingston, Canada, 1988

• Robert Fournier, Illustrated Dictionary of Practical Pottery, Chilton Book Company, Radnor, PA, 1992

• The Dictionary of Art, Grove's Dictionaries Inc., New York, 1996 Comment: "Ceramics"