Ceramics were the first engineered materials

The study, which is published in the journal PLoS ONE, adds to a rapidly-changing set of views about when humans first developed the ability to make ceramics and pottery. Most histories of the technology begin with the more settled cultures of the Neolithic era, which began about 10,000 years ago.

Ceramics were the first engineered materials. From the humble beginnings of clay-based pottery, ceramics are now at the heart of nearly every modern technology. Ceramics play pivotal roles in electronics (from computers to cell phones), in transportation (from roadways to vehicles), in defense systems (from armor to guidance systems), and in environmental technologies (from catalytic converters to diesel-engine filters). Ceramic engineers are needed to design, develop and manufacture improved ceramic materials.