Brick, Terra Cotta, Porcelain, and Tile in History and Architecture
Architecture starts when you carefully put two bricks together. There it begins
--Ludwig Mies van Der Rohe, 20th Century German architect
--Ludwig Mies van Der Rohe, 20th Century German architect
Clay is a mixture of finely-powdered minerals and water. Clay occurs naturally due to the erosion of rocks caused by the forces of wind and water over time. Eroded material collects in riverbeds after being washed down mountainsides and hillsides. Different mixtures of materials give different clays distinct colors and properties. Early human communities used clays and came to appreciate their different qualities through use over time. Clay was used to coat wood and leaves to create water- and wind-resistant surfaces. When it dried in the sun, it could be used as bricks and stacked to make enclosures.
At some point in prehistory, humans discovered that clay heated in ovens didn't just dry out, it hardened so large amounts of rain or immersion in water would not wash it away--pottery was born, and kiln-fired bricks became a solid and plentiful building material so long as the clay deposits and wood for the fire were available. The most widely-recognized forms of bricks are made from clays with a mixture of quartz, alumina, and iron oxide, or rust, which gives bricks and roofing shingles their orange-red color. The white porcelain of sinks and bathroom toilets are a mixture of quartz, feldspar, and kaolin. Tiles used in decorative flooring, counters, and walls contain a varying mixture of minerals to create different surfaces and colors.