Earthenware is a type of pottery that has not been fired to the point of vitrification and is slightly porous and coarser than stoneware and porcelain. It is made from clay that is fired at relatively low temperatures, usually below 1,200 °C (2,190 °F) . Earthenware can be glazed or unglazed and is often used for tableware and decorative ware such as figurines. Some characteristics of earthenware include:

• Porosity: Earthenware is slightly porous and can absorb liquids such as water.

• Color: Earthenware colors range from white to dark brown and tend to be fired at lower temperatures than stoneware or porcelain.

• Durability: Earthenware is softer and less durable than stoneware and porcelain, and tends to chip more easily.

Earthenware can be made impervious to liquids by coating it with a ceramic glaze, which is finely ground glass powder suspended in water and fired a second time. The glaze fuses into an amorphous, glasslike layer, sealing the pores of the clay body.