Everyone knows that archaeologists are always digging up bits of old pottery and drawing the most obscure conclusions about the people who made it. These days however, pottery is a highly developed craft form, and is enjoyed as a hobby by many people.

The simplest ways of forming pots are by the pinching, coiling or slab methods. Coiling is what most people remember doing at school - roll long sausages of clay and coil them around and around, joining as you go.

However, the most exciting and messy way of making pots is by throwing on a potters wheel. Those over forty may remember the potter in the interval of Watch With Mother (or some such programme), whereas the younger generation will almost certainly have seen the famous scene from the film 'Ghost'. Throwing on the wheel is Very Hard To Learn. But with a good teacher and bit of practice most people can throw reasonable pots (although those beautiful ming vases may seem a million miles away).

There is something very relaxing about forming simple shapes in your hands, but there is more to it than that. Once made the piece must be dried, fired first to around 1000 degrees Celsius, then coated with glaze and fired again, this time at up to 1300 degrees C. The most exciting part of pottery is opening the kiln to see what the final results of several weeks work are like!

If you fancy having a go at pottery as a hobby first ask yourself if you have a good sense of humour - things can, and will, go horribly wrong. You will get covered up to your armpits in clay sludge and cold buckets of glaze. At the end of it you will end up with some rather dubious looking items that don't stand up without help from a convenient wall, and certainly have that 'home made' look about them. But they will be your first pots, and you will treasure them as a reminder of time spent in a simpler way, with no screens, no stress and no boss.

The best place to start is either a local evening class, or a private potter who gives lessons. Your library should have details of evening classes. Try the yellow pages for local potters, or a local potters association which should be able to help you.

There are also various websites that may be helpful. Try looking at The Crafts Council or The Craft Potters Association.

So go forth, get your hands dirty, meet new people, relax, and enjoy yourself!