Ancient Greek pottery served important functional purposes as storage containers, cookware, and dishes. Clay was widely used for pottery due to its inexpensive and readily available nature. The pottery making process involved removing impurities from the clay, shaping it on a wheel, painting designs, and firing the pottery in stages. Pottery was decorated according to its function and style, with different shapes used for storing water, wine, oil, and other substances. Pottery provides insight into Greek artistic periods from Minoan and Mycenaean through Geometric, Orientalizing, Archaic, Black Figure, Red Figure, and Classical styles.