Before proceeding to know the meaning of the term clay, we have to undertake the establishment of its etymological origin. In this case, it must be determined that it derives from the Latin, exactly, from the word “argilla”, which can be translated as “potter’s clay”.
It is known as clay to the materials arising from the aggregation of aluminum silicates derived from the decomposition of various minerals. These silicates are hydrated and, depending on the presence of impurities, can exhibit different colors.
Clay is an aluminosilicate (as it contains aluminum oxide and silica) from a chemical point of view, and a colloid (a system made up of at least two phases) from a physical perspective. Each particle that makes up the clay has a diameter that does not exceed 0.002 millimeters.
And in Prehistory the human being used for different manufacturing clay utensils. Clay, when it comes into contact with water, develops its plastic properties and can be easily molded. Once it dries, it becomes firm. If it is also heated to more than 800ยบ C, the clay hardens permanently and becomes ceramic.
The simplicity of its use and its obtaining, together with its low cost, means that clay is still used to make bricks, vessels, plates, bowls and other containers, in addition to multiple works of art. The technique that is put into practice to make products with clay or clay is called pottery.
Archeology made it possible to find pottery articles that date back to approximately 29,000 BC. The use of clay spread to numerous cultures of Antiquity. In the American continent, several Colombian towns had a long tradition in the field of pottery.
Currently, we can affirm that clay is not only used as a material for making crafts and artistic works, but also as a beauty trick. It is exactly used to make the skin look as radiant as possible. And this is achieved through some of the different types of clay that exist:
-Green clay, which stands out for being a disinfectant, reducing inflammation and pain, detoxifying and even antibacterial. All these qualities make it a great option to deal with acne and even excess oil on the skin.
-White clay. It is considered useful not only to calm the skin but also to decongest it. In the same way, it provides many nutrients to it. Hence, it is useful as anti-wrinkle, to fight against fluid retention and even to reduce cellulite.
-Red clay. This other variety of aesthetic clay we can emphasize that it is a stimulator of lymphatic irrigation and that it manages to considerably improve what is the blood supply. Precisely for this circumstance it becomes a great alternative to fight against the lack of vitality in the skin and even against what are muscular and chronic injuries.
