Clay is essential to Indian culture, past and present. It is accessible everywhere; it takes form with very little effort; and its fragility assures its constant renewal. It has been the perfect vehicle for Indian creativity throughout the ages. The shapes and styles of items made of clay, both fired and unfired, are innumerable. They comprise everything from the miniscule to the gigantic, from simple to highly ornate, from realistic to abstract, from purely practical to utterly fantastic. Many of the potters who make them act dual roles as craftsmen and as links to the God.

In a text sumptuously illustrated in colour, the author and photographer, Stephen P. Huyler, surveys the exciting craft through examples from all over India. He documents for the first time contemporary potters: their techniques and production, and the use of clay in the households and temples today, exploring comparison of today's products with those of ancient India.