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The potter's wheel is a tool used for shaping clay. It is a horizontal disk that revolves on a vertical spindle, allowing a potter to shape clay with both hands. The earliest known use of the potter's wheel dates back to Mesopotamia around 3500 BC. Initially, wheels were hand-turned, but this evolved into the kick wheel, rotated by foot, which became the potter's primary tool. Modern technology has further mechanized this process, with electric power now common, though some artisans still prefer foot power. The term "wheel-thrown" refers to pottery made using this technique.1234

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