Pottery in Cyprus dates back to the Neolithic period. Archaeological findings confirm that people were using pottery from clay in their everyday life at that time and even decorated their homes with them. The artists of that time already knew how to make a glaze and had developed polishing techniques. Ceramics were often decorated with a range of paintings and ceramic masks were used in the rituals of religious ceremonies. It is thought that most impressive forms and decorative patterns were invented as early as the Early and Middle Neolithic period. The same period gave us numerous early terracotta statuettes, mostly of the female form. Clay figurines were important in holy sanctuaries as well as households