Making Clay Tablets


Need clay?


We did! So I wanted to share with you the recipe I used. I looked at several different ones online. Some ingredients I had, some I didn't, so I decided to improvise. Here is what I used to make our clay.

2C Flour
2C Water
1/2C Salt
2TBS Oil
(we used baby oil for the scent,
but cooking oil works, too)
1TBS Baking soda
1TBS Baking powder
A few drops of food coloring

Add food coloring to the water and boil. Remove from heat and mix in the oil. Mix dry ingredients in a separate bowl and slowly add in the water/oil liquid. Mix well and let cool. Once cool, knead until it feels like clay. If you want to keep your clay creations, bake them at 300-350 degrees for an hour or so to harden. You can also use the clay as Play-Doh if you like--my kids got a kick out of it!

So why did we need clay, you ask . . .

Well, in our study of Ancient History, we learned that the Sumerians wrote on clay tablets in a script called cuneiform. So, as a history project, we decided to make our own tablets. Once the kids wrote their word or message, I put the tablets in the oven to harden; the Sumerians would've let their tables dry in the sun, of course. :) Here are some pics!

Young scribes at work. . .
Girls using the end of paint brushes
to "write" on their tablets.

His didn't remain a tablet; it went back to a ball of clay!

Clay Tablets
"Dog"

"I love Dad and Mom"

Comments

  1. Thank you for your post! I've been looking for ways to make cuneiform tablets using homemade dough for a homeschooling project. God bless!

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