Using a wide range of ethnographic evidence, a reassessment of the factors which influence the location of pre-industrial pottery manufacture has uncovered an undue emphasis placed on the natural distribution of raw materials, whereas this study indicates only a tenuous connection between location of materials and site of manufacture; cultural and economic factors are often more important. Aspects discussed are: clay resources and location of manufacture; methods of obtaining clay; fuel; other raw materials; the cultural and economic factors in location. -- AATA