What does dunting mean?
Dunting is a technical term from ceramics referring to the cracking of fired pottery, particularly cracks that run through the clay body rather than merely the glaze. It occurs when ware experiences uneven or excessive temperature change—most commonly during cooling, when pieces are exposed to drafts or removed from the kiln before fully stabilizing. Because these fractures can appear hours or even days after firing, dunting is a notorious source of loss for potters, and careful, gradual cooling is the standard safeguard against it. The word derives from 'dunt,' an old Scots term for a heavy blow, an apt image for damage that seems to strike the piece without warning. While essentially unknown outside craft circles, dunting is well established in studio pottery literature and kiln-firing guides. Its precise meaning matters to practitioners: distinguishing dunting in the body from crazing in the glaze helps diagnose whether the fault lies in the clay, the glaze fit, or the firing schedule itself.
A crack, or the formation of cracks, in fired ceramic ware—especially in the clay body—caused by thermal stress during cooling or subsequent use.
"Hairline dunting appeared on the platters after the kiln cooled too quickly overnight."
Used almost exclusively in pottery and ceramics writing.
Present participle of 'dunt': to crack as a result of thermal shock, or (in older Scots usage) to strike a heavy blow.
"The technician adjusted the cooling ramp because the porcelain had been dunting in the winter firings."
Rarely pluralized; the uncountable form is standard when referring to the phenomenon, though a plural can appear when counting individual instances of cracking.
"Several duntings were found across the batch after inspection."
Potters fear one sound above all: the faint 'ping' of a finished vessel dunting as it cools—cracking itself apart days before it ever reaches a customer.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of dunting
The word dunting derives from 'dunt', a term of Scottish origin meaning a heavy blow or thud, itself first recorded in Scots usage several centuries ago; the ultimate root of 'dunt' is uncertain, though it may be imitative of a dull impact. In English ceramics vocabulary, 'dunting' came to describe cracks in fired ware, presumably by analogy with blows or shocks inflicted on the piece—here, the 'blow' being thermal stress. The verb 'to dunt' likewise appears in both the older sense of striking and the newer sense of developing such cracks.
Related word forms
How dunting is actually used
Dunting is a technical term within ceramics and studio pottery; outside that field it is rare and likely to be unfamiliar to general readers. It carries no strong connotation beyond implying avoidable damage—the fault usually lies in the firing or cooling process rather than the clay itself. The older Scots sense of a 'heavy blow' survives mainly in dialect and historical sources.
Easily confused with dunting
Crazing is a network of fine cracks confined to the glaze surface, whereas dunting refers to cracks running through the clay body itself, usually caused by thermal shock.