The earliest pottery found on the Korean peninsula dates to the early Neolithic period, around 6000 BC. At this time vessels were hand built, using coils of clay. They were then fired in open kilns at low temperatures of around 700° Celsius. Such low-fired wares are called earthenwares. They are unglazed and the bodies are porous. They have been found in large numbers in a variety of shapes and decorative styles throughout the Korean peninsula. The most common style of decoration is chulmun (comb pattern), where ceramics have various geometric patterns stamped or incised (cut in) on their surface.

Around 1000 BC a new type of pottery began to be made. Known as mumun (undecorated pottery) these pots have thicker walls and the surfaces are normally plain although some are decorated with coloured pigments. Many types of mumun were made, including bowls, dishes, jars, pots and steamers. Variety in the shapes and decoration of mumun reflects the cultural differences between regional communities.

In around 300 BC kiln technology introduced from China enabled Korean potters to fire their vessels at much higher temperatures. High-fired ceramics are stronger than low-fired ceramics and this enabled potters to create more complex shapes such as pedestal jars with horn-shaped handles or square stem-cups.