The manipulation of clay to form pots and vessels is known as:

The manipulation of clay to form pots and vessels is known as throwing. In pottery, throwing refers to the technique of shaping clay on a rapidly spinning potter's wheel. The potter centres a lump of clay on the wheel head, then uses their hands and fingers to draw the clay upward and outward, forming hollow vessels such as pots, bowls, cups, and vases.

The term "throwing" comes from the Old English word thrawan, meaning to twist or turn. The spinning motion of the wheel, combined with the steady pressure of the potter's hands, allows for the creation of symmetrical, smooth-walled vessels with remarkable precision.

Modelling is a broader sculpting technique involving building up forms from a plastic material using hands and simple tools, but it does not specifically refer to the wheel-based production of pots and vessels. Casting involves pouring liquid material (such as slip in ceramics, or molten metal) into a mould and allowing it to harden. Embossing is a technique for creating raised designs on a surface, typically on metal or paper, and is not a pottery-forming method.