Terra cotta, TEHR uh KOT uh, is a hard, durable kind of earthenware. Like other kinds of earthenware, terra cotta is a type of baked clay. It ranges in color from buff to brown to various shades of red and is usually unglazed. Terra cotta is widely used to make flowerpots, fountains, tiles, architectural ornaments, and decorative garden sculptures. Because terra cotta can be molded easily, many sculptors have used the material to make preliminary models of their works.