Why is a hole in the road called a pot hole?

Question

Why is a hole in the road called a pot hole?

Answer 1

In the early 1700’s most roads were unmade tracks, used by horse or oxen drawn carts with the capacity of not much more than a ton and moving at no more than a walking pace. Further to this many of the roads would have been so bad as to be impassable with a wheeled vehicle for the worst months of the year.

Articles from that period also suggest that potters short of clay would add to the problems by digging clay from the roads, reports being noted of travellers falling down 4ft deep pits. “Pot Holes”.

The creation of canals allowed one horse to pull up to 60 tons, along clear and trouble free routes at about the same walking pace it would have pulled a cart. Busy canal routes were unlikely to be troubled by too many highwaymen or “Potholes” and with the logistics less of a problem, industry was free to expand.

http://www.canalbarge.co.uk/Canals.htm

Potholes -

Before 1700, potters were criticized for digging holes in the roads to obtain clay - a practice that gave rise to the term ‘potholes’.

By 1740 a substantial pottery industry had been established. To begin with the clay for pottery came by boat, pony and on peoples backs. The nature of the pottery industry was changing constantly as new materials and ideas were tried. Most pottery companies had a short life, but some in existence today were founded by master potters. Two of the most ‘famous names’ in pottery are Wedgwood and Spode.

Answer 2

1826, originally a geological feature in glaciers and gravel beds, from M.E. pot in sense of "a deep hole for a mine, or from peat-digging" (1375, sense now generally obsolete, but preserved in Scotland and northern England dialect); perhaps ultimately related to pot (meaning vessel) on notion of "deep, cylindrical shape." Applied to holes in a road from 1909.

Answer 3

Yes, because of its shape. There are wicked things on golf courses called pot bunkers.  They are round and nasty too.

Answer 4

Shaped like a pot? (At least sometimes it is)