Clay Ball

Clay is the item received after digging up clay blocks. Each clay block yields four clay. Clay blocks are usually found in shallow water. As of Minecraft version 1.2.5, one will find a very abundant source of clay depositions in the water in swamp biomes. Clay blocks may also be found in river biomes and rarely in ocean biomes.

Usage
Clay can be crafted together to form clay blocks or baked in a furnace to create clay bricks. Clay bricks can then be crafted into brick blocks. Brick blocks are commonly used in house building projects.

History
Prior to Minecraft version Beta 1.8, clay was a rare luxury material. The Minecraft version Beta 1.8 update changed the rate of distribution, making it much more common. Brick blocks are now a common building material.