Innovative British potter and businessman Josiah Wedgwood's role in archaeology came about in 1769, when he created pots based on Greek and Etruscan vases owned by the diplomat William Hamilton. Wedgwood was so intrigued by these ceramic forms, that he named his principal factory the Etruria Works, after the region in Italy where Hamilton had collected his black porcelain vases.
Wedgwood called his version "Black Basalt", and can probably be credited with increasing the interest in classical Mediterranean archaeology in the period. Which I guess is a good thing, but perhaps debatable.
The other thing Wedgwood is known for in archaeological circles is his grandson, that troublemaker Charles Darwin.
Sources
The Wedgwood Museum is an excellent source for detailed information about Josiah, including more of his career that is not applicable to archaeology.This glossary entry is part of the Dictionary of Archaeology.
