A technological combination of lead-glaze and calcium-glaze recently found in China: Scientific comparative analysis of glazed ceramics from Shangyu, Zhejiang Province

PLoS One. 2019 Jul 11;14(7):e0219608. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0219608. eCollection 2019.

Abstract

To study the relationship between the glazed pottery from southern China and the lead-glazed pottery in northern China in the Han Dynasty (202BC-220AD), 34 samples unearthed from Shangyu(), Zhejiang Province have been studied by LA-ICP-AES, SEM/EDS and XRD. The results showed that these samples included the typical lead-glazed pottery, the proto-porcelain and the glazed pottery using both lead and calcium as glaze fluxing agents. Previously, the lead-glazed pottery type was considered as the main northern products during the Han dynasty while the calcium-glazed pottery type or the proto-porcelain was the representative of the south of China. However, apart from the two typical types above, a new variety of glaze categorized as the calcium-lead glaze was discovered in the samples from Shangyu. This indicates that there were technology exchanges and amalgamation of lead-glaze and calcium-glaze between the south and the north during the Han Dynasty. As a result, a new type of glazed potteries with both features was created, which had a more beautiful appearance than the proto-porcelain but perhaps had some undesirable aspects. The manufacturing process of the new variety might also lay foundations for the invention of celadon.

Publication types

  • Historical Article
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Calcium / chemistry*
  • Ceramics / chemistry
  • Ceramics / history*
  • China
  • Dental Porcelain / chemistry
  • Dental Porcelain / history*
  • History, Ancient
  • Humans
  • Lead / chemistry*
  • Materials Testing
  • Surface Properties

Substances

  • Dental Porcelain
  • Lead
  • Calcium

Grants and funding

The authors thank National Social Science Fund for the financial support (18BKG017 to JC). The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.