Koryŏ inlay celadon from Taicang Port of the Yuan Dynasty, China

Abstract

Inlay celadon was a type of high-end ceramics of the Koryŏ dynasty (918–1392 AD) produced in the Korean Peninsula. It was conveyed to China during the Yuan dynasty (1279–1368 AD) as tribute or trade goods. In this study, the authors analyzed six samples of inlay celadon recently discovered at the prosperous Taicang Port of the Yuan and Ming dynasties in the lower Yangtze River, China. With scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM–EDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD), the authors investigated the production technique, and compositional characteristics of these samples for the purpose of tracking their provenances. While the bodies are made of porcelain stone, the glazes are of porcelain stone and calcium-rich flux. The white inlay material in these samples is kaolinite-dominant, and the black one is made of quartz with high Fe content or a compound of quartz and raw materials with high Fe content. The results link the samples uncovered at the Taicang Port to the Samhǔngni Kiln in Kangjin-gun and the Uch'ǒlli and Chinsǒri Kilns in Buan-gun in Southern Korea. The products from these kilns were shipped to China in several shipments.