Vessel Base
1050-1100 (made)
| Place of origin |
About 1050, Egyptian potters found a new way to imitate Chinese porcelain. They created fritware, a white ceramic body made from ground pebbles or sand, small quantitiies of white clay and the glassy substance called 'frit'. The whitening effect of tin glaze was no longer needed, and transparent or coloured glazes were used instead.
Fritware was used for all later luxury wares made in the Middle East, including those decorated with lustre.
Fritware was used for all later luxury wares made in the Middle East, including those decorated with lustre.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Experimental fritware body, carved and glazed |
| Brief description | Base of a bowl, experimental fritware body with carved decoration under a clear yellow glaze, Egypt, probably Fustat, 1050-1100. |
| Physical description | Sherd from the base of a bowl, fritware, carved with the head of a gazelle and covered in a clear yellow or amber-coloured lead glaze with a splash of copper green oxide. |
| Gallery label | Base of bowl
Egypt, probably Fustat, 1050-1100
Experimental fritware body
Museum no. 1079-1897. Given by Major W.J.Myers |
| Credit line | Given by Major W.J. Myers |
| Object history | The fritware body is experimental, finer than earthenware, but not as fully white as most refined white fritware |
| Production | probably Fustat |
| Subject depicted | |
| Summary | About 1050, Egyptian potters found a new way to imitate Chinese porcelain. They created fritware, a white ceramic body made from ground pebbles or sand, small quantitiies of white clay and the glassy substance called 'frit'. The whitening effect of tin glaze was no longer needed, and transparent or coloured glazes were used instead. Fritware was used for all later luxury wares made in the Middle East, including those decorated with lustre. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 1079-1897 |
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| Record created | June 24, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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