opaque white glaze

Ingredients

lead, tin

Preparation Steps

Original Recipe Text

The opaque white glaze was created by combining lead (a major constituent) with tin (the opacifier). (p. 4) The glazes were applied to yellow clay bodies to mask their color and mimic the whiteness of Chinese porcelain. (p. 3, 4) Firing replication studies using SEM show that these glazed wares were fired at temperatures near 1000 degrees Celsius. (p. 5) Compositional variation was high in early wares, with the interior surfaces often containing higher lead concentrations for greater visual impact. (p. 5)

Evidence

"The combination of the two techniques, of lead glazing and tin opacification, appears to be a Basran achievement."

Remarks

This invention revolutionized ceramic art by creating a white surface suitable for painters. (p. 6) The technology was later transmitted from Basra to Egypt, and eventually to Europe, giving rise to the great European Majolica tradition. (p. 6)