‘Tortoiseshell’-glazed Tea-bowl

Southern Song period, 12th - 13th century
Jizhou ware, Yonghe kilns, Ji’an, Jiangxi province

The striking ‘tortoiseshell’ effect of amber-coloured splashes and streaks against the dark brown glaze is one of the well-known innovations of the Jizhou kilns in Jiangxi province. It was most likely produced by the application of a wood-ash mixture to the surface of the glaze before firing.