Mossbauer study of the black-glazed Jian bowl in the Song dynasty

Jian ware, also known as "Tenmoku," is one of the famous black-glazed porcelains in China. It was highly coveted in the Song dynasty (960-1279 AD) and was also a tribute to the royal family. The black-glazed Jian wares are mainly made from iron-rich clay. In this study, black-glazed Jian bowl sherds excavated from the Song strata of Jian kiln sites were adopted as test samples. The iron phase and firing techniques of the black-glazed Jian bowl from the Song dynasty were analyzed and discussed through Mossbauer spectroscopy on the both of body and glaze, together with X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. According to the different iron content and the unique iron oxide phase reflected in the Mossbauer spectra, we analyzed the firing atmosphere, temperature, and other conditions of the ancient Jian bowl, as well as the difference of iron phase between the body and the glaze layer due to the collapse of the silicate framework. It provides new ideas for deciphering the firing technology and improving the synthesis of ancient black-glazed Jian wares.