Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-tf8b9 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-26T15:00:32.254Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Characteristics of the raw materials of glazed tile bodies in the southern area of the Bao'ensi site, Nanjing, China

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 October 2022

Weijuan Zhao
Affiliation:
School of Physics and Microelectronics, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
Dan Zhao
Affiliation:
School of Physics and Microelectronics, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
Bo Wu
Affiliation:
School of Physics and Microelectronics, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
Bo Li
Affiliation:
School of Physics and Microelectronics, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
Baohua Zhou
Affiliation:
Nanjing Research Institute of Archaeology, Nanjing 210001, China
Jianfeng Cui
Affiliation:
School of Archaeology and Museology, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
Qinlong Chen*
Affiliation:
School of History, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China

Abstract

The Nanjing Bao'ensi site is the largest and highest-ranking royal temple from the Ming Dynasty, and it is famous for its full-body glass pagoda. In this study, the glazed tiles excavated from the southern area of the Bao'ensi site were selected and analysed using X-ray diffraction, thermal dilation and energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence to determine their phase composition, firing temperature and chemical composition. The glazed tile bodies of the Bao'ensi site consist mainly of quartz and mullite, although some samples contain trace amounts of other minerals. All of the body samples were fired to the same temperature range (i.e. 1000–1100°C). The firing temperature combined with the phase composition indicate that the raw materials and firing process of the glazed tile body samples have similarities, but there are certain differences. The source of the raw materials for a portion of the glazed tile bodies is Dangtu, Anhui, whilst the source of the raw materials for the remaining materials remains to be discovered.

Type
Article
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of The Mineralogical Society of Great Britain and Ireland

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Footnotes

Associate Editor: M. Dondi

References

Chen, Q.L. (2009) Some problems of Jubaoshan kiln for glazed tiles in Nanjing in Ming Dynasty. Jiangsu Local Chronicles, 1, 3033.Google Scholar
Chen, Q.L. (2015) The excavation of the glazed-tile kiln site at Yaogang village in Yuhuatai district, Nanjing, Jiangsu. Cultural Relics, 10, 2748.Google Scholar
Ding, Y.Z., Duan, H.Y., Kang, B.Q., Wu, J.M. & Miao, J.M. (2011) Study on the provenance of raw materials of the body of the architectural glazed tiles from Nanjing Bao'ensi pagoda. China Ceramics, 1, 7075.Google Scholar
Ding, Y.Z., Li, H., Duan, H.Y., Kang, B.Q., Chen, T.M. & Miao, J.M. (2013) Study on the architectural glazed tiles from Nanjing Bao'ensi pagoda. Cultural Relics in Southern China, 2, 8184.Google Scholar
Dubois, J., Murat, M., Amroune, A., Carbonneau, X. & Gardon, R. (1995) High-temperature transformation in kaolinite: the role of the crystallinity and of the firing atmosphere. Applied Clay Science, 10, 187198.10.1016/0169-1317(95)00030-8CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Huang, L.R., Wang, Q., Lei, Y., Dong, B.S., Zhang, J.G., Wang, H., et al. (2015) The excavation of the pagoda foundation and underground palace of the grand Bao'en temple in Nanjing. Cultural Relics, 5, 452.Google Scholar
Li, J.J. (2001) Ceramics Processing. China Light Industry Press, Beijing, China, 549 pp.Google Scholar
Liu, X.Y., Li, Y.P., Jiang, X.M., Quan, K.S., Zhang, W.J., Jiang, J.X. & Meng, Y.Z. (2007) Brief excavation report on imperial kiln of the Ming and Qing dynasties located in Jingdezhen City of Jiangxi Province. Cultural Relics, 5, 447.Google Scholar
Lu, M.C. (1996) Investigation of Ming Dynasty kiln for glazed tiles in Dangtu County. Southeast Culture, 1, 113114.Google Scholar
Nanjing Museum (1962) Jubaoshan kiln for glazed tiles in Nanjing in Ming Dynasty. Cultural Relics, 2, 4148.Google Scholar
Qi, H.N. (2015) The No.6 well of the grand Bao'en temple and the loyalty well in Nanjing: a discussion on their connections. Southeast Culture, 5, 5972.Google Scholar
Qi, H.N. (2018) A relic of a royal monastery – a buddhist statue and six commonly sacred bricks from the Ming Dynasty are found at the site of Bao'en temple in Nanjing. Cultural Relics, 5, 6987.Google Scholar
Qi, H.N. & Zhou, B.H. (2015) Study on the age, nature and related issues of the taki of the site of da Bao'en temple in Nanjing. Cultural Relics, 5, 6673.Google Scholar
Tite, M.S. (1969) Determination of the firing temperature of ancient ceramics by measurement of thermal expansion: a reassessment. Archaeometry, 11, 131143.10.1111/j.1475-4754.1969.tb00636.xCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wang, Y.P. (1984) The world-famous glazed tower from Nanjing Bao'ensi pagoda. Pp. 214222 in: Proceedings of the Ancient Chinese Capital Society. Zhejiang People's Publishing House, Hangzhou, China.Google Scholar
Xue, W. (2013) SPSS Statistical Analysis Method and Application. Publishing House of Electronics Industry, Beijing, China. 396 pp.Google Scholar
Yang, G.M. (2018) Studies on Manfacturing Techniques's Information and Provenance of Glazed Tiles from Mingzhongdu. Doctoral dissertation. University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China. 140 pp.Google Scholar
Zhang, Z.X. (2003) Flat brackets in the glass pagoda of the Bao'en temple in Nanjing. Pp. 545549 in: Archaeological Collection of Nanjing Museum of Cultural Relics. Cultural Relics Publishing House, Nanjing, China.Google Scholar