PIXE Study on Chinese Underglaze-Red Porcelain Made in Yuan Dynasty

Abstract

This paper reports the results of the PIXE analysis of ancient Chinese underglaze red porcelain produced at Kuan kiln (Jingdezhen, Jiangxi province) in the Yuan dynasty (AD1206-1368). In China, the firing and glazed red techniques of producing underglaze-red porcelain began early in the Yuan dynasty. So far the published date from the scientific investigation on the ancient Chinese underglaze red porcelain are rather scarce due to the difficulty of sample collection. In this study elemental composition analysis of the obtained samples was carried out using the PIXE facility of the 3MeV tandem accelerator at the Fudan University. The major, minor and trace elements of the clay body, white and red glazes were determined, and details of the results are presented. The obtained data can be used for identification of precious Chinese Yuan underglaze-red porcelain.