The Technological Analysis of the Ancient Ceramics Discovered from 'Nanhai No.1 Shipwreck'

Nanhai No.1 Shipwreck' was discovered in Yangjiang City, Guangdong Province. Research on the origins of these out-water ceramics and corrosion products of ceramics play an important role. The component analysis of body and glaze of bluish-white porcelains, celadons, green glazed potteries and the corrosion products specimens of green glazed potteries have been studied by using Micro-focus X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometer (μ-XRF). Then, the observation and phase analysis of corrosion products specimens of green glazed potteries were conducted by using Stereo Microscope (OM) and Raman Spectroscopy (μ-RS). Combined with ceramic archaeological literature, it ws found that: (1) some bluish-white porcelains are characterized by low content of aluminum and high content of silicon (content of Al₂O₃ is less than 19%, content of SiO₂ is almost 73%), which come from Jingdezhen Hutian kiln; another bluish-white porcelain may be from Fujian Province, which needs further support evidence. (2) The celadons all have a high content of silicon and low content of aluminum (Al₂O₃: 13.32%-19.12%; SiO₂: 72.89%-78.30%), which come from Zhejiang Longquan kiln; additionally, some celadons belong to lime glaze which possess more similar characteristics to Longquan kiln of the Northern Song Dynasty; some belong to lime alkaline glaze which possess similar characteristics to Longquan kiln of Southern Song Dynasty. (3) Green glazed pottery samples possess more similar characteristics to the Fujian area, which may come from Fujian CiZao kiln; in order to have in-depth research on corrosion products of green glazed potteries, representative samples are selected to have Raman spectroscopy analysis; the main compositions are black carbon, cerusite and lead phosphate. In this work, technology analysis has been carried out with some underwater ceramic of 'Nanhai No.1 Shipwreck' to identify some origins of ceramics. The results of this study provide an important basis for the study of the origin of the out-water ceramics, corrosion mechanism of ceramics, ceramic water protection of out-water ceramics amongst other aspects of ceramic origin determination.