Circulation of Tang Sancai wares and lead materials in the two capital cities of the Tang empire

Abstract

The Tang Sancai wares, a type of sumptuous ceramics, were produced for elite consumers, particularly those living in the two capital cities, Chang'an and Luoyang. The authors collected samples of Tang Sancai wares unearthed from the residence of the eminent poet Juyi Bai in Luoyang City, the royal Taiye Pond in the Daming Palace, a collateral tomb of Zhaoling, and the tomb of Prince Yide in the domain of Chang'an City, and analyzed the chemical compositions of their bodies and the lead isotopes of their glazes to determine their provenance and circulation patterns. The chemical compositions of their bodies indicate that the Tang Sancai wares were produced at the three kilns of Huangye, Huangbao, and Liquanfang. The lead isotopes of the glazes show that lead materials were circulated among the three kilns, and the products of the three kilns were traded in the two capitals, which was instituted by the heavy traffic of the migrating imperial court and governmental personnel between the two capital cities during the Tang dynasty.