The early porcelain kilns of Arita: Identification of raw materials and their use from the 17th to the 19th century

Abstract

Porcelain stone used at the early kilns of Arita, Japan, has never been identified due to the lack of written records. Ryumon and Shirakawa deposits are considered to have possibly been exploited before Izumiyama was discovered in the early 1630s, but there are no records or any previous scientific research aimed at resolving such crucial issue. This work presents the first systematic scientific study of clays from the three deposits and shards excavated at early kiln sites. Portable ED-XRF and SEM-EDS were used to identify the chemical compositions of bodies, glazes, and geochemical characteristics of clays. XRD, TG-DSC, and FTIR-ATR spectroscopy were also used for the mineralogical characterization of clay bodies. Results show that the earliest production was marked by the mineralogical characteristics of the available raw materials. A gradual improvement in material selection and processing will lead to the development of the nigoshide (milky-white) body in the mid-17th century.