7 September 2018

Mainardo Gaudenzi and Judit Molera co-organised a very sucessful session about Glazes in #EAA2018

GLAZE PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY IN THE MEDIEVAL AND POST-MEDIEVAL MEDITERRANEAN
Theme: The archaeology of material culture, bodies and landscapes
Organisers: Ting, Carmen (University of Cyprus) – Molera, Judit (Universitat de Vic – Universitat Central de Catalunya) – Salinas, Elena (Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya) – Vionis, Athanasios (University of Cyprus) – Gaudenzi Asinelli, Mainardo (Universitat de Vic – Universitat Central de Catalunya)

Glaze production is considered as a technological innovation reflecting the interactions among various groups that represented the East and West in medieval and post-medieval Mediterranean (c. AD 700 – 1750). As such, plenty of studies have been conducted on characterising the chemical and physical properties, and the fabrication techniques of medieval and post-medieval glazes drawing examples from the eastern and western Mediterranean. However, very few attempts have been made to compare and establish the link between the development of glaze production technology across both sides of the Mediterranean, even though these two regions experienced parallel socio-political transformations during this time period.
In an attempt to bridge this gap in the existing research framework, this session aims at addressing the following themes:

(1) to explore the local patterns of glaze production technology and its implications for the broader historical developments;

(2) to map the spatial and temporal trends in glaze production technology across both sides of the Mediterranean; and ultimately,

(3) to delineate the processes and means through which technological knowledge and practice in glaze production was transmitted.

ABSTRACTS
01 THE USE OF TIN- AND ANTIMONY-BASED YELLOW AND WHITE OPACIFIERS IN ISLAMIC GLAZED CERAMICS
Author(s): Tite, Michael (University of Oxford) – Salinas, Elena (Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya) – Pradell, Trinitat (Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya) – Matin, Moujan (University of Oxford)
Presentation Format: Oral
Lead antimonate and calcium antimonate were used to produce, respectively, yellow and white opaque glass in Egypt and the Near
East from about 1500 BC onwards. Then, sometime during 4th century AD, they were replaced, respectively, by lead stannate and tin
oxide in the production of yellow and white opaque Roman and Byzantine glass. Subsequently, following the Byzantine glass production technology, the first Islamic yellow and white opaque glazes were produced in Egypt and the Levant in the 8th century AD. From there, the tin-based glaze technology spread eastwards into Mesopotamia where the production of white opaque glazes, based on a different formulation, became dominant during the 9th century AD.
From 9th century AD Mesopotamia, the primary developments were the spread of the production of lead stannate opacified yellow
glazes eastwards to Iran, Central Asia, and ultimately into India, and the corresponding spread of the production of tin oxide opacified
white glazes westwards to Egypt, across North Africa, into Spain, and ultimately into Italy for the production of maiolica. However,
in addition, in Egypt and North Africa during the 9th – 11th centuries AD, there was a switch to the use of lead antimonate in the
production of Islamic yellow opaque glazes.
After a brief review of the development and spread of the production of Islamic tin-based yellow and white opaque glazes, new data
on the compositions and microstructures of lead antimonate yellow opaque glazes from Egypt will be presented. The possible reasons for the switch to use of lead antimonate as a glaze opacifier will be considered, together with its possible link to the subsequent use of lead antimonate as a yellow pigment in the decoration of Italian maiolica ceramics.

02 THE BEGINNINGS OF TIN-OPACIFIED ISLAMIC GLAZES IN WESTERN MEDITERRANEAN
Author(s): Salinas, Elena – Pradell, Trinitat (Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya)
Presentation Format: Oral
Recent studies have revised the information available up to day about the beginning of tin-opacified Islamic glazed, proposing an
Egyptian and Syrian origin (8th century), instead of an Abbasid Iraqi one (9th century) (Tite et al 2015; Watson 2014). This research
has been based in diffusion of the lead stannate opaque yellow glazes through the eastern Islamic world.
However, until very recently, it was not known about the beginnings of tin-opacified glazes in the other side of the Mediterranean,
in western Islamic lands. Although, it was generally accepted that the tin technology started later than in the Eastern and that the
technological transfer came from there, it was not known where, when and how began to be produced.
After a brief review of what is known about the earliest tin-opacified Islamic glazes of the western Islamic lands (north Africa, Iberia and western and central Mediterranean islands), we will present the earliest white tin-opacified glazes produced in al-Andalus from
two archaeological contexts, dated in the late 9th-early 10th centuries. These tin opaque glazes are earlier than the Caliphate tinglazed ware found at Madinat al-Zahra (939-1010 AD). We have analysed this material microscopically, by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) with Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Optical Microscopy.

03 NEW DATA FROM THE STUDY OF THE EARLY ISLAMIC GLAZED CERAMIC VESSELS OF MEDINA ELVIRA
(GRANADA, SPAIN)
Author(s): Martinez Alvarez, Cristina (University of Granada)
Presentation Format: Oral
The recent investigations developed around early Islamic town of Medina Elvira (Granada) have confirmed the importance of this site
to understand how cities were formed in al-Andalus and the evolution of urban spaces in emiral and caliphal period in the south of
Iberia. The aim of this work is to show the outcomes of the recent archaeometric analysis carried out in the glazed ceramics recover
from a domestic rubbish-dump of the city chronologically dated between the second half of the 9th century and the end of the 10th
century. Specifically, about six pieces of tableware (ataifores and small jars) and some glazed lamps were analysed. All of them cover in different colours, and with or without decoration presented.
The final objective of this study is to present the preliminary results of the analyses carried out on glazed ceramics from this context
using for the characterization of the chemical composition of the matrix-glazed interfaced, of the glazed decoration and of the
matrix-clay the SEM-EDS (Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy). The analyses have been carried out on the most standardized glass productions, which are considered “local” manufactures after a morphometric study of the vessels, as well as others that seem to come from other pottery centres, in order to understand the characteristics, dissemination and
technology of these potteries.

04 CROSS-CRAFT INTERACTION BETWEEN GLASS AND GLAZE TECHNOLOGIES IN THE MEDIEVAL
IBERIAN PENINSULA
Author(s): Duckworth, Chloe (Newcastle University) – Govantes Edwards, David (Universidade Nova de Lisboa)
Presentation Format: Oral
Now playing a prominent role in our understanding of medieval technology transfer, and its social context, the chemistry of medieval
glazed ceramics in the Iberian Peninsula has been studied with great success for several years. Far less attention, however, has
been paid to their vitreous cousin: glass. Yet glass and ceramic glazes are closely related materials, made with many of the same raw ingredients and colourants, and involving a shared pyro-technological expertise.
Our research combines archaeological, historical, and chemical evidence, to examine the social and technological context of glass
production and consumption in medieval Iberia. We are currently conducting an ongoing, large-scale programme of chemical analysis of glass remains including production waste, beads and bangles, and vessel fragments, along with a smaller number of glazed ceramics.
Most of the sampled remains come from southern Spain, and were collected as part of the ‘al-Andalus Glass Project’. Using
preliminary findings from analysis of over 200 of these samples by EPMA-WDS and LA-ICP-MS, we will examine questions related to
technological trajectories, cross-craft interaction, and technology transfer. In particular, at what point was primary glass production
(re-)introduced to the Iberian Peninsula, and was it stimulated by, or in some way related to, glaze technology?

05 COMPARING GLAZES TECHNIQUES: THE CASE OF BARCELONA AND SEVILLA
Author(s): Madrid i Fernández, Marisol – Fernández de Marcos García, Cristina – Buxeda i Garrigós, Jaume – Peix Visiedo, Judith (University of Barcelona; Cultura Material i Arqueometria UB – ARQUB, GRACPE)
Presentation Format: Oral
The trend of glazing is an innovation on pottery production technology that became common in western Europe from the late twelfth
century onwards. But the process of “glazing” entails different degrees of complexity according to the intended final object, that
might involve a great variety of raw materials. Accordingly, simple glazing process consists of a single layer applied over the surface
of the body, becoming a shiny and transparent coat after firing. The addition of pigments would result in coloured but still transparent
ending glaze. More complicate production sequence occurs in glazed pottery with decorative motifs, where opacifiers, pigments
and metals are added to the glaze, in order to produce an opaque white glaze to enhance the decoration. This glaze is applied to the
bisque pottery and manufactured during a second or third firing. More examples of the diversity of glaze pottery are those when a
slip is added between the body and the glaze, avoiding the use of the typical tin oxide as opacifier.
With the aim to deepen knowledge of glazing technique, glazes from coarse pottery, cooking pottery, polychrome coarse pottery
and majolica from Barcelona (13th-18th centuries) and Seville (15th-18th centuries) have been studied. The application of the glaze,
the thickness, and the composition of glazes (raw materials, opacifiers, pigments and/or metals) have been examined in greater detail by means of Scanning Electronic Microscopy (SEM). Through this study, we intend to observe whether the complexity revealed
for the pottery production for both centres, is also correlated with a great diversity on glazes technique. Besides, similarities and
differences in the technological process on coarse and cooking ware compared with majolica for both centres, might suggest a
unique tradition widespread over the Iberian Peninsula or, perhaps, we are facing different ways, or recipes, to obtain a similar result.

06 ISLAMIC GLAZED WARES FROM ANCIENT TERMEZ (SOUTHERN UZBEKISTAN). RAW MATERIALS AND
TECHNIQUES COMPARED WITH MEDITERRANEAN CONTEMPORARY PRODUCTIONS
Author(s): Molera, Judit (Universitat de Vic) – Martínez Farreras, Veronica – Fusaro, Agnese – Gurt Esparraguera, Josep M. (Universitat de Barcelona) – Pradell, Trinitat (Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya)
Presentation Format: Oral
Ancient Termez, located on the southern border of Transoxiana/Mawarannahr, was an important pottery production centre during
the Islamic period. Recent archaeological and archaeometric research carried out by the Spanish-Uzbek archaeological team evidenced the manufacture of glazed and unglazed vessels at the workshops found in the lower city (shahristan) and its suburbs
(rabad). Glazed local products, mainly dated between the 9th and 16th/17th centuries, include slip-painted, underglaze and inglaze
painted wares, splashed sgraffiato, and monochrome wares. The present study focuses on the chemical, mineralogical and petrographic examination of different types of glazed surfaces in order to identify the composition of the materials, glaze recipes, the
technological processes involved in their manufacture, and their evolution over the centuries. Thin polished sections were prepared
and slips and glazes were analysed by optical microscopy (OM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Crystalline phases inside
glazes (crystals and raw particles associated with pigments) were identified by micro-XRD. The composition of glazes, slips and pigments will be compared with Islamic contemporary productions made at Iberian Peninsula as well as a detailed study about opacifying technique. Besides the local glazed products, the study also investigates lustre painted vessels and opaque white glazed items imported at Termez from distant western lands.

07 GLAZED PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY IN GOLDEN HORDE (1266 – 1341). QUESTIONS OF GENESIS.
Author(s): Bocharov, Sergei (Alfred Khalikov Institute of Archaeology Academy of Scienses Tatarstan Republic; Kazan Federal University, Laboratory)
Presentation Format: Oral
At the edge of the 13th – 14th centuries the ceramic complex obtained in the archaeological research on the sites of South-Eastern
Europe this significant changing, and innovations largely related to the origin of mass local production of glazed pottery. So in the
8th – first half of the 13th centuries on cities and settlements of the Northern Black Sea Region used only imported glazed pottery.
The main part of glazed pottery in this region introduce from the central and peripheral parts of the Byzantine Empire, a small part
of dishes imported from the territories of Iran and Syria. This situation cardinally changed with the origin of the Mongolian Empire
from the middle of the 13th century. In the Golden Horde cities of Sudak and Solkhat and in Genoese Caffa, begins mass production
of glazed pottery, the finds of which in the 14th – 15th centuries will be represented in a significant part of the territory of Eastern
Europe. Glazed pottery may used lake an additional chronoindicator for the dating of cultural layers. Productions of the cities of the
South-Eastern Crimea are recognizable even by little and small fragments. One of the tasks of our study was the research of this
group of ceramics by the methods of emission optical spectroscopy and X-ray fluorescence analysis on the big comparative background.
More than 600 samples of ceramics became the basis of the study, among which, the main series of vessels made in cities
of the South-Eastern Crimea (more than 200 pieces), other samples of glazed pottery made in the Golden Horde cities of the Volga
region, Volga Bulgaria, the North Caucasus, in various points of the Northern Black Sea Region and the Near and Middle East (Turkey, Syria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Uzbekistan).

08 THE EARLIEST GLAZED CERAMICS IN CONSTANTINOPLE: A REGIONAL OR INTERNATIONAL
PHENOMENON?
Author(s): Armstrong, Pamela (University of Oxford; Campion Hall)
Presentation Format: Oral
The starting point of my paper is Hayes’ publication of the earliest securely-dated lead-glazed wares in the Byzantine sphere, from
the excavations of the church of St. Polyeuktos in Constantinople. These seventh-century wares are compared with the earliest
known glazed wares in the Islamic world, namely from the royal complex at Samarra. It is proposed that the technique of glazing in
the Christian era was transmitted from Egypt via Syria to Bithynia through a network of monasteries. From Bithynia it was transmitted
to Constantinople. It will be suggested that, with supporting evidence, the glazing technique then went from Constantinople to
the Islamic world and Samarra in particular. In the Islamic world experiments with the glaze composition produced tin-opacified lead
glazes which became the hallmark of Islamic ceramics. One of the most notable is the famous cordon of tiles that adorn the Great
Mosque in Cordoba which is included in the progression of glaze techniques in the east and west Mediterranean. This is followed by a consideration of evidence to date, both archaeological and archaeometric about the earliest lead-glazed wares in Italy and southern
Europe. The paper ends with a consideration of the adoption in southern Italy of tin-opacified glazes in the medieval period contemporary with the plain lead glazes of northern Italy.

09 FIRING GLAZED WARES IN BYZANTINE KILNS: CONTINUITIES AND CHANGES IN THE TECHNOLOGY OF
GLAZED POTTERY PRODUCTION (11TH-15TH C.)
Author(s): Raptis, Konstantinos (Ephorate of Antiquities of Thessaloniki)
Presentation Format: Oral
This paper examines the continuities and changes in the technology applied in the byzantine glazed pottery production during the
second firing that was necessary in order the lead-based glaze to be stabilized on the surface of the pre-fired wares.
Based on findings in Middle-Byzantine context, the glazed wares from the eleventh until the late twelfth century were produced in
small quantities as luxurious products, meant to be consumed by the byzantine aristocracy. During this period, the second firing
of the glazed wares was accomplished in kilns with clay rods, which seem to have been introduced in the byzantine world from the
Islamic technological tradition. These were one-storey, updraft furnaces with unified combustion and firing chamber, where-in the
glazed wares were put on successive series of shelves, made with clay rods that were projecting over the hearth. In this kiln type
the byzantine glazed wares were placed upright on the clay-rod shelves, or sometimes were hanging from sigmoid hangers that were
applied on the rods.
From the early decades of the thirteenth century onwards, as the Late-Byzantine glazed table-wares became a mass-trend, several
changes were made in their production in order their quantity to be maximized. Thus, even though the lead-based glaze remained
chemically unalterable, the kilns with rods—that continued to form the main kiln type of the workshops operating in Western Europe
became a rarity in the Byzantine territory, since the Late byzantine potters used to accomplish the second firing of the glazed
wares in regular, two-storey updraft kilns, wherein the glazed wares were stacked upside down inside separated between each other
by hand-made, mould-made, or wheel-made tripod stilts, which, even though they were leaving a triple mark on the inner surface of
the glazed bowls or plates, prevented the adherence of the production.

10 THE PRODUCTION OF GLAZED CERAMICS IN THE MIDDLE BYZANTINE PERIOD: A VIEW FROM
KYTHERA
Author(s): Kiriatzi, Evangelia (British School at Athens) – Georgakopoulou, Myrto (University College London-Qatar) – Vroom, Joanita
(University of Leiden)
Presentation Format: Oral
This paper focuses on the study of a small assemblage of Middle Byzantine pottery (12th c. AD) recovered on the island of Kythera,
Greece. It concerned material from a refuse pit, most probably associated with a single episode of discard and included both glazed
and unglazed ceramics.
A combination of petrographic and elemental (through WD-XRF) analyses was undertaken for the bodies, to address issues of provenance and technology while scanning electron microscopy was used to investigate the composition and technology of application of the slips and glazes, as well as the firing temperatures of the ceramic bodies. The petrographic and chemical analyses of the bodies clearly show that all had a remarkably similar composition, suggesting a common place of production, which was not compatible with an origin in Kythera and indeed compares very closely with the published profile of the ‘Middle Byzantine Production’. Based on recent evidence by research in central Greece, a more precise definition of provenance can be now achieved. Interestingly, the standardisation seen in the body composition is not reflected in the composition of the glazes. All are high lead glazes, but the lead content is variable, as is the evidence for application techniques. Interesting variations are also noted in the white slip compositions, with at least two different types recognised. The colourants are typical of this period, including copper-based green, and manganese or iron-based brown. Such new evidence enhances our understanding of pottery production and trade in the Middle Byzantine period but also of the technology of Byzantine glazes.
As the above evidence on production and technology comes from a consumption context on Kythera at the fringes of the Byzantine
Empire, the current study provides also a significant insight into aspects of consumption and trade.

11 THE MEDIEVAL AEGEAN BETWEEN EAST AND WEST: ASSESSING GLAZING TECHNOLOGIES AT GREEK
POTTERY WORKSHOPS UNDER BYZANTINE AND LATIN RULES
Author(s): Liard, Florence (IRAMAT-CRP2A, Université Bordeaux Montaigne; Fitch Laboratory, British School at Athens) – Ben Amara, Ayed – Chapoulie, Rémy (IRAMAT-CRP2A, Université Bordeaux Montaigne) – Della Ventura, Giancarlo – Sodo, Armida (Universita Roma Tre, Dipartimento Scienze) – Kiriatzi, Evangelia – Muller, Noemi (Fitch Laboratory, British School at Athens)
Presentation Format: Oral
In the aftermath of the Fourth Crusade (1204), the Byzantine Empire in Greece transformed to a mosaic of feudal territories, with
influxes of Frank and Italian settlers interrupted by the presence of the Catalan itinerant army in the early 14th century. Commercial
networks, which had been connecting various peoples across the eastern Mediterranean, were reconfigured in the hands of Venice
and Genoa. New markets, including Greeks and Latins, developed in former Byzantine cities of Greece, thereby shaping new aesthetics and demands.
Since at least the 9th century, lead-rich glaze-decorated tableware assemblages had been reflecting some changing patterns of
commerce and artistic connections over the Mediterranean. In the 12th century, the Aegean region obtained a strategic position
within these exchange networks, with the development of several trade and production centers of these wares. Nonetheless, technological aspects of glaze production in Greece remain largely unknown.
This paper aims at shedding new light on this topic, through a multidisciplinary approach addressing glaze preparation, application,
colouring and firing methods using SEM/EDS, Raman Spectroscopy, and optical microscopy. Methodological aspects of glaze analysis are also considered, particularly the variations in glaze composition induced by the interaction between lead glaze and body or slip, patterns of pigment dispersion, and slip composition.
The analysis applies to 14th-century Sgraffito wares with a yellow glaze whose provenance has been ascribed to the areas of Thessaloniki (Byzantine Thrace – 4 samples), Thebes (Frankish/Catalan Boeotia – 4 samples) and Corinth, then under Florentine control (Peloponnese – 5 samples). Samples from western Anatolian and northern Italian workshops (Liguria, Veneto) provide references to glazing and colouring techniques adopted in Latin and Byzantine homelands. The goal is to assess how political conditions and ethnic diversity over the 14th-century Greece may have influenced local developments in glazing techniques, possibly through learning between potters and craftsmen mobility.

12 THE ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT OF LOCAL GLAZE TECHNOLOGY IN MEDIEVAL CYPRUS
Author(s): Ting, Carmen – Vionis, Athanasios – Kassianidou, Vasiliki (University of Cyprus)
Presentation Format: Oral
It has been argued that the production of glazed tablewares did not take place in Cyprus until the 13th century AD, which was not
only significantly later than other production centres in the Mediterranean, but also coincided with the time when the vying of domination over the island among the Latin political powers and later with the Ottomans intensified. Against this background, one may question to what extent the initial introduction of glaze technology to Cyprus and its development in the centuries that followed was related to the drastic and frequent changes to the socio-political orders? Thus, this study seeks to investigate the glaze technology – with specific emphasis on the composition of the glaze and associated ceramic body, the type of colourant used, the sources of raw materials, and the method of glaze application – of various assemblages of glazed wares produced in Cyprus between the 13th and 16th centuries AD. Analytical methods including scanning electron microscopy energy dispersive spectrometry (SEM-EDS), thin-section petrography, and X-ray diffraction (XRD) are used to characterise the variation in the technology that was used to glaze the tablewares. The data generated are compared with the published ones to explore the degree of similarity between the Cypriot glaze technology and the contemporaneous examples. The observed patterns are further interpreted with reference to the historical contexts to determine whether or not the changes in local glaze technology corresponded with the changes in socio-political
orders, as well as to highlight the possible means through which technological knowledge and practices were transmitted.

13 CHARACTERIZATION OF MEDIEVAL GLAZED CERAMICS OF THE EAST PLAIN CILICIA SURVEY
Author(s): Tülek, Füsun (Kocaeli University Faculty of Arts and Sciences) – Aktaş, Gülşah – Atapek, Hakan – Polat, Şeyda (Kocaeli University, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering)
Presentation Format: Oral
Macroscopic analyses enable to distinguish Zeuxippus ware and Port Saint Symeon ware among the bulk of medieval glazed ceramic shards collected during the archaeological survey in East Plain Cilicia. Both of the well-known medieval glazed ceramics have a wide distribution in all over the Mediterranean basin. Numerous workshops in Constantinople, Aegean and Mediterranean coasts produced Zeuxippus ware or Zeuxippus Family so as the shards of Port Saint Symeon. Initial goals of the analyses are to detect discrepancies in glaze components and application techniques of the ceramic shards so as to find out the distinctive features. For this purpose further examinations of the glazed shards have been carried out by Light Microscope (LM), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Energy Dispersive Spectrometer (EDS) and X-Ray Diffractometer (XRD) in order to identify the microstructural and analytical characteristics of three basic components i.e. substrate (ceramic), filler and glaze materials in shards. For the experimental studies, the samples were taken to reveal the properties of three basic components. Cross sections of the samples were prepared by metallographic methods namely, grinding and polishing. The cross sections were examined by LM and quantitative analyses were carried out. SEM studies were done by using material contrast to reveal different oxide forms and EDS was used to determine the elemental compositions of these oxides. In addition to the microanalysis, XRD studies were also carried out to identify the oxide phases. Results were compared to understand the similarities and differences between Zeuxippus and Port Saint Symeon wares.

14 MILETUS WARE: AN EARLY OTTOMAN MARKER OF A CERAMIC TECHNOLOGY TRANSITION IN WESTERN ANATOLIA
Author(s): Burlot, Jacques (Koç University – Research Center for Anatolian Civilizations – Istanbul; ArAr UMR 5138 – Laboratory of Archaeology et Archaeometry – Lyon) – Waksman, Yona (CNRS – The French National Center for Scientific Research; ArAr UMR 5138 – Laboratory of Archaeology et Archaeometry – Lyon) – Teslenko, Iryna (National Ukrainian Academy of Science – Institute of Archeology – Department of Archeology of Crimea and North-Western Black Sea Region – Kyiv) – Bellot-Gurlet, Ludovic (Sorbonne Universités – UPMC
Université Pierre et Marie Curie-Paris 6; MONARIS UMR 8233 – Paris)
Presentation Format: Oral
Previous studies demonstrated a clear difference between Byzantine and Ottoman glazes produced in western Anatolia; the first
being of transparent high-lead type, and the second, at its summit in the 16th century, of lead-alkali type with a slight tin opacification. Our recent study on the so-called Miletus Ware, suggests that this early Ottoman pottery might be the key to understand
this technological transition. Indeed, the Miletus Ware is considered one of the first produced by Ottoman potters and features
typological and stylistic characteristics which coincide with the introduction of new recipes and the use of new materials, which will
be further developed in later Ottoman times.
Our study was conducted on archaeological samples of Miletus Ware from eight sites in Turkey and Crimea, whose productions were
defined and contextualized through archaeological research and provenance studies carried out by elemental analyses by WD-XRF
of the ceramic bodies. The results that will be presented focus on the decoration techniques defined by analyses of glazes and underglaze paintings using SEM-EDS and Raman spectroscopy.
These results show that there were two main innovations in the Miletus Ware glaze production technology. First, its glaze recipe
included new sodium-based fluxes. Second, some underglaze decorations like the black and dark blue ones – obtained respectively
with pigments featuring magnesiochromite and cobalt – were produced with materials that potters in western Anatolia did not use
before. These observations demonstrate that Miletus Ware was a marker of a technological transition in late medieval western
Anatolia, whose production implied the use of new resources, as well as the creation of new commercial relationships in the ceramic
industry of this region, likely favoured by the expansion of the Ottoman empire.