µXRD mapping of historical Chinese ceramics

The brown-glazed ceramics manufactured during the Song Dynasty constitute an essential group in the history of Chinese ceramics. These objects, manufactured all across the Song Empire, were particularly appreciated for tea drinking, as their dark glazes aesthetically contrast with the white froth of the whipped tea. Interestingly, the characteristic brown hue of these ceramics is due to the presence of ε-Fe2O3 dendrites at the surface of the glazes, an otherwise rare ferric oxide. Understanding the growth of such structures is key to providing insights on the firing conditions of these products. Knowing the nature and spatial distribution of the crystalline phases across the glazes is therefore essential.