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The technique of Greek black and terra sigillata red

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 November 2011

Mavis Bimson
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Extract

Classical pottery such as terra sigillata has no parallel in the post-classical world, and was studied by scholars for many years before the methods of its manufacture were known. It is remarkable that practically none of the research on the technical aspect was carried out in England, and, in spite of their great interest, the processes involved still seem to be little understood here. It is the purpose of this paper to review these processes, to show how various misconceptions have arisen in regard to them, and also to suggest some more probable explanations in the light of work done recently at the British Museum laboratory.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Antiquaries Journal , Volume 36 , Issue 3-4 , October 1956 , pp. 200 - 204
Copyright
Copyright © The Society of Antiquaries of London 1956

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References

page 200 note 1 This term was used by Charleston, R. J. in Roman Pottery (London, 1955).Google Scholar

page 200 note 2 Brongniart, A., Traité des arts ceramiques (Paris, 1844).Google Scholar

page 200 note 3 The black glaze in common use by potters at that time.

page 200 note 4 Durand-Gréville, E., ‘Couleur du décor des vases grecs’, in Revue Archéologique, 1891, pp. 99—118.Google Scholar

page 200 note 5 Ferric oxide, Fe2O3.

page 201 note 1 ‘The Genesis of the Greek Black Glaze’, in American Journal of Archaeology, xxxiii (1929), 1–10.Google Scholar

page 201 note 2 ‘Some Aspects of Glazes, Engobes and Terra Sigillata,’ International Ceramic Congress, Maastricht.

page 201 note 3 D.R.P. 299493.

page 201 note 4 D.R.P. 660928.

page 201 note 5 Chent. Weekblad, xxxviii (1941), 262.Google Scholar

page 201 note 6 Dr. Rijken states that his muscovite mineral closely resembled the mineral to which Grimm gave the name illite.

page 202 note 1 Schumann, T., Ber. Deut. Keram. Ges. xxiii (1942), 408–26.Google Scholar

page 202 note 2 For example, kaolinite is 4[Al2Si2O5(OH)4]; illite is K2–3Al11Si12–13O35–36(OH)12–13. Naturally occurring illite almost invariably contains iron as an impurity.

page 202 note 3 Lane, A., Greek Pottery (London, 1948).Google Scholar

page 202 note 4 Loc. cit.

page 202 note 5 Deposits of suitable clay are found in N. America (see Kenny, J. B., The Complete Book of Pottery Making, p. 218Google Scholar) but the Ceramic Research Association could not tell me of an English clay sufficiently rich in illite. The only sigillata kilnknown in this country is the one at Colchester; I found the local London clay which is dug to make bricks quite unsuitable for terra sigillata. However, the clay which was discovered packed in pits around the kiln site did give a gloss though of rather poor quality, not unlike that found on the greater part of the kiln's products. It would be very interesting to know the source of this clay, and the author is very grateful to Mr. M. R. Hull, F.S.A., of the ColChester and Essex Museum, for a sample of it.

page 202 note 6 Hussong, L., Zur Technik der Attischen Geasskeramik, Inaugural Diss. (Heidelberg, 1928), p. 34.Google Scholar

page 202 note 7 Antike Denkmaeler, i (Berlin, 1891), pl. 1.Google Scholar

page 203 note 1 Through the interest of Mr. F. J. Watson. An account of this experiment has not yet been published.

page 203 note 2 Richter, G. M. A. in The Annual of the British School at Athens, xlvi (1951), 143–50.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

page 203 note 3 These oxides were not identified.

page 204 note 1 Loc. cit.

page 204 note 2 By Rijken and Favejee, loc. cit.

page 204 note 3 It may be noted that illite is closely related to mica (muscovite) which occurs in large laminated sheets.