The Turquoise Glaze Road: From West Asia to China

ABSTRACT Turquoise glazed wares originating from West Asia offer insights into the history of ceramic technology exchange across Eurasia. Although the imitation of the West Asian turquoise glaze by ancient Chinese potters has been widely discussed, the eastward spread of the turquoise glaze and its contribution to Chinese glaze formulas are less well understood, especially the formula transformation that emerged during the Mongol Empire (the 13th–14th centuries ce ). In this study, four turquoise glazed sherds (9th–14th century ce ) from the Tangchaodun site, Northwest China, were characterized by a combination of μ‐XRF, SEM‐EDS, and Raman spectral mapping analysis. The results fill the gap that different turquoise glazed wares spread to China via the Land Silk Road. Moreover, it is suggested that there are two episodes in which turquoise glazes spread into China. First, western lead–alkali turquoise glaze technology was likely assimilated under Mongol's influence, and subsequently, Chinese potters pioneered the development of local lead‐potash glazes with Chinese traditions during the second half of the 13th century ce . Second, the introduction of the alkali glaze resulted in the innovation of a local potash‐rich type. They both ultimately had a profound impact on the later Fahua glaze.