ANALYSIS OF 17TH CENTURY DELFTWARE POTTERY SHERDS FROM LONDON
Author(s): Sarah Paynter
A large assemblage of pottery kiln waste material, derived from the nearby Pickleherring pottery kiln, was discovered in the 17th century back-fill of a large 15th century pond, between Tooley Street and the Thames. The waste material included broken fired clay vessels covered in a friable white coating. The friable coating was found to be an unfired glaze consisting of four original components: finely ground, glassy, predominantly lead frit; particles of lead-tin oxide (lead stannate); particles of quartz and probably some fine clay. Calcium carbonate had crystallised in the glaze during burial and the particles of glass frit had weathered by varying amounts. The clay fabric was inhomogeneous in some areas and was made up by mixing at least two clays together; one of which was rich in calcium oxide. The glaze and clay compositions are consistent with those of Delftware pottery, with its characteristic tin oxide opacified, lead glaze and mixed clay fabric, which was produced in London during the 17th and 18th centuries.
- Report Number:
- 56/2000
- Series:
- AML Reports (New Series)
- Pages:
- 9
- Keywords:
- Ceramic Pottery
