Incecce burner with green glaze.

Collection NumberA000760
TitleIncecce burner with green glaze.
DateHeian period, 9th century.
Artist, Kiln, Workshop猿投窯 Sanage ware
Name of prefectures & citiesAichi prefecture, Japan
Place of excavationPerhaps excavated from Nagahama city (Asahi-cho), Shiga
Description of works【Ryokuyu-toki (green-glazed ware) — among the most luxurious ceramics made in Japan】
In the ninth century CE, the Sanage Kilns began producing ceramics with a glaze called ryokuyu that turns green when fired. This glaze is a blend of precise amounts of lead, copper, and other metals. Works coated with this glaze also had to be fired at specific temperatures. Because of the level of precision required, technological expertise had to be brought in from the Heiankyo (ancient Kyoto) area, which preceded Sanage in the production of ryokuyu-toki.
 The sophisticated techniques required for creating ryokuyu-toki limited the number of production sites, making it one of the most expensive ceramics in Japan. The rokuyu-toki made by the Sanage Kilns in particular had a reputation for being of the finest quality and they were distributed widely across Japan. This type of koro (incense burner) usually had a lid embellished with open work and flamboyant floral patterns.

PageTop