Application of EDXRF and Thermal Expansion Analysis for the Study of the Origin of Celadon from the Song and Jin Dynasties (960–1279 CE) at the Shuyuan Street Site, China

Abstract

This study investigates the origin and trade of celadon during the Song and Jin Dynasties at the Shuyuan Street site in Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China. A total of 39 celadon samples from the corresponding stratigraphic layers were selected for analysis. Energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) spectroscopy was employed to determine the chemical composition of both the body and glaze, while a thermal dilatometer (TD) was used to measure the firing temperature. The samples were categorized into two distinct types: one type likely originated from the Yaozhou kiln in Shaanxi Province during the Northern Song Dynasty, characterized by a high-calcium glaze with firing temperature ranges from 1280°C to 1330°C. The other type likely originated from the Donggou kiln in Henan Province during the Jin Dynasty, featuring calcium and calcium-alkali glazes with firing temperature ranges from 1200°C to 1222°C. The analysis indicates that a trade relationship for celadon existed between the Zhengzhou and Shaanxi regions during the Northern Song period. Additionally, during the overlapping periods of the Southern Song and Jin Dynasties, celadon trade in the Zhengzhou region was predominantly centered around nearby kilns.