The 7th-century, double-humped Camel, made by an anonymous artist, has a streaked glaze effect produced during firing.
The China wares you might see displayed behind glass in your grandmother’s dining room originate from the golden age of China’s Tang Dynasty (618–907). Around 19,000 years after the first ceramic vessels from Xianrendong Cave, the Tang developed and perfected the manufacture of porcelain. Trade by sea and along the Silk Road enabled the exchange of goods with India and the Middle East, and may have led to the discovery of new chemical compounds for the invention of three-colored glazes. With a precise and controlled casting technique and the development of green, amber, yellow, and blue glazes, the Chinese created delicate, fine-bodied porcelain wares that elevated pottery to a sophisticated class of artistry. The 7th-century, double-humped Camel, made by an anonymous artist, has a streaked glaze effect produced during firing. The detail is the result of a Sancai (“three-color”) glaze that is believed to have been used for burial purposes.