Decorated vase

This is a small vase made with an ash glaze and wood-fired at 1300°C. The tradition of ash glazes can be traced back to the Shang period in China (c.1500 BC), and it is thought they were produced accidentally, the result of white-hot wood ash being carried through the kiln with the draft of the fire and settling onto the pots, where the searing white heat melted it into a glaze. Different wood ashes alter the outcome dramatically, making it possible to achieve a wide range of unique finishes. This vase was decorated with a natural ash glaze mixed with oxides for shades.