Accession Number1983/1.339
TitleSaggar Button
Artist(s)ChineseArtist NationalityChinese (culture or style)Object Creation Date960-1279Medium & Supportcoarse refractory clayDimensions 13/16 in x 2 1/8 in x 2 in (2 cm x 5.4 cm x 5 cm);13/16 in x 2 1/8 in x 2 in (2 cm x 5.4 cm x 5 cm)
Credit LineThe James Marshall Plumer Memorial CollectionSubject matterSaggar button from the Jian kilns. This button would sit on the bottom of the saggar below the Jian teabowl, to protect the saggar from running and dripping glaze from the teabowl, or even the extreme case of overfired melting bowls.
As early as the Tang dynasty (618-907) the area of today’s Fujian province was famous for its tea production. Naturally, the kilns in that region specialized in tea wares, both provincial and for the court. During the Song dynasty a cluster of kilns, known as the Jian kilns, became famous for their sole production of dark iron-rich glazed stoneware teabowls.
Physical DescriptionDisk of coarse refractory, ceramic clay.
Primary Object Classification Ceramic Primary Object TypesaggarCollection AreaAsianRightsIf you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit
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Keywords
chawan
saggers
stoneware (pottery)
tea bowls
temmoku