Fritware, also known as stone-paste, is a type of
fine, hard light-coloured pottery in which frit
(ground glass) is added to the clay in order to
reduce its fusion temperature, as the resulting
mixture can be fired at a much lower temperature
than clay alone. The formula may also include
quartz or other siliceous material, with an organic
compound such as gum or glue added for
binding whereas at the final stage a glaze is
applied on the surface for the sake of hardening
the object. Fritware was invented to produce
vessels with a strong white body, which,
combined with the tin- glazing on the surface,
allowed them to approximate the result of
Chinese porcelain. True porcelain was not
manufactured in the Islamic world until several
centuries later whereas in the meantime the finest
Islamic pottery was made of fritware. Chinese
ceramics could be considered as the single most
important stimulus to the development of fine
pottery in the Islamic world. Previously Islamic
potters had produced mainly simple kitchen and
storage wares, unglazed or with low-fired
turquoise glazes. The first meeting with fine
Chinese wares taught them that pottery making
need not be restricted to serving mere utilitarian
ends but could be developed into a skilled artistic
enterprise, producing goods of incredible quality
and of superlative aesthetic standards for the
luxury market. The manufacture of fritware began
in Iraq in the 9th century. Between the 10th and
the 12th centuries the main centre of manufacture
moved to Egypt, from where the technique then
spread throughout the Middle-East. In the 13th
century the town of Kashan in the Isfahan region
in today- Iran was an important centre for the
production of fritware. A wide variety of forms are
included to the ceramic production attributed to
Kashan, from vessels of closed forms such as
bottles through plates and bowls to tilework of
various dimensions. The town was well situated
for the development of this industry, being
located near sources of some of the materials
necessary for manufacturing the fritware. The
high quality wares produced in the late 12th to
14th centuries in Iran, particularly those
decorated with luster, are notable for the
loquacity of their inscriptions
- (JB.1158)
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