| The Koreans have used potteries from 7000 to | | | | 1392) - during this epoch some of the best |
| 8000 years ago. Since ancient times they used | | | | small scale works of ceramics were |
| to make pottery by firing clay at a heat of | | | | accomplished in Korea. In this age the |
| 1300 degree Celsius. They produced unique, | | | | potters made foliate designs, key fret, |
| original and beautiful pottery. They traded | | | | geometric shapes, elliptical panels, stylized |
| extensively with China and adopted | | | | fishes and insects, and they started using |
| manufacturing skills of Celadon. | | | | incised designs from this era. The glazes |
| | | | used, were different shades of Celadon. For |
| Korean pottery is healthy and alive due to | | | | stoneware and storage goods they used black |
| its good natural disposition. The Korean | | | | and brown glazes. |
| potters believed in nature and sought to be a | | | | |
| part of it. So they lived in deep recesses of | | | | 3. Korean pottery in Joseon dynasty (1392 to |
| mountains to give a natural touch to their | | | | 1910) - it can be called the golden era of |
| wares and used simple colors with liberal | | | | Korean pottery. The Korean ceramics developed |
| techniques for molding the clay prior to | | | | to a great extent and pottery was produced in |
| making the pottery. | | | | a large commercial scale for export. The |
| | | | quality of the pottery also improved |
| Korean pottery can be studied in terms of | | | | considerably. They followed the Chinese Ming |
| three empires. These three empires which | | | | Dynasty in evolving their improved range of |
| present the foundation of Korean ceramic | | | | pottery and they are similar in certain |
| history also reflect the culture of pottery | | | | aspects to the Chinese wares. Storage |
| during this era. These three kingdoms are - | | | | pottery, celadon, white porcelain were alike |
| Silla, Goguryeo and Joseon. The Korean | | | | and only with minimal variations either in |
| potters produced coarse household goods as | | | | glazes, designs or weight. Ming influence was |
| well as highly sophisticated statues of | | | | also felt in the blue and white matter by |
| imperial figures, guardians, horses, escorts | | | | using cobalt blue glazes. |
| of the dead in mausoleum of kings, as well as | | | | |
| nobility. | | | | After the fall of the Ming dynasty many |
| | | | Chinese potters migrated to Korea and brought |
| 1. Korean pottery in the Silla era (668 to | | | | colorful and vibrant pottery of special forms |
| 935) - the pottery was plain in color, design | | | | which was discarded by the Korean potters who |
| and silhouette at the time of the unified | | | | preferred to make simple and less bedecked |
| Silla era. Celadon was the main produce. | | | | wares. |
| Gradually in the 14th century Bakeja | | | | |
| porcelain wares developed which had vibrant | | | | Korea exported most of its potteries to Japan |
| varnish. These were made up of highly refined | | | | and principally from the Busan area. The |
| clay. Bakeja wares were fixed with feldspar | | | | climbing kilns were exported to a |
| and were very cautiously fired in very huge | | | | considerable extent. |
| and fresh kilns. Bakeja wares flourished | | | | |
| tremendously until the Joseon dynasty came to | | | | There were two ways of export- through deal |
| power. | | | | and intended immigration of potters or by the |
| | | | means of invasion and pottery theft. |
| 2. Korean pottery in the Goguryeo era (918 to | | | | |