Ceramics

The number of ceramic pieces of each type recovered from the Desaru ship is listed at the end of this section.

	Type number & description
	1: Lion dog dish Large porcelain dish from Jingdezhen; rounded sides with a well-mended low foot-ring. Infrequent chatter marks can be seen in the base. The dish is decorated in underglaze cobalt blue and copper red, and depicts a lion dog playing with a brocade ball. Four bands of stylised Tibetan characters decorate the cavetto. The lion dog, or dog of fu, is the Buddhist guardian lion; it looks like a Pekinese dog with a brushy tail. It is often shown playing with a ball and ribbons. It appears in the Ming dynasty but also used in Qing dynasty. The base is unglazed. Size: 27-29 cm diameter.
	2 & 2.1: Flower dish Large dish from Jingdezhen; rounded sides with a well-mended low foot-ring and unglazed base. Infrequent chatter marks can be seen in the base. The dish is decorated in underglaze cobalt blue, and features stylised chrysanthemum blossoms amidst scroll motifs. The chrysanthemum flower is the emblem of autumn and steadfast friendship, associated with a life of ease and retirement. The flower can be used as a tonic or cosmetic. It appears in decorations from the Yuan dynasty (1280-1368) onwards. 2 - large: 27-29 cm diameter. 2.1 - medium: 23-25 cm diameter.
	3 & 3.1: Longevity dish Large dish from Jingdezhen; rounded sides with a well-mended low foot-ring and unglazed base. Infrequent chatter marks can be seen in the base. The dish is decorated in underglaze cobalt blue. It shows the Chinese character shou (for long life) at the centre with bands of a stylised Sanskrit character for om (sacred syllable) on the cavetto. The longevity mark promises a long happy life, full of good luck and happy circumstances. 3 - large: 27-29 cm diameter. 3.1 - medium: 23-25 cm diameter.
	4: Small flower dish Small dish with rounded sides and a well-made low foot-ring. Probably manufactured at one of the Dehua kilns. The centre medallion is decorated in cobalt blue, and features stylised chrysanthemums altering with various scroll motifs. The chrysanthemum flower is the emblem of autumn and steadfast friendship. The base is glazed and shows the manufacturer's mark in cobalt blue. Size: 17-19 cm diameter.
	5: Character dish Small dish with rounded sides and low foot-ring. Probably manufactured at one of the Dehua kilns. The centre medallion is decorated in cobalt blue, and features the Sanskrit character for om (sacred syllable), and three tiers of a stylised version of the same character on the cavetto. The base is glazed and shows the manufacturer's mark in cobalt blue. Size: 17-19 cm diameter.
	7: Flower plate Small well-made dish with flat rim, decorated in cobalt blue oxides, with a stylised chrysanthemum flower surrounded by a flower spray in the medallion. The plate is probably made in the Jingdezhen area. The base, which is low and well-mended, is glazed, and shows the manufacturer's mark in cobalt blue. Size: 18-21 cm diameter.
	8: Flower saucer Similar design as the above flower plate: exterior decorated in cobalt blue with a lingzhi fungus motif connected by a scroll of fungus. The base is glazed and shows the mark of its manufacturer. Size: 9-11 cm diameter.
	9: Flower bowl Bowl with everted mouth rim, decorated with cobalt blue oxide, showing a lingzhi fungus motif at the centre bottom, a fungus scroll at the mouth rim, and lotus scroll above a band of lotus panels on the exterior. The base is glazed and shows the manufacturer's name. Size: 13-15 cm diameter.
	10: Lotus-shape flower bowl Blue and white decorated bowl with straight mouth rim. The decoration, a lotus flower and scrolls, is drawn only in outline, not filled with the traditional wash. The foot-ring is well-mended, glazed and shows the manufacturer's mark in the glazed base. Size: 13-15 cm diameter.
	11: Celadon-white bowl Chinese bowl from the Jingdezhen area with a translucent glaze on the interior and celadon glaze on the exterior. The foot-ring and manufacturer's mark are similar to those of the bowls listed above. Size: 13-15 cm diameter.
	12: Qing bowl Chinese bowl from Guangdong province. The underglaze blackish-blue decoration includes floral motifs equally spaced round the exterior. The interior has an unglazed stacking ring. Size: 13-15cm diameter.
	13: Spoon More than 50,000 spoons were found on the ship. There were three main designs and qualities. The 'nice' spoon was perfectly moulded and finished, and decorated with a finely drawn floral motif. Another design included the Chinese symbols for yin and yang. Most spoons however were decorated with a simple floral scroll. The base is usually rather rough and has a low unglazed foot-ring. Size: 10-11 cm long.
	14: Covered bowl Chinese blue and white covered bowl from Jingdezhen. This example is decorated with four double-happiness characters, alternating with geometric motifs, equally spaced around the exterior of the body. Other covered bowls of the same size and form have similar exterior decoration featuring various flower motifs. The base is very low and glazed but does not show any mark of the manufacturer. The foot-ring is thin and free from glaze and grits. Size: 10-12 cm high.
	15, 15.1 & 15.2: Yixing teapot Chinese Yixing teapots from Jiangsu province. Various potters' marks and seals appear on the base. These pots are handmade and beaten into the desired shape, usually by famous potters specializing in teapot making. 15 - Small: 4-6 cm high. 15.1 - Medium: 8-10 cm high. 15.2 - Large: 10-12 cm high.
	16: Teapot with cover Chinese blue and white teapot with recessed lid, probably made at one of the Jingdezhen kilns. The clay is white, glaze is clear and transparent, and the foot-ring is low but well mended. Decorations around the body are made within a centralized band of medallions, separated by two bands of stylized lappets. The missing handle was probably made of double brass wires, fitting into the double bracket. The base is glazed but shows no manufacturer's mark. Size: 16-18 cm high.
	17: Black-glazed basin 'Flowerpot' from southern China, thrown on a wheel. A number of carved, horizontal lines high on the body terminate at the rounded mouth rim. Black-glazed, with no other decoration. These pots were fired on spur discs; many show spur marks from rectangular discs. Size: 12-14cm high.
	18: Black-glazed covered box Yixing covered boxes: in sets of four, of different sizes, fitting one inside the other. Originally green-glazed, many of the boxes had turned black due to oxidation. These pots are light due to their porous clay and thin walls. They are handmade in traditional Yixing manner. The box and lid form imitate 'Jun' ware dating from the Song dynasty. Size: 9-22cm high.
	19: Brown-glazed basin Brown-glazed garden pot from southern China, made of coarse clay thrown on a wheel in diminishing sizes (sets of three). The exterior is decorated with various stamped motifs. A light brownish glaze ends well above the foot-ring. The mouth rim and foot-ring are cut flat. Size: 7, 10 and 11 cm high.
	20: Brown-glazed bowls Garden pots made from Yixing clay. These pots, like all other Yixing wares, are assembled from a round handmade base and rectangular side pieces, assembled into a desired shape and then beaten into the final form. These pots are extremely light in weight. The joint between the side and bottom piece can often be seen. Size: 11- 24 cm diameter.
	21: Brown-glazed jar Brown-glazed storage jar from southern China, of very coarse clay and roughly finished. Jars of this type were stored below deck, and accommodated smaller pots of various types. The shoulder and upper body are decorated with crossing horizontal and vertical carved lines. Size: 18-20 cm high.
	22: Brown-glazed storage jar Larger brown-glazed storage jar from southern China, of very coarse clay and roughly finished. Jars of this type were stored below deck, and accommodated smaller pots of various types. The shoulder and upper body are decorated with crossing horizontal and vertical carved lines. Size: 49-51cm high.
	23: Brown-glazed urn Smaller brown-glazed storage jar from southern China, of very coarse clay and roughly finished. These jars were stored below deck, filling the cargo space between larger jars. The shoulder and upper body are decorated with crossing horizontal and vertical carved lines. The glaze ends above the base. Size: 15-17 cm high.
	24: Brown-glazed kendi Unusual type of kendi, apparently of the same rough clay as the storage jars and probably made in southern China. The kendis are likely to have been used for wine or other relatively valuable drinks, rather than water. These kendis belong to the same group as the brown-glazed urns (32) and ring-handled spouted jar (33). Size: 24 cm high.
	25: 'Guan' covered jar This type of jar is often referred to as a Kamcheng and was made at Jingdezhen. The lid handle is moulded in the form of a Buddhist lion (lion dog or 'dog of fu'), and the cobalt blue decoration includes sweet pea blossoms on a ground of sweet pea foliage. Pairs of small handles are set below the shoulder. The form of the Kamcheng is derived from the 'Guan' shaped jar of the Yuan dynasty. Size: 20-25 cm high.
	26: Enamel-decorated covered bowl Thin-walled white porcelain bowl, made at Jingdezhen, and often used for serving wine. The lid is 'reversible' and can be used to serve smaller dishes. The bowl has an overglaze enamel motif, depicting anything from bamboo to dragons. A few of these bowls show calligraphic characters often quoting famous Chinese poems. Size: 8.5cm high.
	27: Water pot Yixing chamber pot or water pot assembled from handmade pieces of clay. The colour of the clay, as with other Yixing wares, varies greatly. Water pots seen elsewhere are mostly green-glazed, while many pots on the Desaru ship were black-glazed. The green-glazed pots are often oxidized, appearing black. Size: 13.5 cm high.
	28: Spouted jar Brown-glazed spouted jar made at Yixing, assembled from individual pieces of clay, and used to store and serve wine. Four lug handles are distributed evenly around the flattened shoulder. These jars are most commonly black-glazed, and have no decoration of any kind. Size: 14cm high.
	29: Tall basin Yixing jar, unusual for the carved vertical striations on the exterior. These basins were found with lids, stored in separate areas. As with other Yixing wares, the basins are assembled from individual pieces of clay. Originally covered with green and black glaze, some of the green-glazed basins appear black due to oxidation. Size: 22cm high.
	30: Wine cup Wine or tea cup from Dehua or other Fukien kilns. The sides are straight with a rounded mouth rim. Geometric motifs are painted in cobalt oxide. The base is glazed, with no manufacturer's mark. Size: 4 -5 cm high.
	31: Tea bowl Teacup from Dehua or other Fukien kilns. The sides are everted and end with a slightly rounded attachment to the foot-ring. The bowls are plain or show light cobalt blue decorations. The base is unglazed, with no manufacturer's mark. Size: 4-5 cm high.
	32: Brown-glazed spouted jar These urns of rather rough clay are probably made in southern China and belong to the same group as the brown-glazed kendis (24) and ring-handled spouted jar (33). The spout resembles the traditional Arabic style, but is crudely attached to the body. The glaze ends well above the base. Size: 25 cm high.
	33: Ring-handled spouted jar One of these jars was found. It probably comes from southern China, and is of the same group as the brown-glazed urns (32) but with a refinement: an additional pad below the handles, attached high on the shoulder. The glaze terminates in the middle of the body. The jar is likely to have been used to hold and serve water. Size: 25 cm high.
	34: Shanghai jar The 'Shanghai jars', actually made at Suzhou, are of coarse clay, similar to that used in the brown-glazed kendis and urns. The exterior is glazed in yellow-brown slip over hand-formed and carved motifs which include flowers, birds, bamboo and dragons. A key fret normally decorated the shoulder. Jars of this type were once used to store preserved eggs. Size: 75 cm high.
	35: Green-glazed storage jar These storage jars are of a clay apparently identical to that of the Shanghai jars, so are probably from Suzhou. They were originally green-glazed, and have no decoration. Size: 75 cm high.
	36: Large beaker These beakers are made from coarse clay with frequent grits of stones. They probably come from southern China, and are rather heavy for wheel-thrown pots. They have no decoration, but the mouth rim is well mended. Size: 47 cm diameter.
	37: Gunpowder urn Globular, black-glazed stoneware jar with short neck and four small lug handles placed high on the shoulder. Two were found; they are thought to have contained gunpowder. Size: 35 cm high.
	38: Spring dish These dishes, made at Jingdezhen, are decorated with blue cobalt oxide and red copper oxides below a clear glaze. The design features birds and prunus blossoms against a backdrop of a lake and what may be a pavilion in the foreground. Size: 24.5 cm diameter.
	39: Mineral water bottle Light-brown stoneware bottle. On the shoulder is a stamped medallion showing a lion rampant encircled by the letters 'SELTERS'. This may be the name of the German manufacturer. Under this is a horizontal inscription 'HERZUGTHUM NASSAU'. The bottle is dated to c.1800⁽¹⁾. Size: 29 cm high.

Ref	Category	Type	Sizes, cm	Origin	No. recovered	Shards conv.	Total no.
1.	Lion dog dish	porcelain	27 D	Jingdezhen	57	29	86
2.	Flower dish	porcelain	27-29 D	Jingdezhen	919	233	1152
3.	Longevity dish	porcelain	27-29 D	Jingdezhen	305	105	410
4.	Small flower dish	porcelain	17-19 D	Dehua	14	12	26
5.	Character dish	porcelain	17-19 D	Dehua	115	36	151
7.	Flower plate	porcelain	18-21 D	Jingdezhen	165	78	243
8.	Flower saucer	porcelain	9-11D	Jingdezhen	166	38	204
9.	Flower bowl	porcelain	13-15D	Jingdezhen	3594	451	4045
10.	Lotus bowl	porcelain	13-15D	Jingdezhen	41	33	74
11.	Celadon glazed bowl	porcelain	13-15D	Jingdezhen	264	64	328
12.	Kitchen Qing	porcelain	13-15D	Guangdong	61	12	73
13.	Blue & white spoon	porcelain	10-11 L	?	50078	274	50352
14.	Covered bowl	porcelain	10-12 H	Jingdezhen	271	43	314
15.	Yixing teapot	stoneware	4-6 H	Yixing	769	108	877
16.	Blue/white teapot	porcelain	16-18H	Jingdezhen	26	6	32
17.	Black-glazed basin	stoneware	12-14H	S.China	625	786	1411
18.	Blk-glazed covered box	stoneware	9-22H	Yixing	1171	1495	2666
19.	Brown-glazed basin	stoneware	7-11H	S.China	1856	683	2539
20.	Brown-glazed bowl	stoneware	11-24D	Yixing	876	890	1766
21.	Brown-glazed jar	stoneware	18-20H	S.China	954	571	1525
22.	Brown-glazed jar	stoneware	49-51 H	S.China	335	298	633
23.	Brown-glazed urn	stoneware	15-17H	S.China	2	0	2
24.	Brown-glazed kendi	stoneware	24H	S.China	4	0	4
25.	Guan covered jar	porcelain	20-25H	Jingdezhen	77	16	93
26.	Enamel cov. bowl	porcelain	8,5H	Jingdezhen	150	15	165
27.	Water pot	stoneware	13,5H	Yixing	257	52	309
28.	Spouted jar	stoneware	14H	Yixing	1	0	1
29.	Tall basin	stoneware	22H	Yixing	50	10	60
30.	Wine cup	porcelain	4-5H	Dehua	9	2	11
31.	Tea bowl	porcelain	4-5H	Dehua	4	1	5
32.	Brown-glazed spout jar	stoneware	25H	S.China	24	10	34
33.	Ring-handled spout jar	stoneware	25H	S.China	1	0	1
34.	Shanghai jar	stoneware	75H	Suzhou	9	0	9
35.	Green-glazed storage jar	stoneware	75H	Suzhou	5	1	6
36.	Large beaker	stoneware	47H	S.China	60	30	90
37.	Gunpowder urn	stoneware	35 H	?	2	0	2
38.	Spring dish	porcelain	24.5 D	Jingdezhen	5	2	7
39.	Mineral water bottle	stoneware	29 H	German	1	0	1
	Miscellaneous	pottery		various	18	1	19
				total:	63,341	6,385	69,726

German bottle date from Essequibo, Guyana: http://www.cosbert.com/view stoneware cpc142 p1.html

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Last modified:
19 July 2003