• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.53 no.3
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• pp.307-320
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• 2020

This study focuses on the raw material characteristics, including firing temperature and the similarity of clay body, and making techniques on the underwater ceramics from offshore of Taean Mado, the Republic of Korea. The ceramic specimens include various types of celadons, Buncheongwares and white porcelains with very similar physical characteristics. All the clay bodies composed of same mineral phases within mullite and quartz, while cristobalite were also found in some white porcelains. Also, the geochemical composition of the clay body shows regular behavior properties for all the elements consisting of the celadons and Buncheongwares. In contrast, the irregular properties of trace and incompatible elements were found in white porcelains. Therefore, it is presumed that the white porcelains were made using the clay body with different source from the celadons and Buncheongwares. Notably, some white porcelains in low Th content are assumed to be made with clay formed in a different environments. Meanwhile, most of the ceramics had gone through the firing of 1,200 to 1,300℃, with some celadons fired from 1,150℃ to 1,200℃. Also, it can be interpreted as some white porcelains were fired on even up to 1,500℃.