Korean Pottery

Another major contribution to Korean arts is the ceramic creativity which began with earthenwares during the Neolithic period. Various types of tools were used to etch light artistic patterns of wavey lines into the dry unglazed surface of the pots.

The ealiest known people from Korea's Neolithic period apparently migrated from Siberia and brought with them the tradition of pottery with comb-patterned marks. They settled along the coastal areas and river banks.

These earlist Koean pots reflected a candid and sincere sentiment which permeated a style of living.

They deffered radically from earthenwares found in Japan, which were more complex with esoteric decorative desighns. Some painted pottery, small animlas or figurines made of clay develpoed within the pottery design.

Silla Dynasty tombs have produced a vast amount of gray pottery without glaze. It is a type of stoneware, which has been baked at a high temperature to give a clear ringing sound when struck. Colors will vary toward black and sometimes brown tones resulting from the degree of oxidation in the kiln.

Early Silla stoneware is most free in originality and may carry definite shamanistic characteristics.

After the introduction of Buddhism in the fifth century the cecorations on Silla stoneware tended to be less spirited and more restrained. Gradually during the Unified Sila period, the pottery became sturdy and unassuming, without the pleasing spontaneous ingenuity of the earlier period.

No discussdion of Koean ceramic art would be complete without emphasis being given to the "secret kingfisher green colored" celadon wares produced in the 11th and 12th centuries of Koryo Dynasty.

The quality of these celadon pottery pieces have even surprised the highly cultured Chinese. Koryo celadones are praised as one og those rare types of art, wherein the chemistry. creative spirit and genius of the Koean potters were completedly harmonized.

Celadon techniques originally came to Korea from Chin during the Sung period(960-1279), but followed a certain cycle of development: the initial transitional stage, an imitatve stage, a stage of indigenous styles, a mature stage and decline with complete termination. Celadon wares were believed to have been introduced to Koryo Dynasty(935-1392) from the Tzu-yao kilns of China in the 10th century.
<From "Korean Folkart & Craft" by Edward B. Adams>