Tri-color pottery of the Tang Dynasty

The emergence of tri-color pottery brought China's age-old traditional pottery industry to a new high. Tang tri-color is the general name for color glazed pottery of the Tang Dynasty. Its colorsinclude yellow, green, brown, blue, black and white, but yellow, green and brown are the major colors. The body is made from white clay. After the claymold is fired into a fixed shape, a mineral frit is applied. These minerals contain elements of copper, iron, cobalt and manganese. The body is then bredagain at a temperature of around 900 degrees centigrade, allowing the differentcolors to permeate. Tri-color pottery is used mainly for burial utensils, and rarely used for items of daily use. Most tri-color human figures are female.They range in size from a dozen centimeters to over one meter tall and wear gorgeous, fashionable costumes. Their full figures and round faces are inconformity with the criteria of beauty of the Tang Dynasty.
Of the animal figures, horses and camels account for the greatest number. Tang horses are robust and handsome. As they throw back their heads or rear up, their inner strength is depicted in outward appearance. The Tang camels are presented in a walking position or with their heads held high, as if whinnying.