Study on the glazed tiles of the Wenjiangduo site, Tibet, China (7th–9th centuries CE)

Abstract

The Central Plains of China have a long history of using glazed tiles on high-level architectural structures. This architectural practice also had a profound impact on ancient Tibet. This study selected glazed tiles belonging to the Tubo period (7th–9th centuries CE), unearthed from the Wenjiangduo site, Lhasa city, Tibet Autonomous Region, China. A series of scientific analyses are presented, including X-ray fluorescence, optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy–energy-dispersive spectrometry, X-ray diffraction, dilatometry, and multicollector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The results reveal SiO₂–Na₂O, SiO₂–PbO, SiO₂–Na₂O–PbO, and SiO₂–CaO–Na₂O systems in the glazes. The bodies can be divided into two categories: calcareous and noncalcareous. The original firing temperatures were likely between 900°C and 1000°C. The lead isotopes indicate that the provenance of lead material for glaze was in Tibet. The comparisons of glazing techniques reveal influences from the Central Plains of China and South and Southeast Asia, and provide new insights into the cultural interaction between Tibet and its surrounding regions in the Tubo period.