Longquan celadon: a quantitative archaeological analysis of a pan-Indian Ocean industry of the 12th to 15th centuries

This paper examines the Longquan celadon industry, located in Zhejiang province in China, which flourished mainly between the Southern Song and early Ming dynasties. The products of this industry are found on archaeological sites across China and the Indian Ocean. This paper attempts a quantified analysis of the development of the industry based on archaeological data, focussing on four aspects: production, domestic consumption, overseas consumption and, to a lesser degree, workshop organisation. Although much of the data is still problematic, and many of the conclusions drawn are necessarily, therefore, tentative, these are the only data available. They allow us at least to demonstrate the value and timeliness of the approach by charting the development of this industry and by arguing that the close integration of the four aspects examined indicates that the Longquan celadon industry was an industry of considerable economic significance across much of the Indian Ocean.

Automated summary

This paper examines the Longquan celadon industry in Zhejiang province, China, during the Southern Song and early Ming dynasties. It quantitatively analyzes the industry's development based on archaeological data, focusing on production, domestic consumption, overseas consumption, and workshop organization. Despite some data issues and tentative conclusions, this study demonstrates the economic significance of the Longquan celadon industry across the Indian Ocean by showcasing its integrated development.