What did Chinese Lead-Barium Glass look like?

Translucent or opaque, mostly ritual objects and ornaments (bi disks, rings, beads, sword fittings). Colors are predominantly blue, green, and white, with a warm jade-like texture.

How did Chinese Lead-Barium Glass work?

Quartz sand + litharge + barite → charged into crucible and heated to ~900-1000°C → lead-barium oxides flux the SiO₂ → glass melt forms → cast/mold-pressed into shape → annealed and cooled.

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琉璃烧制

Chinese Lead-Barium Glass

A self-developed lead-barium glass system, independent of the Western soda-lime glass tradition. Synthetic silicate glass made primarily from lead oxide (litharge) and quartz.

琉璃烧制

Scientific Principle

Lead-barium glass system: PbO lowers SiO₂ melting point; BaO increases refractive index and chemical stability. Distinct from the Western Na₂O-CaO-SiO₂ system.

琉璃烧制

Chinese Lead-Barium Glass

Scientific Principle

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