The First Yue Celadon in Iran and its Distribution Pattern in the Early Islamic Period

Celadon as one of the oldest potteries originated at China during the Shang Period (3500 B.C (in Zhejiang province. From the Han dynasty (206-221 A.D), true celadon ware started to appear and these advances would be followed by various kilns in northern and southern china until 17th century. The main aims of this study include: determining the date of first arrival of celadon pottery to Iran and its distribution in the various parts of Iran in early Islamic periods. Our study mainly is based of the use of historical written sources of China and Iran alongside the comparative survey of the data which found out from archeological studies in coastal regions of Persian Gulf and Oman Sea and main interior sites of Iran in early Islamic Period. We found that at the first time the Yue Ware were appeared in Siraf in the late 9th century and lasted there about 12 th centaury. The Yue Wares not only in Siraf but have been seen from the same horizons of Kish, Hormuz, Nishabur and even from the southern coastal sites of the Persian Gulf. It seems that after this time because of the changes occurred in the Yue Wares production kilns the wares were replaced by the Longquan Celadon pottery techniques. Regard the large quantities of Yue wares in the [1]coastal regions of Persian Gulf and Oman Sea it seems that instead the interior regions, the Yue wares were just common in the coastal areas may due to the proximity to the sea trade routes.