Recognition of Lustered Pottery of the 3rd and 4th Centuries AH/AD 9th and 10th Centuries from the Imitated Ones

Luster is an innovative decorative technique applied in the Islamic era. The imitative technique of luster glaze is the result of efforts of some potters to imitate the visual features of the earlier luster. The two techniques differ in their production methods, but have many similarities in terms of physical characteristics of the works, including color, pattern, and in some cases, form. Such similarities have led to misrepresentation of luster imitated pottery in some cases with the eralier products of this kind. This descriptive-analytical study tries to identify the characteristics of both methods and to correct misconceptions. To collect the information for the research, library method has been applied and the results show that luster imitated pottery was the result of the desire and tendency of Nishapur artists towards producing works similar to lustered pottery of the Abbasid period, however done in different ways due to the lack of access to luster production knowledge. At the beginning, potters tried to fully imitate the appearance of the original luster samples, but similarities between the works diminished over time and the imitation became limited to technique and color of the products.