Saucer

1100s

Saucer, 1100s. Korea, Goryeo period (918-1392). Pottery; diameter: 19.3 cm (7 5/8 in.); overall: 3.7 cm (1 7/16 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of John L. Severance 1918.455.b As early as the seventh century, the practice of drinking tea and wine became an important part of elite culture in Korea. Elites of the Goryeo period commissioned a variety of types of utensils and vessels including this saucer paired with a large bowl, to make their drinking experience more exciting. The crackle pattern that appears all over this saucer was caused by a thermal expansion mismatch between the body and the glaze.