HIZEN celadon glazes produced in 1630's to 1790's (Edo period, Japan) have been investigated by means of X-ray absorption spectra (XAS) near a Fe-K edge by using synchrotron radiation and a Mössbauer spectrum. The XAS suggest that the local structure around Fe2O3 fine powders is slightly different between the Izumiyama ceramics of mainly the Quartz-SiO2 and Ohkawachi ceramics of mainly the feldspar of (K,Na)Si3O8 (Sanidine), and that the glazes of the HIZEN celadons include the Fe2O3 fine powders in the glassy state, though the X-ray diffraction patterns of the glassy celadon glazes do not show any peaks of the Fe2O3 structure. The Mössbauer spectrum suggests that the celadon glaze of Seiji (m) includes only Fe3+ ions, but not Fe2+ ions. This indicates the existence of Fe2O3 in the celadon glaze. It is interpreted that the colored brightness of the HIZEN celadons is induced by the structural properties of the used raw celadon ceramics and the other transition-metal ions of Cr, Cu, Zn in the celadon glazes, but not by the chemical reaction from Fe2O3 to FeO under the deoxidizing thermal treatment at higher temperature in a kiln.
HIZEN celadon glaze; local structure; electronic band states
