Swatow ware
A large family of export ceramics of the 16th and 17th century was called Swatow ware in the West and are still referred to by this name. Swatow wares are characterized by sand adhering to the bottom of individual pieces and are usually associated with over-glaze enamel decoration using a distinctive palette dominated by iron red, turquoise and black. However, it may also be decorated in underglaze blue or in slip. The name is derived from Shantou, a coastal town in southeastern Guangdong province. The ware seems to have been widely made in the Jiangxi, Fujian, Yunnan, and Guangdong provinces. At least one kiln producing this "Swatow" ware have now been discovered in Zhangzhou prefecture in Fujian province why the name Zhangzhou ware is now preferred by many Chinese scholars. If this is the only kiln, probably remains to be seen.
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