Bluish-grey pottery used during the Kofun, Nara, and Heian periods in Japan. A large variety of vessels were made on a mechanical wheel, and fired in a kiln at about 1100°C, with the blue-grey colour resulting from the oxygen-reduced atmosphere in the kiln towards the end of the firing process. The production of Sue pottery began in the Osaka area in the 5 th century. Since it is quite similar to the contemporary pottery of Korea, it was probably introduced from there. By the 6th century Sue pottery was mass-produced at many centres, with the emphasis first on specialized ceremonial vessels, then on utilitarian pots and dishes for the elite, and finally on storage and cooking pots for the general population.
The Macmillan dictionary of archaeology, Ruth D. Whitehouse, 1983Copied