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Sanggam Celadon Wares 

Sanggam, or inlaid, celadon wares are unique to Korea. Although inlay was widely employed in Korean metalwork and lacquerware, it was only when glazes of sufficient clarity were developed in the first half of the twelfth century, during the Koryo period, that inlays were used in the decoration of celadons. In this technique, the design is carved into the moist clay body, then filled in with a white or black substance before the vessel is glazed and fired. The design is clearly visible through the glaze, an effect impossible to achieve with the earlier, more opaque glazes introduced from China. What began as a minor decorative technique used in combination with incised and carved designs became the most frequent type of decoration at the height of the celadon tradition, in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. 

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