LUSTER AND FRITWARE PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION IN MEDIEVAL SYRIA

The production of glazed fritware (artificial paste bodied) ceramics i n medieval Syria is examined in the light of neutron activation analys is of an excavated sample from the site of Gritille. Reevaluation cast s doubt on two main commonplaces of Islamic ceramic history: 1) the de corative technique of lustering, used on some of these fritwares, was highly restricted; and 2) the production of such luxury ceramics in th e medieval Islamic world in general was centralized We propose that re gional ceramic production corresponded to the decentralized system of government then current in Syria and other geographic and demographic factors there.