 In the pre-modern period, ceramics represented the cutting edge of material science. Asian cultures were world leaders in this technology, and you can see evidence of their innovations throughout our galleries. For instance, these unglazed Korean pots look simple, don't they? But they were actually quite advanced for their time. Around 1400 BCE, China engineered new kilns to create this kind of extremely hard waterproof stoneware, a technology that Europe didn't develop until 3,000 years later. And this pot shaped like the butt of a lotus flower? Around 1000 CE, Korean ceramicists figured out the perfect glaze formula and firing method that resulted in this green color called seledon. People loved seledon because it looked a lot like jade. Around that same time, the Chinese were developing a new type of very white clay called porcelain, the technique for which remained a well kept secret for hundreds of years. Decorated in colorful glaze and enamel paint, like this large dish, porcelain became an international sensation with avid buyers around the world, including in the Americas, where porcelain was simply known as China. These lumps and drips on these Japanese ceramics represent another interesting development. While the rest of the world craved bright, smooth porcelains in Japan, pieces like these were treasured for their beautiful imperfections.