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What is porcelain?

Porcelain is a ceramic material made by heating a particular clay known as kaolin (a word derived from the Chinese) plus small amounts of other minerals, in a kiln to very high temperatures of between 1,200⁰C and 1,400⁰C.  The toughness, strength, and translucence of porcelain arise mainly from the formation of glass like material at these very high firing temperatures.
The name is derived from the Old Italian porcellana meaning cowrie shell because of its resemblance to the beautiful translucent surface of the shell.  This unique property gives it a distinctive look and feel which shows its superiority to even the finest bone china.

Apart from looking wonderful what else does it do?

Porcelain and ceramics in general are fantastic materials dating back over 2,000 years.  Its electrical resistance makes it a very efficient electrical insulator.  Its phenomenal strength makes it ideal for military body armour and even as ball bearings which have significantly better characteristics than steel ones.

Where and when did all this begin?

So who were the clever people who first made this beautiful and extremely versatile material?  Well as you probably know it’s those clever Chinese.  It all seems to have started during the Eastern Han Dynasty between 200BC and 100BC.  Although some think it may go back more than 1,000 years earlier to the Shang Dynasty.
The techniques for making this fine porcelain were perfected over the centuries and remained closely guarded secrets.  It was not until the Tang Dynasty (618 – 906) that porcelain ware was traded into the Islamic world where it was highly prized.  Fine porcelain did not reach Europe until the 17th century.

Part Two: How Did The Europeans Get To Make Porcelain?