Celadon is the best-known of the three main Thai ceramic styles.

Its most celebrated feature is the cracked-glaze finish on its surface, which is caused by the difference in temperature between the clay and the glaze as the piece cools after firing. The word ‘celadon’ comes from the Sanskrit words ’sila’ and ‘dhara’, meaning ‘green’ and ’stone’ respectively.

Although traditional celadon is - as its name suggests - a shade of green, that’s not to say that all ceramics made using the same process are green. In fact, celadons can be white, blue, grey or yellow depending on how thickly the glaze is applied and what kind of clay it is being applied to. In all cases, the colour comes from iron oxide which is found either in the glaze or clay mixture.

It came to prominence in the West in France, Europe in the 17th century and has retained its popularity ever since.