Those pics lead me to believe it is certainly a Yixing tea pot.  It
incorporates the five petal plum blossom: symbol of winter and beauty and,
inevitably, is also a symbol of longevity.  Stoneware was favoured for such
teapots over porcelain simply because stoneware retained the heat longer.  I
assume after immersion it has taken on a hue of its own and almost looks
like it was carved from stone!

Are there any characters carved in the base?  The photos indicate deep
scratching in a central position but I can't work anything out from them
clearly?

Did anything else come up in the dredge?

Gordon Grimwade


--
Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines.

Gordon Grimwade & Associates,
Heritage Consultants,
PO Box 9
Yungaburra,
Queensland, Australia 4872.
Phone 07 4095 3737
Fax 07 4095 2117
Mobile 0419 677 022
Office email <[log in to unmask]>
Web site <gga.com.au>


> From: Michael Kolb <[log in to unmask]>
> Reply-To: HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY <[log in to unmask]>
> Date: Wed, 15 Jan 2003 08:35:09 -0600
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Help on IDing a stone lamp
>
> Hello,
>
> I am looking for some help in identifying a stone lamp recovered off the
> coast of Florida during dredging this past summer.
>
> Photos can be found at: http://dig.anthro.niu.edu/vessel
>
> Any help would be greatly appreciated.
>
>
> Michael Kolb
> Associate Professor
> Northern Illinois University
> [log in to unmask]
> (815) 753-7037