OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF TIN‐OPACIFIED GLAZES*

Abstract

Tin glazes contain SnO2 particles, with a diameter similar to the wavelength of visible light, which are responsible for glaze opacification. In this paper a theoretical model to explain the optical behaviour of these glazes is developed. This model is tested by measurement of the reflectance and transmittance spectra for different optical paths in Spanish Islamic and mudejar glazed ceramics and it is shown to be valid by total reflectance non‐destructive measurements on a wide range of other Islamic and related glazed ceramics.