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By stressing the congruence between cooking ceramics and tableware, and food and its consumption, this book offers a completely new view on ceramic science. It provides an interdisciplinary approach by linking ceramic science and engineering, archaeology, art history, and lifestyle. The selection of ceramic objects by the authors has been guided by historical significance, technological interest, aesthetic appeal, and mastery of craftsmanship. Readers are being acquainted with the science of ceramics and their technology, and with the artistry of ceramic masterpieces fashioned by ancient master potters. Ceramics treated in this book range from Near Eastern pottery to the Meissen porcelain wonders, from the Greek black-on-red and the Minoan Crete masterpieces to British bone china, and from Roman Terra Sigillata to the celadon stoneware and porcelain produced in the kilns of China, Japan and ancient Siam. Ancient and historical ceramic plates, pots, beakers and cups are juxtaposed with food preparations that likely may have been cooked in and served on these ceramic objects in the distant past. As it also presents ancient recipes, this book will also serve as a unique cook book. This generously illustrated book with hundreds of colour photographs and figures not only addresses professionals and students of archaeology, art history, and archaeometry working at all levels but anybody fascinated by historical ceramics, ceramic materials and production techniques of ancient ceramics.

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Robert Heimann is professor emeritus of applied mineralogy and materials science. He obtained his academic degrees from Freie Universität (FU) Berlin, and subsequently served as a faculty member at FU Berlin and Universität Karlsruhe. From 1979 on he worked in Canada as a research associate (McMaster University), senior researcher (3M Canada Inc.), staff geochemist (Atomic Energy of Canada Limited), and research manager (Alberta Research Council). From 1993 to 2004 he was a full professor at TU Bergakademie Freiberg. Professor Heimann has authored over 260 scientific publications and in 2001 was awarded the Georg-Agricola-Medal of the German Mineralogical Society (DMG) for his outstanding lifetime achievements in applied mineralogy.

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