Characterization of Çeşni Tiles from the Tekfur Palace Excavations by Portable X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometry

Abstract

After the 2010s, numerous examples of çeşni fragments—used as test pieces to evaluate color performance and glaze compatibility—were unearthed during the İznik Tile Kilns Excavation (Bursa), while comparable sherds were also recovered from excavations at Tekfur Palace in Istanbul. Considering historical evidence indicating the involvement of İznik craftsmen in tile production at Tekfur Palace, this study investigates the technological compatibility of these çeşni examples with İznik production traditions. To this end, glazes, decorative pigments, and ceramic bodies were analyzed using portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) spectroscopy. The chemical composition data reveal the presence of two principal production groups. The first group consists of tiles with stonepaste bodies, low lead oxide contents in the glaze (