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bucchero

/ˈbukəˌroʊ/
IPA guide

Other forms: buccheros

Bucchero is a type of black or deep gray pottery that was produced in ancient Italy. It's known for its shiny, metallic-looking surface, created by polishing the clay and carefully controlling oxygen levels in the kiln where the pottery was fired.

Bucchero was made by the Etruscans, a pre-Roman civilization of ancient Italy. The pottery was not painted, and its black color extended throughout the fired clay. Because it resembled metal but was made of clay, bucchero allowed less wealthy members of Etruscan society to own elegant dishware and vessels with a high-end, metallic appearance. Bucchero was a major product of Etruscan commerce, traded throughout the Mediterranean from Spain to Egypt.

Definitions of bucchero
  1. noun
    a type of unglazed, unpainted ancient Etruscan pottery that is is usually black in color with a shiny finish
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