View source for Sea Folk Porcelain

''Author: Atarah al’Norahn''


==General==

Sea Folk porcelain is exceptionally thin and fine; Rand notes that it is “as thin as leaves” ({{tsr|2}}) or paper ({{loc|10}}). It is made by the [[Amayar]], the non-seafaring people who live on the Sea Folk Islands ({{tpod|1}}; KoD, Glossary). Although Sea Folk porcelain is made in various colours, many of the pieces referenced in the series are yellow/gold and green.

Items made of Sea Folk porcelain are very expensive. [[Mat]] thinks that it is worth “its weight in silver” ({{tdr|19}}), although [[Rand]] later notes that there are “bowls and vases of Sea Folk porcelain” in the Stone of Tear that are “worth many times their weight in gold” ({{kod|21}}). Because of its high cost, it is often seen as a mark of status. Other porcelain, no matter how fine, is generally viewed as inferior to that made by the Sea Folk. At one point, when [[Verin]] and [[Cadsuane]] have tea, Verin notes that she is using “a thin blue porcelain cup” which is “Not Sea Folk porcelain, but very fine” ({{wh|25}}). [[Tarabon|Taraboner]] porcelain, while thin and expensive, does not match Sea Folk porcelain. Even when chipped, Sea Folk porcelain is notable and sometimes used to serve highly honoured guests ({{tdr|42}}).

On their ships, the [[Sea Folk|Atha’an Miere]] generally do not use Sea Folk porcelain. [[Elayne]] thinks that this is possibly because it is “Less likely to be broken in heavy weather” ({{tsr|19}}).


==Known Pieces of Sea Folk Porcelain==

Numerous individual pieces of Sea Folk porcelain are referenced throughout the series, listed below. Note that pieces simply described as being of fine porcelain are not listed, but only pieces specifically described as being Sea Folk porcelain.

*There are numerous pieces of Sea Folk porcelain in the [[White Tower]]. While Accepted, [[Moiraine]] and [[Siuan]] serve tea to [[Tamra Ospenya]] and [[Gitara Moroso]] in cups of green Sea Folk porcelain ({{ns|2}}). In her sitting room in the [[Blue Ajah]] quarters, [[Eadyth]] displays “a tall vase of glistening yellow Sea Folk porcelain” ({{ns|12}}) that she owns. While Mat is recovering in the White Tower, he is brought a meal served on Sea Folk porcelain, “two large silver pitchers and dishes of thin green” ({{tdr|19}}). In [[Elaida]]’s office, there are four vases of white Sea Folk porcelain sitting on marble plinths, one in each corner of the room and each holding two dozen red roses ({{prol7}}). When [[Egwene]] serves dinner to Elaida and five Sitters in Elaida’s rooms, the table is set “with bright white Sea Folk porcelain” ({{tgs|16}}).

*At the inn [[Easing the Badger]] in the city of [[Illian (City)|Illian]], [[Perrin]], [[Faile]], Moiraine, [[Lan]], and [[Loial]] are served food on chipped Sea Folk porcelain that “was dusty in places, as if it had been brought out from the storeroom in Moiraine’s honour” ({{tdr|42}}).

*The [[Stone of Tear]] boasts a number of pieces of Sea Folk porcelain. In Rand’s rooms, there is a pitcher and bowl of “golden Sea Folk porcelain, as thin as leaves.” Rand also notes that the room contains many other pieces of Sea Folk porcelain as well. At least some of these pieces are broken when Rand is attacked by a bubble of evil ({{tsr|2}}). In the hallways, there are niches that hold bowls and vases made of Sea Folk porcelain ({{kod|21}}).

*At the [[Panarch's Palace]] in [[Tanchico]], there are dishes of “thin, golden Sea Folk porcelain” ({{tsr|54}}).

*The [[Royal Palace]] in [[Caemlyn]] possesses many pieces of Sea Folk porcelain ({{tfoh|1}}). Among them is a large vase of pale-green Sea Folk porcelain. At one point, a serving man accidentally drops the vase, but due to Rand’s [[ta’veren]] nature, it does not break ({{loc|10}}). In niches in the corridors, there are “tall vases of Sea Folk porcelain” ({{loc|41}}). There are also green cups ({{Cot|12}}) and blue goblets of Sea Folk porcelain in the Palace ({{kod|17}}). In the formal sitting room, there is “a pair of golden Sea Folk porcelain bowls on one of the side tables” ({{cot|14}}).

*The [[Wise Ones]] frequently drink from teacups made of Sea Folk porcelain. [[Aviendha]] brings tea to the Wise Ones in [[Rhuidean]], along with “delicate cups of golden Sea Folk porcelain” ({{tfoh|5}}). They also use green teacups while drinking with [[Berelain]] in [[Cairhien (City)|Cairhien]] ({{loc|24}}), and in Tel’aran’rhiod, Bair imagines “tiny green cups of delicate Sea Folk porcelain” for them to drink tea from ({{acos|10}}).

*There are numerous pieces of Sea Folk porcelain in the [[Tarasin Palace]] in [[Ebou Dar]]. In the hallways, there are niches holding yellow or golden vases ({{loc|48}}; {{acos|16}}). In Mat’s rooms in the palace, his pitcher and washbasin are made of red Sea Folk porcelain ({{acos|28}}). When [[Tuon]] arrives at the palace, she is served wine in blue pitchers of Sea Folk porcelain ({{wh|17}}). In [[Suroth]]’s rooms, there are several tables boasting red Sea Folk porcelain—“four vases and six bowls, a small fortune in themselves” ({{prol11}}).

*[[Graendal]] serves mulled wine in goblets made of Sea Folk porcelain at her residence in [[Arad Doman]] ({{tpod|12}}).

*[[Milisair Chadmar]], in [[Bandar Eban]], has items of Sea Folk porcelain, in green and red, on pedestals in the corners of her audience chamber ({{tgs|29}}).

*In the hallways of the [[Sun Palace]] in Cairhien, there are niches in the wall that hold pieces of Sea Folk porcelain ({{prol10}}).

*At [[Mili Skane|Shiane]]’s house in Caemlyn, there are vases of Sea Folk porcelain. [[Daved Hanlon]] notes that it is “a room worth the looting” ({{cot|15}}).


==Other References==

*Bael likens Arad Doman, in its broken state, to a “piece of Sea Folk porcelain dropped from the tip of a high mountain” ({{tgs|7}}).

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