Iznik pottery is so named because it was made by potters in Iznik, Western Anatolia, Turkey.  The designs were inspired by Chinese pottery long before the potteries in Iznik reached itheir peak in the late 1500s. Early pieces were primarily cobalt blue in color, of red clay, and decorated with symmetrical floral designs.  The color palette expanded in the mid-1500s to include purple, red, green, turquoise, grey and black, and white clay was used by the end of the 1500s. As the variety of colors developed, so did the Iznik designs evolve into tighter, more vivid and flowing patterns. By the mid-1600s, the demand for Iznik wares had declined drastically, partially due to the decrease in imperial demand as the Ottoman power declined.  At this time there were few kilns still operating in this region and within a matter of years much of the knowledge and craftsmanship had been lost. Today, some similar wares are produced at Kutahya, approximately 130 miles south of Istanbul, primarily for the tourist trade.