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ANTHRO 206 Lab > 4: Ceramics > Flashcards

4: Ceramics Flashcards

1
Q

what is a ceramic, pottery, and pottery sherd

A
  • Ceramic: objects made form silicate based clays that have been transformed by exposure to heat
  • Pottery: vessels made from clay
  • Pottery sherd: broken piece of pottery with sharp edges, found at an archaeological site. Abbreviation of potsherd. not a shard
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2
Q

What is pottery and what was it used for

A
  • containers
  • used for storage and transport
  • durable and heat resistant
  • enable new methods for cooking and food processing
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3
Q

what is clay, the process, and its properties

A
  • Clay: material derived from soil that mostly consists of fine grained silicate minerals that becomes moldable with water
  • heat applied to clay transforms mineral structures and hardens, decreasing porosity
  • vitrification: process by which clay melts to glass. begins between 700-950C. Makes it more durable
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4
Q

4 types of cermamic industries and their firing temperature

A
  1. Terracotta: below 900C
  2. Earthenware: 800-1200C
  3. Stoneware: 1200-1350C
  4. Porcelain: above 1350C
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5
Q

Properties of terracotta

A
  • fire at <900C
  • coarse and porous interior
  • unvitrified
  • brownish orange to red color
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6
Q

properties of earthenware

A
  • fired at 800-1200C
  • earthy reddish or brown color
  • coarse and porous interior
  • small portion vitrified
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7
Q

properties of stoneware

A
  • fired for several days at 1200 to 1350C
  • partially vitrified
  • white, cream, or grey in color
  • higher quality and more durable
  • smooth, not porous
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8
Q

properties of porcelain

A
  • most advanced ceramic type
  • originated in china
  • firetd at several days at 1280-1400C or more
  • fully vitrified
  • thin and delicate but strong
  • translucent and milkt white color
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9
Q

Steps to Pottery Production

A
  1. Procurement
  2. Processing and preparation
  3. formation
  4. drying
  5. surface treatments
  6. firing
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10
Q
  1. procuring raw materials and two types of clay
A
  • Raw materials: clay, water, non plastic tempers
  • Primary clays: develop in situ from underlying bedrock due to decomp of bedrock
  • Secondary clays: clay that has been transported to a new location via natural processes. Finer grained than primary and higher quality
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11
Q
  1. processing clay
A
  1. processing: non clay minerals and other unwanted inclusions removed
    * dry clay is crushed, ground, and sieved
    * decantation: clay is soaked in water to separate clay particles and fine material from heavier inclusions –> increases plasticity
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12
Q
  1. preparing clay
A
  • temper: non plastic materials added to clay to help objects retain shape and size during drying and firing. May be organic or inorganic. Sand, stone, bone, shell, dung, plant fivers
  • paste: mixture used to build ceramic objects. Clay+temper = paste
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13
Q
  1. primary forming techniques
A
  • hand building: any forming method that doesnt rely on centrifugal force to shape clay
  • wheel throwing: relies on use of centrifugal force to build and shape the clay. was after arrival of europeans
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14
Q

5 types of hand building

A
  • pinching: clay opened using fingers
  • drawing: clay pulled upwards
  • slab modeling: segments are made separate and joined
  • molding: uses a prepared mold that may transfer a design
  • coiling: stacking coils of clay. smoothed together after with water
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15
Q

Simpe wheel

A
  • single wheel on a central, rotating pivot
  • rotated bt hand or with a stick
  • less powerful centrifugal force
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16
Q

pit wheel

A
  • two wheels connected byt central spindle. poter kicks lower wheel
  • spinning generates centrifugal force and holds clay in place
  • clay is shaped with the hands in ipward motion
  • rilling: visible, upward moving striations on the surface of the clay
17
Q

secondary forming techniques

A
  • anvil and paddle: anvil held on one side of vessel and beaten with small paddle on opposing side
  • thins walls and increases vessel capacity
  • leaves characteristic dimples
  • scraping: objects dragged along to create texture
  • trimming: removal of excess clay to alter shape or thickness
18
Q
  1. drying
A
  • removes excess water before firing and causes shrinkcage
  • may lead to cracking and breaking without temper
  • leather hard: stage at which vessel is not completely dry but storng enough to withstand surface treatments
19
Q
  1. prefiring surface treatments
A

Finishing treatments:
* burnishing: smooth pebble or hard object rubbed on surface to add shine
* smoothing: use water to smootoh
* roughening: creates texture for grip or decor
* decorative treatmentsL applied textures, patterns, or surface coatings

20
Q

6 types of decorative treatments

A
  1. Incising: lines cut into servince by dragging an implement across it
  2. excising: clay is cut away from the surface
  3. punctating: designs punched into clay with sharp instrument
  4. striating: tooth or serrated object drawn across. creates parallel scored lines
  5. impressing: textured objects used like baskets, shells, etc..
  6. perforation: holes through vessel
21
Q

3 decorative techniques

A
  1. applique: shaped clay added to the vessel surface
  2. inlay: non clay objects added to the vessel surface
  3. coloration: paints, slips, glazes
    * may document historic events or cultural information
    * can track trade and cultural transmission
22
Q

3 surface coatings

A
  • slip: fluid suspension of clay in water to make a liquid. applied before firing to form thin coating on the vessel surface
  • glaze: coating of liquid glass that fuses with vessel during firing
  • paint: pigment applied before or after firing, less durable than slip or glaze
23
Q
  1. Firing
A

uses open fire or a pottery kiln (building to do pottery”)

24
Q

Ceraemic analysis

A
  • Type: identify shape size and function
  • Maker: cultural affiliation
  • Age: comparison to other materials
25
Q

Vessel type analysis, diagnostic parts, function

A
  • Shape analysisL features of sherd can be used to infer vessel type, size, and function
  • diagnostic vessel parts: rim, lip, neck, body, shoulder, base, feet, handle, and spout
  • function: use wear patterns and residue analysis
26
Q

use wear patterns and residue analysis

A
  • use wear patterns: marks left on a vessel as a result of use
  • residue analysis: study of macroscopic and microscopic organic residues to determine contents
27
Q

identifying maker

A

Cultural identity
* grave goods
* illustrations
* technological capabilites
* cultural transmission

Individual identity
* unique maker’s mark
* fingerprint analysis: age and gender

28
Q

Relative dating of pottery

A
  • Typologies: based on shared attributes
  • cross dating: comparing different sites and dating base don the presence of certain types
  • frequency seriation: pottery styles have periods of growth and decline
29
Q

frequency seriation

A
  • get specific sherds divided by total sherds times 100 to get frequency percentage
  • check notes
30
Q

absolute dating clay

A
  • makers mark: unqiue to certain potters or companies
  • archaeomagnetic dating: orientation of magnetic particles in clay compared to earth’s magnetic field in the past
  • thermoluminescence datingL energy trapped in clay since firing

ANTHRO 206 Lab (5 decks)

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