Analysis of the Body
The production process of pottery starts with the selection, procurement, and processing of the raw materials that are going to be used to form the fabric.
Click on the 'Fabric' page to look at the fabric representation images of the pottery samples. These images were captured with optical microscopy.
The microstructural characteristics of the samples presented here were captured with SEM backscattered and secondary electron modes. Some of the samples display a homogeneous matrix while others have an inhomogeneous matrix with dispersed inclusions of different grain sizes and shapes.
Click on the 'Microstructure' page to look at the microstructure images of the pottery samples.
Determination of the vitrification levels of pottery is important to understanding the changes that occur in the microstructures and identifying the possible maximum temperatures reached during firing. The vitrification levels of the samples presented here were determined by considering the CaO content in the matrix together with the firing atmospheres employed during firing.
Click on the 'Vitrification' page to look at the vitrification representation images of the pottery samples. These images were captured with secondary electron microscopy.