Wybrane, mineralogiczno-petrograficzne metody badawcze w studiach nad ceramiką zabytkową

Abstract

SOME MINERALOGIC-PETROGRAPHICAL RESEARCH METHODS IN STUDYING ANCIENT CERAMICS Summary Both mineralogical and petrographical methods are applied also in studying ancient ceramics, mainly to reconstruct the composition of pottery mass and the conditions of original baking process. The best results in the interpretation of ceramic material may be obtained by applying microscope analysis of thin slides in translucent light, which allows us to determine the mineral composition of pottery mass, the shape and size of .grains, and, with the aid of planimetric analysis, also their quantitative relations. The mode of shaping pots may be reconstructed on the basis of internal orientation of elongated grains and of pores in the material baked. Dilatometric and gravimetric examinations, as well as thermal-differential analysis are broadly applied to evaluate the original highest baking temperature of the product in study. Electron microscope and X-ray analyses are introduced in studying glass-covered ceramics and other high-quality ceramic products, e.g. Celtic ceramics called graphite ceramics, Grecian black-red pots, or Roman products, known as "terra sigillata" or "terra nera".