Ceramics Laboratory
Led by Dr. Marie-Claude Boileau | Email: caam@pennmuseum.org
The Ceramics Laboratory is dedicated to compositional analysis of ceramics and the study of pyro-technological processes as applied to earthen materials. Research represents over 10,000 years of human engagement with the mineral world.
The Ceramics Laboratory, established in 2011 and integrated to CAAM in 2014, is dedicated to compositional analysis of ceramics and the study of pyro-technological processes as applied to earthen materials. Research represents over 10,000 years of human engagement with the mineral world. Analytical data is used for the reconstruction of the production technology, distribution, and use of ceramics with the aim of understanding the behavior of the people who made, traded, and used these objects.
The laboratory is equipped with transmitted polarized light microscopes, a collection of rock specimens and soil types, a muffle furnace for firing experiments, geological maps, and thousands of ceramic and rock thin sections. The lab provides the necessary resources for students to train in petrographic analysis of a range of crystalline materials, from pottery containers and faience objects to architectural materials such as fired bricks, tiles, stone, mortars, and plasters.
Current Research Projects
- Nippur Slipper Coffins, Iraq. With Richard Zettler and Katy Blanchard (Near East Section).
- Characterizing the manufacturing practices of Late Bronze Age White slip ware from Bamboula-Kourion, Cyprus
- Reconstructing Historical Garden Landscapes
- Southeast Asian Earthenware Project, Lao DPR
- Legacy of the WPA Ceramic Laboratories, USA. With Vaughn Ortner.
The Ceramics Laboratory is also part of the CAAM Pyrotechnology Research Group (CPRG).
- Rock specimens (200+) with their matching thin sections
- Soil type collection (20+)
- Over 5,000 archaeological ceramic thin sections from different geographical areas and time periods, including a legacy collection of thin sections manufactured by the WPA in 1936–41; recently made thin sections which are project- and class-based and include architectural materials such as faience, concrete, mortar, plaster, stone, bricks and terracotta tiles.
- Experimental test tiles with different tempers, clays and firing temperatures
- Geological maps
- Munsell Soil, Rock and Beads Color Books
- Reference books and charts on geology, optical mineralogy, geomorphology, ceramic petrography, ceramic analysis, and pigment analysis.
- Ethnographic collection of potter’s tools, ceramics, clays and pigments from Rajasthan (Gift of Laura Kramer, in honor of Carol Kramer)
- (1) Zeiss AxioScope A1 transmitted/reflected light microscope equipped with AxioCam ICc5 digital camera and Zen Core v.3.1 software
- (1) Nikon Optiphot 2 POL. transmitted light microscope
- (5) Motic BA300/310 POL, transmitted light microscopes
- Paragon SentryXpress 4.0 muffle furnace rated to 1000oC
- Mortar and pestles, beakers, sieves, geological hammer, tile clippers, digital scales, calipers, handheld loupes.
- Nikon D610 FX camera with Nikkor 35mm lens and Oben BE Series tripod
- Equipment for ceramic analysis located in other CAAM and Conservation labs:
- X-ray radiography suite: GE Eresco 65 MF4 instrument with a GE-DXR 250V digital capture plate and GE Rhythm RT and Review software (Penn Museum Concervation)
- JEOL JCM-6000 Scanning Electron Microscope-Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (SEM-EDS)
- Extec Labcut 150 variable speed precision diamond saw
- Keyence VHX-5000 digital microscope with VH-Z20 and VH-Z100 lenses
- Petrography of Cultural Materials – CLST 7311, AAMW 5120, ANTH 5211
- Material World in Archaeological Science – ANTH 2221, CLST 3302, ARTH 0221, NELC 2960, ANTH 5221, NELC 6920
- Independent Studies and Directed Research
- CAAM Intensive Course Series: Petrography of Cultural Materials