Combined 2D and 3D analysis of ceramic sherds for thermal conductivity simulations

Summary

This is an abstract from the "Ceramics and Archaeological Sciences" session, at the 90th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

Measuring thermal conductivity of archaeological ceramics is useful because it is an important functional performance characteristic of vessels used for cooking or serving food or preparing or drinking hot beverages. The amount, size, and distribution of particles and pores greatly affect thermal conductivity, so this is a property that can be controlled by choice of raw materials, processing and fabrication methods, and firing regimes. Studies of thermal conductivity of actual sherds rather than laboratory mock-ups are lacking due to size, shape, and thickness requirements of traditional testing methods. New software technologies provide thermal conductivity data through simulations when the amount of porosity and the type and percentage of particles are known. We start with non-destructive micro-CT analysis of a sherd, which is then cut for an uncovered polished thin section. A new surface analysis tool (O-PTIR) provides IR and micro-Raman analysis on 450 nm spots to augment thin-section petrography. 3D image analysis incorporating AI gives percentages and distribution of pores and particles in the micro-CT images, which combined with mineralogical identifications from 2D thin sections is the data needed for thermal conductivity simulations. Discussion will focus on Tibetan talc-tempered ceramics and how their thermal conductivity differs from other ceramic materials.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Ceramics and Archaeological Sciences   •
• Society for American Archaeology 90th Annual Meeting, Denver, CO (2025)

Keywords

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 50691