Identification of ancient ceramics by digital shape characterization

Shapes are important clues for the identification of ancient ceramics.In this study,digital extraction methods of shape characterization were discussed,using samples of flared mouthed porcelain bowls produced in Jingdezhen Hutian Kiln from the Five Dynasties to the Song and Yuan period.By employing the techniques of image enhancement,edge detection and curve fitting of Matlab,the method using digital shape characterization has advanced accuracy and effectiveness of traditional identification which is based on visual and tactual inspections.Together with the increasingly applied compositional data analysis and thermoluminescence dating technique,the method will further improve and upgrade the scientific identification system for ancient ceramics.

MAGNETIC AND MOSSBAUER STUDY OF ANCIENT YAOZHOU TANG TRICOLOR CERAMICS

Ⅰ. INTRODUCTIONThe valuable information about the ancient ceramics can be acquired from studying their structures, compositions and manufacture technology by modern scientific and technical method. It is an important field of the modern scientific and technological archaeology (STA), which is also called experimental archaeology and has a special significance for the "country of ceramics" .

Restoring ancient civilizations with “Herit-Materials”:Technological advances in its studies

Cultural relics are man-made objects left from ancient times,with historical,artistic,and scientific values.Multi-interdisciplinary research of cultural relics would enable people to obtain a variety of information associated with them,from which the restoration of ancient civilization was possible.Due to natural weathering,many cultural relics are in a fragile state,and conservation treatments that can prolong their lifetime are important,which may involve the use of conservation materials.In this paper,we define the new term “Herit-Materials” as two types of materials,including ancient cultural relics themselves and novel functional materials for conservation purposes.For the first type of Herit-Materials-cultural relics themselves,as one type of ancient materials,the concept of the relationship between the structure,composition,performance,and technology of them was introduced.The research paradigm for ancient cultural relics is also proposed.Following such a paradigm,the way how analysis and research were performed on ancient cultural relics are illustrated in detail with examples of ancient ceramics and textile dyes.Meanwhile,as the second type of Herit-Materials,three categories of conservation materials,such as emergent conservation materials on archaeological sites,consolidation materials,and cleaning materials were reviewed in detail,including basic concepts,criteria for choosing appropriate materials for conservation purposes,evaluation of the conservation effects after application,along with the application methods of those conservation materials.Finally,as Herit-Materials’ studies have attracted more and more researchers and have also created new inter-disciplinary research fields,the following research directions are recommended for scholars who have an interest,including the development of the advanced and comprehensive analytical technique of Herit-Materials,non-destructive and in-situ characterization & testing of Herit-Materials,the database of composition-structure-performance for Herit-Materials and their real-time environmental conditions,the green Herit-Materials for conservation purposes and their application methods,as well as the type and pattern analysis research of Herit-Materials.