Teacher Aide: Clay and Ceramics Anticipation Guide
I. Vocabulary
1. amorphous: solid material which does not have long-range, regular, repeating structure of atoms; opposite of crystalline
2. ceramics: clay products made permanent by heat
3. clay: heavy, damp material used to produce ceramics; has crystalline structure
4. conservation: the study, preservation, and restoration of works of art and cultural material
5. crystalline: regular, repeated pattern or structure formed by atoms; opposite of amorphous
6. deterioration: the mechanical or chemical process by which objects and materials break down
7. glass: uniform, amorphous material that is transparent
8. grog: ground, fired clay added to ceramic paste during manufacturing; improves forming, drying and firing processes
9. inorganic: all materials that are not made of carbon atoms; examples include ceramics, metals, glass
10. kiln: structure used to fire ceramics; several different types exist
11. minerals: natural material with a specific chemical formula and structure
12. organic: material derived from living things; materials containing carbon; examples include people, plants and bone
13. paddle and anvil: method of thinning and compressing the clay wall of a pot; the anvil is held on inside of the pot, while the paddle is used to beat the outside surface
14. paint: a liquid mixture usually made of a solid pigment in a liquid binder; used as a decorative or protective coating
15. petrography: analytical method where chemical components of ceramics and other materials are identified through the creation of very thin slices of the ceramic
16. slip: a mixture of clay and water that is often added to pots before firing
17. technology: process used to make objects

18. xeroradiography: non-destructive techniques using x-ray absorption to image differences in chemical composition and material thickness; produces positive images on paper using a dry methods patented by Xerox
II. Facts about ceramics and glass
Made from clay minerals
Ceramics sand or silica
Glass
Firing Temperatures
Mineral make-up after firing between 600˚ - 1300˚ C
Crystalline = the clay has a regular repeated pattern or structure greater than 1400˚C.
Amorphous material = solid material which is random and does not have a long-range, repeating structure of atoms
III. Facts about ceramics in the American Southwest
1. We find lots of archaeological ceramics in the Southwest. However, we have never found evidence of prehistoric kilns used to fire ceramics.
2. Beeweed was used to make paints for ceramics. Ethnographic reports also indicate that beeweed was an important food source and was cultivated in several regions.
3. The Hopi were the only group in the prehistoric Southwest to use coal to fire ceramics.
4. Archaeologists estimate that over 100,000 tons of coal was removed by prehistoric Hopi for heat and pottery production.
IV. Reasons why people study archaeological ceramics
1.
People study archaeological ceramics: a.
in order to understand how ceramics were made; b.
what types of activities they were used for; and c.
how people throw away ceramics.
2.
Conservators look at ceramics to understand: a.
ceramic materials; b.
manufacturing technology; c.
how ceramics break down; and d.
how we can continue to preserve ceramics.