Micro‐Raman spectroscopic study of cord‐marked pottery decorated with red coatings from Taiwan,ca 2600–1700 B.C.

Micro‐Raman spectroscopy is applied for the first time to identify mineralogical characteristics of ceramic bodies and red coatings on decorative cord‐marked pottery (ca 2600–1700 B.C.) from an archeological site in northern Taiwan. X‐ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy‐energy dispersive X‐ray spectrometry were used as complementary techniques. The combined results of mineralogical and elemental composition suggest that the pottery items were produced from illitic clays and fired to a temperature less than 800 °C under oxidizing conditions. The slight discrepancy in composition between the red coatings and ceramic bodies possibly indicates a somewhat different source of raw materials and/or clay refining processes used by ancient potters. Additionally, feldspar, hornblende, and pyroxenes detected in the samples are closely related to the main compositions of nearby volcanic rocks, implying that the raw materials could have come from a local source. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

WDXRF和FTIR对古滇国遗址出土陶器的初步分析

利用波长色散型X射线荧光光谱（WDXRF）和傅里叶变换红外光谱（FTIR）对环抚仙湖分布的澄江学山、金莲山和江川光坟头3个古滇国遗址出土的陶器从化学、结构组成以及烧成温度3方面进行了初步分析.WDXRF主次量元素分析结果表明,各遗址同类陶器（尤其是红陶）的基本制陶原料具有相似性,黑（褐）陶中添加的助熔剂含量明显高于红陶.FTIR分析结果显示同类陶器中包含的矿物具有一致性,红陶中含有石英和疑似铁矿物,黑（褐）陶中则都添加了大量的碳酸盐矿物.基于FTIR结果还对两类陶器的烧成温度做出了初步判断,估计黑（褐）陶在600-700℃,红陶在800℃左右.黑（褐）陶中较高含量的助熔剂可能在降低烧成温度方面起到了重要作用.以上初步分析表明,3个遗址出土的同类陶器在原料选择和烧成温度方面具有相似处,遗址间可能存在密切的联系.     

PIXE‐alpha non‐destructive and in situ compositional investigation of black gloss on ancient pottery

The chemical characterization of the black gloss on ancient pottery is, since several years, the object of different scientific investigations. Among the different typologies of black gloss, the Attic one is the most refined, because it is prepared by using a fine suspension of an illitic clay applied on the surface of the clay body so that, after an oxiding‐reducing‐oxiding firing cycle at high temperature (800–950 °C), it reaches the typical shiny black aspect. Red figure vases were largely produced in South Italy often reaching a high artistic level. This is the case of the Sicilian red figure vases, sometimes called ‘Sicelioti’, whose production began in Sicily around the end of the fifth century BC and continued until the beginning of the third century BC . The aim of this work is to submit and compare a selection of data related to the chemical composition of the surface black gloss of some Attic and Sicilian red figure vases: This has been investigated, and a chemical‐based discrimination has been proposed. The non‐destructive particle‐induced X‐ray emission‐alpha portable spectrometer was used. The results, carried out in situ at the ‘Paolo Orsi’ Archaeological Museum in Syracuse (Sicily), together with the ones recently obtained in similar analyses at the Archaeological Museum of Catania University, confirmed the compositional stability of Attic vase black gloss and indicated that in a well‐defined time period, the chemical composition of the Sicilian black gloss decorations is very stable and superimposable with that of the contemporary Attic artifacts. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Multi‐technique study of archaeological cord‐marked wares decorated with red coatings from Taiwan

Archaeological finds of Neolithic to Iron Age pottery show clay potsherds characterized by red cord‐markings. The items date back from 5500 to 1500 B.P. To better understand temporal changes in the provenance of raw‐material sources, and the nature of materials used in the red colorant and ceramic bodies, micro‐Raman spectroscopy, X‐ray diffraction analysis (XRD), and micro X‐ray florescence spectroscopy (μXRF) were applied to 29 red‐coated potsherd samples found at twelve archaeological sites across Taiwan. The techniques identified the chemical and mineralogical composition of the red coatings and ceramic bodies as well as the production methods of ancient potters. Eighteen mineral phases were identified from the Raman spectra, including hematite, α‐quartz, and anatase. Feldspar, rutile, pyroxenes, calcite, gypsum, amorphous carbon, and graphite were also detected. XRD measurements, and μXRF analyses were used as complementary techniques to obtain mineral and chemical compositions. Hematite, anatase, calcite, plagioclase feldspar, and illite were present in potsherds, suggesting pottery produced from illitic clays fired at less than 850 °C under oxidizing conditions. Results further suggest that raw materials were sourced from or near local volcanic rock areas, and more broadly from metamorphic or sedimentary rocks and clays. Chemically, raw materials used for red coatings are different to those of the ceramic bodies. Objects from most sites used the same raw material sources; however, some sites contain objects made from changing sources over time. Pot coatings exhibit polygonal cracks, and loosened cementation strongly suggesting that finely processed moist clays were fired to a biscuit form with no second stage firing process. The non‐destructive Raman experiments identified and characterized mineral phases, which helped understand manufacturing techniques. Overall the multi‐technique approach gave extensive information on the finds, helping to differentiate raw material sources and production technologies. This approach is an important and effective method for investigating archaeological finds. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Quantitative non‐destructive determination of trace elements in archaeological pottery using a portable beam stability‐controlled XRF spectrometer

A portable beam stability‐controlled XRF spectrometer developed at the LNS/INFN laboratories at Catania (Italy) was used for the non‐destructive determination of some trace elements (Rb, Sr, Y, Zr and Nb) in fine pottery artefacts. The XRF system and the method developed to control the energy and intensity stability of the excitation beam are briefly discussed. Concentrations of Rb, Sr, Y, Zr and Nb were determined in 50 fine potsherds from the votive deposit of San Francesco in Catania by using a multi‐linear regression method. Additionally, in order to test the homogeneity of the material composing the fine pottery samples, a small portion of a few potsherds was powdered and analysed using the XRF system and the multilinear regression method. A comparison between non‐destructive and destructive approaches is presented and discussed. Finally, quantitative XRF data were compared with those obtained by chemical analysis of the powdered samples. The results allowed the testing of a non‐destructive methodology to be used for the identification and grouping of the different typological classes of fine pottery mainly represented in the San Francesco sanctuary. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Technological features of ‘gnathia’ pottery

‘Gnathia’ pottery samples, dating back to the mid‐fourth and third century BC, from the archaeological site of Egnazia (Fasano, Brindisi, Italy) have been characterised from the physical‐chemical, mineralogical and morphological points of view. Optical and scanning electron microscopy, X‐ray energy‐dispersive spectroscopy and X‐ray diffraction analyses have been carried out on the ceramic body, black gloss, white, yellow and red over‐paintings of fragments, with the aim of outlining technological features and defining the nature of coatings and decorations. Analytical results confirm from both a technological and morphological/decorative point of view the close relationship between ‘Gnathia’ pottery and red figured pottery, particularly with the Apulian red figured from which it takes its inspiration. At the same time the experimental results highlight shared characteristics and differences with both Attic and Apulian red figured productions. The biggest difference is in the utilisation of the ‘ingobbio rosso’ layer that covers the ceramic body. This does not seem to be based on aesthetic grounds, as in the case of Apulian red figured pottery, but on application of acquired production processes, since ‘Gnathia’ pottery was made in the same workshops as red figured pottery. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Automated SEM-EDS pottery classification based on minero-chemical quantitative parameters: An application on ancient Greek pottery from Adrano (NE Sicily,Italy)

A new SEM-EDS procedure for ancient ceramic classification, based on the automated acquisition and the semiautomated processing of multi-elemental X-ray maps, is described. Based on the detection of each aplastic inclusion, the procedure allows to simultaneously obtain a quantitative evaluation of both the inclusion mineral–chemical composition and the ceramic matrix chemical composition. The two data sets can individually or jointly be subjected to statistical methods. The proposed protocol was applied on a set of 22 samples of black glaze pottery from Adrano (north-eastern Sicily), Hellenistic age (4th to 2nd centuries B.C.). Two main groups emerged from the application of the procedure, mainly distinguished for their quartz–feldspars versus calcium–aluminosilicate relative abundance as the inclusion mineral–chemical composition is concerned and for their matrix SiO₂ versus CaO. The classification based on the inclusion mineral–chemical data obtained with the proposed method mirrors the results from the traditional OM observation, but when the two data sets are simultaneously considered, a subtler differentiation is observed with the separation of one of the groups in two subgroups, allowing to refine the partition.     

A new nondestructive approach to chemical analysis of potsherds using an X‐ray fluorescence microscope: Case study about the past pottery manufacture in the Yaeyama Islands

In archeology, pottery represents an important class of artifacts giving information on the past human activity, the ecology, and ancient cultural groups. Some chemical analytic methods, including X‐ray fluorescent analysis, were adopted for the archeological study of pottery. However, these techniques also involve problems, including the destructive analysis of materials, and cannot analyze the original clay condition of pottery. To address this, we carried out nondestructive chemical analysis of 13 potsherds excavated from the Yaeyama Islands in the southern Japan archipelagos using X‐ray fluorescence microscopy. Two analytic methods were used, elemental mapping and multipoint spectral measurement, making it possible to obtain a visualized elemental distribution on potsherd surface and a detailed multipoint elemental composition of the same sample for the multivariate statistical analysis. In this study, the visualized images suggested that calcium particles were mixed to temper the materials, and their size and quantity differed between potsherds, whereas the uniformity of clay substrate, including the quantities of iron and silicon on multipoint measurement, was a characteristic of each potsherd. Therefore, principal component analysis and nonmetric multidimensional scaling analysis of the potsherds suggest that the differences between the Yaeyama Islands in terms of pottery manufacturing technology are due to chronological factors in this case. Our method represents an effective new approach to the pottery study for technological change.     

SERS detection of red organic dyes in Ag‐agar gel

Micro‐Raman spectroscopy has been widely employed in the last few years for the study of artworks, allowing for the characterization of a high class of pictorial materials. However, the detection of organic dyes by conventional Raman spectroscopy is quite difficult, due to the high fluorescence provided by these compounds. Recently, remarkable improvements have been achieved by the introduction of the surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) technique for the analysis of organic dyes. In the present work, a new method is presented, based on the use of a SERS probe made of agar‐agar coupled with silver nanoparticles, for a non‐destructive and minimally invasive micro‐extraction of dyes from textiles. Ag‐agar gel has been tested first on textile mock‐ups dyed with alizarin, purpurin and carminic acid. SERS measurements have been performed adopting laser light excitations at 514.5 and 785 nm of a micro‐Raman setup. Highly structured SERS band intensities have been obtained. After having verified the safety of the method by colorimetric, X‐ray fluorescence and attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared techniques, a real case, a pre‐Columbian piece of textile, have been investigated by Ag‐agar gel. This cutting‐edge method offers new possibilities for a sensitive and non‐destructive analysis of fluorescent materials. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Archaeometry of pre‐Hispanic pottery from San Luis Potosi, México

Neutron activation analysis, Mössbauer spectroscopy and X‐ray diffraction techniques were used to characterize pre‐Hispanic potsherds and modern ceramic pottery, samples of which were collected in Tenexco, San Luis Potosi, Mexico. Elementary and spectroscopic analysis showed differences between ancient and modern ceramics. While the modern ceramics studied were practically new and not used at all, the ancient ones were probably used in domestic or ceremonial activities. Besides, the latter were kept buried for a long time, and it is quite probable that their manufacture was also slightly different from that of the former. These assumptions could provide the clues to understand some of the observed differences between the composition of ancient and modern ceramics whose raw materials may have the same origin.     

X‐ray compositional microanalysis and diffraction studies of Haltern 70 amphorae sherds

Haltern 70 amphorae sherds from excavations at Castro do Vieito, north of Portugal, and amphora sherds found inside kilns from Baetican and Lusitanian provinces of the Roman Empire are studied by X‐ray diffraction and X‐ray fluorescence (scanning electron microscopy/energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy). The comparison of these results is also made. The chosen methods give the possibility to determine element composition of the pottery, which is already fired, and thus try to single out the match of the two series of amphorae sherds. From the chemical analysis, the Castro do Vieito sherds are very homogeneous, but this is not the case of the sherds collected in the overall kilns. Vieito sherds have nearly no Na content, and Al content is about 9 wt% as well as samples from kilns from Medium Guadalquivir, Cadiz Bay and Guadiana estuary. Ca content in Vieito sherds are about 1 wt% and in amphorae kilns sherds except in the case of samples from Puerto Real and Arva, where Ca concentration is about 5 wt% and Lebrija and Pinguele where Ca concentration is about 10 wt%. The main conclusion drawn is that the provenance of Castro do Vieito sherds seems to be confirmed as being from Baetica (actual Andaluzia) because of the aforementioned reasons together with the fact that the elements found in the sherds are the same as the ones known to belong to raw materials from Baetica. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

An integrated spectroscopic approach to investigate pigments and engobes on pre‐Roman pottery

Painted Canosa ceramics were examined to identify the nature of the pigments employed and their manufacturing technology. A multi‐technique approach was used, comprising Raman microspectroscopy and laser ablation hyphenated to inductively coupled plasma‐mass spectrometry (LA‐ICP‐MS). The analysed samples were mainly produced for burial in tombs and were not intended for everyday use. They belong to the period between the end of the mid‐7th century and the first half of the 4th century BC, and were excavated from the Toppicelli archaeological district near the suburbs of Canosa (Puglia, Italy). Forty‐eight pottery fragments were available for this study. No handling of the samples was required for the Raman study, and it was possible to excise the pigmented layer in such a way that the lacunae were not distinguishable to the naked eye due to the micrometric size of the laser spot as far as LA‐ICP‐MS is concerned. Their combination turned out to be quite useful for the investigation of these archaeological materials: the chemical nature of the white, red, brown and black pigments employed in the pottery manufacture was investigated. Iron and manganese compounds were identified as the red and brown/black main colouring substances, respectively; on the other hand, whites and engobes (whitish slips) were based on kaolinite. This set of colouring substances is of importance, as it enabled the artisan to obtain in one oxidising firing cycle brown, black and red paints. Finally, the finding of manganese black in these Canosa potsherds confirms that Canosa was an important centre connecting the near East to central Italy and Europe since the pre‐Roman age. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The first spectroscopic analysis of Ethiopian prehistoric rock painting

An extensive micro‐Raman spectroscopic study of prehistoric rock paintings found in Hararghe region, Ethiopia, was carried out, with the aim to evaluate the production skill of the local artist and the period of production of the discovered paintings. Attenuated Total Reflection Fourier Transform Infrared (ATR‐FTIR) Spectroscopy and Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) were used as auxiliary techniques. Micro sampling were carried out on parts of red, white, black painting figures representing domestic and wild animals. The pigments used by artists were hematite for red color, calcite or gypsum for white color, and carbonaceous material for black coloration. A green pigment was also investigated; it resulted made of green earth. A consistent amount of Ca‐oxalate was found particularly on red samples as well as on the white ones. Former studies attributed oxalates origin to a biological substrate attack, whereas in the present case Ca‐oxalate is ascribed to the use of an organic stuff to spread properly the pigments on the substrate.Principal Component Analysis was performed on the hematite spectra; it evinced that the spectral features could be indicative of different sites and of the relative age.1These novel evaluations put into new perspective the knowledge about rock art pictorial technology of the Horn of Africa. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Characterization of pottery from Republic of Macedonia II. Raman and infrared analyses of glazed pottery finds from Skopsko Kale

Byzantine and Ottoman pottery shards from Skopsko Kale, Republic of Macedonia (27 samples) were analyzed by infrared (IR) and micro‐Raman spectroscopies. IR spectroscopy provided data for assessing the firing temperature of the ceramic body as well as the basic mineralogical composition, while micro‐Raman spectroscopy was used for studying the glazes as well as for estimating the mineralogical composition of the ceramic body. The firing temperature of the Byzantine pottery was more uniform and ranged between 700 and 800 °C. In the case of the Ottoman pottery, a clear distinction between two different firing temperatures in the samples was made, thereby dividing them into two groups (700–800 and 800–900 °C). According to the previously established relationship between glaze composition and Raman parameters, the glazes in all analyzed samples were found to be lead‐based, with firing temperature below 700 °C. A total of 25 different mineral phases was identified in the body of the ceramics. Some pigments were also identified in the pottery glazes. Oleic acid (oil) and apatite residues (protein?) were identified in one sample. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

基于X射线谱学和操作链分析的煤山遗址出土陶器综合研究

采用能量色散X射线荧光光谱（ED-XRF）技术结合考古学常用的陶器操作链研究模式, 对河南汝州煤山遗址出土的陶器遗存开展制作工艺和文化传承关系的综合研究。煤山遗址位于河南省汝州市（原为临汝县）北刘庄村,是研究中原地区新石器时代向文明国家转变的代表性遗址,出土了龙山时代的王湾三期文化（BC2300-BC1900）和具备早期国家形态的二里头文化（BC1750-BC1500）两个重要阶段大量具有典型考古学文化特点的陶器遗存,可以据此较为深入理解距今4000年前后社会复杂化进程和国家起源等重大问题。因此,对该遗址出土陶器的多学科综合研究具有极高的学术价值和文化意义。对煤山遗址出土具有不同文化类型的陶器样本进行化学组成与物理性能分析,将分析结果与陶器操作链分析相结合,进行比对分析。针对煤山遗址陶器遗存,谱学分析结果显示,不同时期考古学文化在制陶原料的选择上差异不大,具有同源性,暗示虽然文化类型不同,但其对粘土的认识和选择具有高度一致性。陶器操作链分析结果显示,虽然新石器时代的王湾三期文化年代较早,但其陶器制作工艺却较晚期的二里头文化更先进,体现了中原地区文化演进过程中既连续又摇摆的发展特点。陶器操作链分析可以反映文化内容的特征性和继承性,在使用谱学分析排除了原料与烧制影响后,对其所提取的信息具有更强的说服力和可比性。综合研究表明,将谱学分析和陶器操作链分析相结合,开展多学科对比和综合研究,可以更好的排除干扰,获取更为扎实且客观的认识,并为考古学文化演进研究提供重要的科学依据。     

Scientific analysis of some glazed pottery unearthed from Warring States Chu tombs in Jiangling,Hubei Province: Indication for the origin of the low-fired glazed pottery in China

A portable energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometer and a micro-Raman spectrometer are used for the nondestructive analysis of a batch of glazed pottery ornaments unearthed from Warring States Chu (楚) tombs (B.C.475–B.C.221) in Jiangling, Hubei Province, China. According to the chemical compositions obtained, all of the glazes belong to the lead–barium–silicate (PbO–BaO–SiO₂) system and contain certain levels of copper. The man-made barium copper silicate pigment crystals, such as Chinese blue (BaCuSi₄O₁₀) and Chinese purple (BaCuSi₂O₆), are identified from several samples by micro-Raman spectrometer. Besides, gypsum and hematite are found in the white and brown regions of two eye beads. Combined with other glazed pottery and the related silicate artifacts (e.g., lead–barium glass and faience, potash–lime glass and glazed pottery, high-lead glazed pottery, etc.), the origin, development, and affected factors of ancient Chinese low-fired glazed pottery have been discussed preliminarily. The present study provides principal evidences for the technological provenance, raw material recipes, and the relationship between low-fired glazed pottery and related vitreous materials of ancient China. It also provides some significant clues for the origin and the development of ancient Chinese lead–barium glass.     

Fensterbierscheiben in the Pena National Palace collection – chemical and iconographic relations

The stained‐glass collection from the Pena National Palace (Sintra, Portugal) includes around 130 ‘rural panels’, also known as Fensterbierscheiben, that were produced between the 16th and 19th centuries. The aim of this investigation is to characterise the glass composition of this collection of Fensterbierscheiben and relate it with the iconographic research made on these panels, in order to establish possible provenance of production. This is the first study on Fensterbierscheiben, where the chemical information of the glass is considered and related with historical information. The micro‐energy dispersive X‐ray fluorescence allowed performing non‐invasive analysis, mostly performed in situ. Micro‐particle‐induced X‐ray emission analysis was performed on the cross section of a small group of fragmented panels for obtaining quantitative chemical composition of the glass. Through the analysis of the colourless glass, and the comparison of micro‐energy dispersive X‐ray fluorescence and micro‐particle‐induced X‐ray emission data, it was concluded that the majority of the panes have a high lime low alkali glass composition. Furthermore, the Fensterbierscheiben panes form a cohesive group in terms of composition, suggesting that they were all manufactured with raw materials from the same region. This study also allowed one to observe the chronological evolution in terms of treatments applied to the used raw materials. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Pigments characterization of polychrome vases production at Lipára: New insights by noninvasive spectroscopic methods

One of the most impressive Sicilian pottery production is attributed to the so‐called Lipari Painter and his followers, whose vessels—found in the archeological site of Lipari (Aeolian Island, Sicily)—are decorated with characteristic blue, red, and white figures. From the archeological point of view, these artworks keep open many questions concerning dating, production technique, and cultural background. In this context, new data on the manufacture procedures and on the raw materials used for the pigments may contribute to a deeper comprehension of this early Hellenistic vase tradition. The preciousness of the vessels, exhibited at the Archeological Museum of Lipari, imposed the use of in situ nondestructive methods to address new insights on the nature of the colored layers. Thus, analyses by Raman and X‐ray fluorescence spectroscopy have been performed with portable instruments on a selection of vessels certainly attributed to Lipari Painter and to some others of his followers. The results of this study testify the use of different pigments: kaolin and gypsum, probably supplied locally, for white layers; Egyptian blue for blue hues; red ochre for brown‐reddish hues; and cinnabar for pink and red‐purple nuances. The identification of both Egyptian blue and cinnabar opens an interesting discussion about dating and circulation of the raw materials.     

用指纹元素散布分析研究古耀州瓷胎的起源

选取耀州窑瓷胎样品25个，唐三彩的胎3个，作坊匣钵料样品1个，耀州博物馆附近粘土矿样品4个．用中子活化分析测量样品中29种元素的含量，从这29种元素中挑选出8种指纹元素，将指纹元素的含量进行散布分析．结果表明，出自不同窑口的古耀州瓷的胎，有着长期稳定的、集中的原料产地．耀州窑唐三彩的胎料产地和耀州瓷胎的原料产地相同．25 samples of Yaozhou porcelain bodies, 3 samples of the tri-color pottery bodies during the Tang Dynasty, 1 samples of Saggar material during Song Dynasty and 4 samples of clay mineral taken from the place near Yaozhou Kiln Museum was selected . The technique of neutron activation analysis (NAA) has been employed to measure the content of 29 kinds of elements in the samples. 8 elements of them were selected as fingerprint elements to make scatter analysis.The conclusion is that the ancient Yaozhou por...     

凤阳明中都遗址出土琉璃瓦胎体制作工艺研究

为探索明代初期中国琉璃瓦制作工艺技术水平与工艺特点,运用能量色散X射线荧光光谱法（energy disperse X-ray fluorescence, EDXRF）,对安徽凤阳明中都及南京明故宫遗址出土69件琉璃瓦样品胎体化学组成进行了测定,同时利用热膨胀仪、吸水率测定仪和偏光显微镜等仪器设备对样品胎体的烧成温度、吸水率、显气孔率、体积密度与显微结构等进行了分析。分析结果显示,明中都样品胎体根据元素化学组成差异可分为高钙高铁、低钙高铁和低钙低铁三种类型,表明该遗址琉璃瓦样品胎体制作原料可能具有不同来源,同时,部分明中都样品的化学组成与南京明故宫样品较为接近,而上述两处遗址样品与北京故宫样品在化学组成上皆具有显著差异。烧成温度、物理性能和显微结构分析结果显示,明中都琉璃瓦瓷质胎体样品的烧成温度较高,达到了1 141 ℃,且吸水率和显气孔率明显较低,达到了瓷胎的标准,而陶质胎体琉璃瓦样品的烧成温度约为880~1 100 ℃,吸水率和显气孔率较大,且不同样品间差异明显,这可能是由于明中都琉璃瓦胎体的来源不同,导致不同样品在烧成温度、吸水率、显气孔率等方面差异较大。与北京、南京二处的琉璃瓦样品相比,明中都样品吸水率及显气孔率稍微高于二处,但三处陶胎琉璃瓦样品胎体的烧成温度基本都在1 100 ℃以下。明中都三种不同类型样品胎体显微结构差异较小,矿物颗粒粒径和孔隙大小相近,其中部分石英晶体具有明显的熔蚀边。此外,明中都和明故宫样品的显微结构特点显示两处遗址样品胎体原料加工皆较为精细,原料淘洗和烧结程度较高,琉璃瓦物理性能较好。对明初洪武时期明中都出土琉璃瓦烧制工艺的研究结果,不仅可为了解我国琉璃瓦工艺发展历程、还可对探索明初琉璃制作工艺和明中都营建的组织形式等提供科学依据。