Restoration of  Archaeological Ceramics

3 Units
Instructor: Profs. Domizia Colonnello and Alice Rivalta

COURSE STRUCTURE

Morning Seminars and Lectures: Monday – Friday, 8:30 AM – 12:30 PM (2 weeks)

Afternoon Workshop: Monday – Friday, 2:00 PM to 6:30 PM (2 weeks)

• There also will be study visits to the nearby ancient Roman City of Carsulae and regional museums.

No Prerequisites required

REQUIREMENTS: Courses SG 203A is complementary to this course and must be taken in the same session.

The second two weeks of the program Restoration and Analysis of Archaeological Ceramics is the course Restoration of Archaeological Ceramics.

The subject matter complements that in course SG203B (Analysis of Archaeological Ceramics) and is taught by an experienced restorer, a graduate of the ISCR restoration school, who specializes in ceramics restoration and conservation. In the lectures and workshop, students learn the theory and practice of restoring archaeological pottery, working on original archaeological materials on loan from the Soprintendenza Archeologica dell’Umbria.

In the workshop under the close supervision of their instructor, students clean, restore and document the pottery while they learn the following techniques: various methods of cleaning pottery sherds, the reassembly of pottery from surviving sherds, in-filling gaps left in the pottery after reassembly, the aesthetic treatment of the infilling for display and how to document the restoration procedure.

This course aims to give basic theoretical knowledge and practical skills in the field of conservation of archaeological pottery.

Visual inspection

• Recognizing materials, techniques, marks and flaws

Scientific Testing

• Materials

• Dating

Analysis

• Morphology

• Clay forming

• Firing

• Materials

Clay

Inclusions

Tempers

Slips and glazes

• Stylistic analysis

Documentation and recording

• Drawings

• Diagrams

• Documentation

READINGS

Assigned reading, written assignment

Analysis of Archaeological Ceramics

3 Units
Instructor: Prof. Elena Lorenzetti
elena@casalecydonia.com

COURSE STRUCTURE

Morning Lectures: Monday – Friday, 8:30 AM – 12:30 PM (2 weeks)

Classroom: San Giovanni Battista

• Lectures are dedicated to the presentation of material, ceramic technologies and evolution of ceramics in Italy from the archaic to modern age.

Afternoon Workshop: Monday – Friday, 2:00 PM to 6:30 PM (2 weeks)

• As part of the course, students will be working on a field project – a complete analysis of a Roman Age ceramic’s context through visual inspection, scientific testing, morphological analysis, drawing, and a written scientific analysis of the context.

• There also will be an afternoon visit to the nearby ancient Roman City of Carsulae.

No Prerequisites required

REQUIREMENTS: Courses SG 203B is complementary to this course and must be taken in the same session.

This course introduces students to the study of archaeological ceramics from multiple perspectives with a view toward acquiring the tools necessary for the full study of an archaeological context. Through lectures and hands-on workshops it examines both materials and production methods used over time in the Western world. Classes also study historical typologies of architectural ceramics and pottery that are found in Italian archaeological sites, analyzing archaeological artifacts from local excavations (6th C. BC – 20th C. AD) and learning to perform the following tasks: identifying and sorting ceramic sherds; performing typology analysis of “diagnostic” sherds (including analytical drawings and diagrams); and cataloging and documenting ceramic sherds.

Led by a practicing field archaeologist expert in Roman ceramics, this course forms the first half of the program Restoration and Analysis of Archaeological Ceramics. The lecture classes give an overview of ceramic technology and its evolution over time; it also explores the various typologies of pottery and architectural ceramics found in Italian archaeological sites. In the afternoon workshop students work with archaeological artifacts from local excavations (6th century BC – 20th century AD) and learn to perform analysis and documentation of sherds.

The course studies materials and ceramic production methods, the history of ceramics and statistical methods of data elaborations.

The objectives of this course are to provide basic theoretical and practical knowledge and skills in the field of analysis of archaeological ceramics. For students planning a professional career as an archaeologist, this course is an introduction that will be a building block for further education. For students who plan to be involved in the process of conservation and historic preservation, this course offers a useful overview of the complementary issues and processes involved in the field.

Student Learning Outcomes:

Students who successfully complete this course will be able to:

• Identify various ceramics, their use in antiquity, their physical properties, and choose the appropriate analyzing methods.

• Catalogue, make diagrams and draw ancient ceramics.

CERAMICS HISTORY AND PROCESS

Visual inspection

• Recognizing materials, techniques, marks and flaws

Scientific Testing

• Materials

• Dating

Analysis

• Morphology

• Clay forming

• Firing

• Materials

Clay

Inclusions

Tempers

Slips and glazes

• Stylistic analysis

Documentation and recording

• Drawings

• Diagrams

• Documentation

READINGS

Reading list supplied with acceptance to the program.

Grading

• Participation/Field work: Complete various assignments that are given as part of the field project (50%).

• Assignments: Term Paper #1: 8-page paper on the analyzed context (50%).

Grading scale:

94-100 = A. 90-93 = A-
87-89 = B+. 84-86 = B
80-83 = B- 77-79 = C+
74-76 = C. 70-73 = C-
67-69 = D+. 64-66 = D
60-63 = D- Below 60 = F