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SG203B Program B
Jun
17
to Jul 12
Program B

SG203B Program B

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.

Course Description

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.

Course Objectives

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

Summary of Lecture Content

Philosophical, cultural and institutional framework for restoration in Italy

• Theory and philosophy of restoration

• Short history of restoration and conservation

• Institutional setting and support for restoration

Ceramic conservation

The methodological approach

Documentation of restoration work

• Photographic, textual and graphic methods

• Examples and lab practice

Cleaning techniques and materials

• Types of dirt and foreign materials

• Mechanical and chemical methodologies and instruments

• Safety measures

• Materials from previous restorations

Consolidation techniques and materials

• Advantages and limits of the procedure

• Consolidant requirements

• Different application methods

Fragments search methodology

Joining techniques and materials

• Adhesive general requirements

• Adhesive choice

• Thermosetting/thermoplastic resins: differences, application methods, safety measures

• Useful supplies for bonding

Gap filling, surface protection and supports

• Thoughts and issues around gap fillings

• Characteristics and requirements of the materials

• Most commonly used fillers in Italy

• Application techniques, refinishing, painting

Some case studies of interesting ceramic restorations

• Big vessels, statues, etc.

Conservation in the field

• Roles of conservator during excavation

• Field conservation lab

• Lifting techniques

• Micro-excavation

• Temporary protection materials

• Packing and storage (short/long time), materials and methods

Ceramic decay

• Decay processes and damages

• Different environments (before and after the abandonment)

• Agents of decay

• Physical damage

• Chemical factors and processes

Handling and moving objects of art

• Guidelines and techniques to handle and lift delicate objects

• Useful devices

Museum and storage environments

• Preventive conservation in museums

• Agents of deterioration in museums

• Object locations

Packing and display materials

• Rigid and semi-rigid materials (natural and synthetic)

• Flexible and elastic materials (natural and synthetic)

• Buffering, scavenger and monitoring devices

Site study visits

• Visit to local museums and restoration laboratory

Afternoon Workshop: Analysis of Archaeological Ceramics

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

Description of Assignments

READINGS

Assigned reading, written assignment

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SG203A Program B
Jun
6
to Jul 1
Program B

SG203A Program B

Analysis of Archaeological Ceramics

3 Units
Instructor: Prof. Elena Lorenzetti
[email protected]

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.

Schedule

 5/27 Sun

5/28 Mon


5/29. Tue


5/30. Wed


5/31 Thu


6/1 Fri

6/2. Sat

6/3 Sun

6/4. Mon


6/5. Tue


6/6 Wed


6/7. Thu



6/8. Fri

Arrival in San Gemini

Visit to  Roman city of Carsuale
Elena Lorenzetti  3:00PM-7:00PM

Studying pottery: goals, points of view, methods
From clay to pottery: raw materials, purifying, forming.

From clay to pottery: decorating, coating, firing.


Analyzing pottery: function, description.


Cataloging/drawing workshop

Free day

Free day

History of ceramic productions: archaic pottery


History of ceramic productions: hellenistic and roman pottery 1

History of ceramic productions: hellenistic and roman pottery 2

History of ceramic productions: medieval and modern pottery; History of ceramic productions: transport amphoras

Final report preparation: diagrams and charts

Brief Historical Overview of Umbria

cataloging/drawing workshop

cataloging/drawing workshop

cataloging/drawing workshop

Ceramics used in Architecture



cataloging/drawing workshop

cataloging/drawing workshop

cataloging/drawing workshop

cataloging/drawing workshop


Report writing

Course Description

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.

Course Objectives

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.

Summary of Lecture Content

CERAMICS HISTORY AND PROCESS

Historical introduction to San Gemini and the region

• History of the evolution of the city of San Gemini

• Visit to the city of San Gemini

• Visit to the ancient city of Carsulae

Why study pottery

• Pottery in context: the multiple meaning of a ceramic sherd, points of view, goals, methods of cataloging.

Historic ceramic materials and technologies

• Nature of materials: physical and chemical properties, origin and historical use

• Clay forming: techniques, tools, functional shapes and their historical evolution

• Drying: the physical process, recognizing flaws

• Firing: from the clay to the pot, the chemical and physical process, flaws and results

• Decorating and coating: tools and materials, applycation techniques; historical evolution of the techniques

• Describing and drawing pottery: the description as analyzing method, the parts of a pot, the correct method for a complete and scientific documentation

Evolution of ceramics in Italy

• Archaic: from archaic coarse ware to bucchero pottery, the birth of Roman power

• Classical: from black gloss to Roman sigillatae, the slave production system and the history of Roman trade through pottery

• Medieval: from the archaic maiolica to the colorful production of Renaissance

• Early modern: from maiolica to industrial productions

Archaeological context and ceramic

• Inorganic and organic materials: nature and properties

• The environment of abandonment

• Ceramic decay: processes and morphology



Afternoon Workshop: Analysis of Archaeological Ceramics

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

 

Description of Assignments

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

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