Week 3 Lab Data Group B – Pottery

Composition table: The first table below is a depiction of the ingredients that each individual group member used in their clay. The second table is a calculation of, by percentage of ingredients in the first table, what the predicted composition of the clay is after tempering and wedging, using clay weight as an indicator. In the first table, the full brick would theoretically weigh 600g. In the second table, the full brick weighed 572g, so all percentages are based on those statistics.

Pre-TemperClaySandGravelChaffWater
Weight500g80g18g2g0g
Percent83.33%13%3%.33%0%
Post-TemperClaySandGravelChaffWater
Weight476g74.36g17.16g1.88g~2.6g
Percent83.33%13%3%.33%0%

Through tempering, much clay and temper was lost to the woodgrain of the table, and these percentages have likely changed greatly, though this is our group’s best estimate at what post-tempering composition would break down to be.

The following tables represent the measurement changes in the clay after around 20-21 hours of drying indoors in a temperature-controlled environment. Names have been removed for anonymity.

Control Test Block:

OriginalAfter 1 dayLoss (%)
Weight (g)99g86g~14%
Height (cm)0.5 cm.4 cm~20%
Length (cm)15 cm14.8 cm~2%
Width (cm)5 cm4.9 cm~2%
Scale bar length (cm)10 cm10 cm0%

Group member 1:

OriginalAfter 1 dayLoss (%)
Weight (g)507g474g~7%
Height (cm)7.1 cm6.5 cm~9%
Diameter at Rim (mm)87.5 mm76.42 mm~13%
Diameter at Widest (mm)99.35 mm97.18 mm~3%
Wall section (mm)6.65 mm6.18 mm (marked error, from diff spot)~8%

Group member 2:

OriginalAfter 1 dayLoss (%)
Weight (g)519g471g~10%
Height (cm)9.35 cm8.2 cm~13%
Diameter at Rim (mm)114.5 mm112 mm~3%
Diameter at Widest (mm)140 mm132 mm~6%
Wall section (mm)6.63 mm6.81 mm (marked error, from diff spot)~3% (difference)

Group member 3:

OriginalAfter 1 dayLoss (%)
Weight (g)450g412g~9%
Height (cm)11.1 cm10.7 cm~4%
Diameter at Rim (mm)38.59 mm33.94 mm~13%
Diameter at Widest (mm)81.85 mm71.92 mm~12%
Wall section (mm)13.39 mm12.87 mm~4%

Group member 4:

OriginalAfter 1 dayLoss (%)
Weight (g)642g583g~10%
Height (cm)9.6 cm9 cm~7%
Diameter at Rim (mm)111 mm100 mm~10%
Diameter at Widest (mm)143 mm140 mm~3%
Wall section (mm)9.7 mm9.53~2%

Fig 2: pinch pots and students working on smoothing post-tempering clay. Note the amount of clay that has been caught in the wood grain of the table.

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