Petrographic analysis involves:
A) shooting an x-ray beam onto lithic raw material causing the electrons to become excited and emit fluorescent energy.
B) trace element analysis of lithic raw material to obtain a "fingerprint" and identify source.
C) identifying the mineral composition of a pot's temper and clay through microscopic analysis of thin sections of the pottery.
D) All of the answers are correct; petrographic analysis refers to all techniques that attempt to source ceramic or lithic raw material.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Petrographic analysis specifically refers to the microscopic examination of thin sections of materials (such as rocks or ceramics) to identify their mineral composition. This technique is commonly used to analyze the temper and clay in pottery to understand its composition and origins. Choices A and B describe other analytical techniques (X-ray fluorescence and trace element analysis, respectively) that are not considered petrographic analysis.

Petrographic Analysis Involves