X-ray computer tomography in the studies of ceramic vessels

The paper reports on the use of X-ray computer tomography (CT) in the studies of the technology of manufacturing the earliest hand-made ceramics. CT was developed for medical purposes to produce images (slices) without the effect of mutual overlapping of adjacent layers, as in the case with regular X-ray surveys. In the past the author (Loman, 1998; 2004) suggested to use X-ray computer tomography to study the methods used in making intact and relatively intact ceramic vessels. The paper presents the results of the tomographic study of a series of ceramics from Kazakhstan dating to different periods.