To know the age of ceramics, fix yourself on humidity

2009/10/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Teknologia

Researchers from the universities of Manchester and Edinburgh have designed a new technique for dating archaeological ceramic objects. While this technique is suitable for determining the age of objects 2,000 years ago, researchers consider that it may also be able to date objects of 10,000 years.

Ceramic objects are inserted into the structure from their exit from the oven. Thus, over time, the object gains weight. The older the material, the more it will weigh, the more water it will have.

To date it is essential to know the speed of reaction between ceramics and water over time. This knowledge is based on the new dating technique. To do this, researchers weigh a sample of ceramics as it is and after heating it in an oven to about 500 degrees Celsius. This sample is weighed in a high precision microbalance to know the water that has penetrated the ceramic. Knowing this data you can extrapolate the age of the object.