Material · ceramic
Terracotta
Mesoamerica, South America — Andes, Europe — Mediterranean, Egypt & Nile Valley, Near East & Mesopotamia, East Asia
Terracotta is the generic term for low-fired, porous earthenware used for pottery, figurines, lamps and architectural pieces across the ancient world, from Mesoamerican figurines and Greek Tanagras to Roman lamps and Chinese tomb figures. It is the most common archaeological material. A tempered ware name is preferred when known.
| Kind | ceramic |
|---|---|
| Regions | Mesoamerica, South America — Andes, Europe — Mediterranean, Egypt & Nile Valley, Near East & Mesopotamia, East Asia |
Sources
Clay is universal; specific wares are identified by their source clays and tempers, from Nile silt to Attic red clay and the kaolin of Xi'an. Petrographic and chemical analysis of the clay can tie a vessel to a production region.
Identification
Terracotta is porous, breaks with a dull sound, absorbs water and ranges from buff to red to grey depending on clay and firing; slips, paints and glazes may cover it. Mould seams, coil breaks and temper identify manufacture. Thermoluminescence dates the last firing.
Substitutes and fakes
Terracotta is the most forged material because clay is cheap and moulds can be taken from originals; thermoluminescence is the standard test, though irradiation has been used to defeat it. Root marks, salt bloom and wear are the visual checks.
Elsewhere
- Wikidata: Q60424
- Wikipedia: terracotta
Cite this article
Stratum Strata. "Terracotta" (Material). Stratum Strata pack 2026.09, as of 2026-09-21. https://stratum.black/strata/materials/terracotta. Accessed 2026-09-21.
@misc{stratum-terracotta,
title = {Terracotta},
author = {{Stratum Strata}},
howpublished = {\url{https://stratum.black/strata/materials/terracotta}},
year = {2026},
note = {Material article, Stratum Strata pack 2026.09, as of 2026-09-21; sources: stratum, commons, wikidata. Accessed 2026-09-21.}
} Citations carry the pack version and the article's as-of date so they resolve to the same text later. The facts themselves belong to the sources listed below; cite those for the science.