Thermoluminescence is a phenomenon exhibited to
varying degree by many minerals. It consists in the
ability of emission of light within and above the range
of ordinary red-hot glow when a substance called the
luminophore is heated. The light represents here the
released energy that has been stored in the form of
electrons trapped in the c r y s ta l, lattice of the given
mineral and is proportional to the total dose of radiation
once received. In most pottery specimens mineral
constituents (e.g. quartz) may be found possessing
the property of accumulating thermoluminescence and
also that of receiving small but significant doses of
nuclear radiation coming from radioactive impurities
in clay of which the pottery was made. Heating to
temperatures above 500°C removes the accumulated
thermoluminescence and consequently the firing of
clay into pottery brings the luminescence dowTn to zero.
However, after that the thermoluminescence grow’s
in time. This grow is also dependant on the particular
thermoluminescent constituents present in the given
pottery fragments as well as upon the radiation dose-
rate as explained above.
As a result of laboratory measurements the thermoluminescence
carried by pottery can be expressed as
an equivalent radiation dose that is determined
through exposing the pottery piece to radiation of an
artificial radioisotope.
Dating of ancient pottery with the use of thermoluminescence
is at present under ex tensiv e development
in many research centres and it is hoped that
the improved techniques will greatly contribute to
reduction of indistinctness and errors but it hardly
seems that a method could ever be worked out giving
the results with their accuracy exceeding that of
± 5 per cent.
Another aspect of pottery dating is the detection of
fakes.
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