Beating the forger: authenticating ceramic antiquities

Today's forger may have skills to match the artists and craftsmen of the past. But can they be exposed by scientific methods? Ceramic antiquities – including pottery, porcelains, and bronzes with a casting core – have long been valued, and demonstrable antiquity is crucial. Thermoluminescence provides key evidence as to when the object was fired. We describe the basic ideas, the methods themselves, and some of the potential limitations. Examples illustrate the remarkable ingenuity of forgers, who are making determined efforts to beat the physics-based tests of authenticity.