Inspired by the international meeting on Petrography of Archaeological Materials held at University of Sheffield, UK, between 15-17 February 2008, this peer reviewed volume presents a collection of papers on the application of thin section petrography to the study of ancient ceramics and other artefacts. The 16 chapters cover a wide range of archaeological periods and geographic regions and tackle Key themes such as trade and exchange the organisation of production, craft technology, culture, tradition and identity. With studies by leading scholars and upcoming researchers from the UK, mainland Europe and North America, this book captures the scope of petrographic research being undertaken worldwide and highlights the importance of this interdisciplinary approach in articulating archaeological and theoretical concerns within material culture.