Hauv kev tshawb fawb archaeological thiab thev naus laus zis, cov khoom siv ceramic yog suav tias yog ib qho tseem ceeb pib qhov chaw rau kev taug qab cov qauv hauv zos thiab cov saw hlau ntau lawm (los ntawm kev txheeb xyuas cov khoom siv raw thiab kev loj hlob mus rau cov txheej txheem lauj kaub tais diav). Kev tshawb fawb txog lawv cov mineralogical, tshuaj muaj pes tsawg leeg, thiab lub cev muaj zog (xws li plasticity thiab expansibility) pab txheeb xyuas lub hauv paus chiv keeb thiab cov txheej txheem tsim khoom ntawm cov tais diav qub.
Cov ntxhia los yog pob zeb muaj xws li av nplaum, feldspar, quartz, talc, thiab muscovite, thiab lwm yam. Av nplaum, feldspar, thiab quartz feem ntau suav hais tias yog peb lub ntsiab raw khoom rau ceramics, thaum plaster rau qauv ua, refractory av nplaum rau saggars, thiab pigments rau kho kom zoo nkauj hu ua "cov ntaub ntawv raw khoom." Lawv tuaj yeem raug cais los ntawm cov khoom siv lub cev rau hauv cov khoom siv yas, cov ntaub ntawv nyoos, cov khoom siv raw, thiab cov khoom siv pabcuam. Kev tshawb fawb ntawm cov khoom siv ceramic suav nrog kev tshuaj xyuas lawv cov khoom tseem ceeb tshaj plaws thiab lub cev muaj zog, suav nrog cov ntxhia thiab tshuaj lom neeg muaj pes tsawg leeg, nrog rau cov yam ntxwv xws li plasticity, expansibility, flocculation, thiab cov ntaub ntawv sim.
