Rock Identifier
Terracotta (Man-made ceramic brick fragment) (Baked clay / High-iron ceramic (Silicate-based ceramic)) — Anthropogenic material (Man-made sedimentary mimic)
Anthropogenic material (Man-made sedimentary mimic)

Terracotta (Man-made ceramic brick fragment)

Baked clay / High-iron ceramic (Silicate-based ceramic)

Hardness: 3-5 (Mohs scale), Color: Reddish-orange to brown (due to iron oxide), Luster: Dull or earthy, Structure: Amorphous/microcrystalline matrix with grooves, Cleavage: None/Conchoidal fracture, Specific Gravity: 1.8 - 2.5

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Physical properties

Hardness: 3-5 (Mohs scale), Color: Reddish-orange to brown (due to iron oxide), Luster: Dull or earthy, Structure: Amorphous/microcrystalline matrix with grooves, Cleavage: None/Conchoidal fracture, Specific Gravity: 1.8 - 2.5

Formation & geological history

Formed through the industrial baking of wet refined clay at temperatures between 600°C and 1,000°C. The specific specimen appears to be a fragment of a modern corrugated roofing tile or structural brick.

Uses & applications

Used primarily in the construction industry for roofing, flooring, and masonry. Small fragments are often discarded as construction waste or rubble.

Geological facts

Terracotta has been used since ancient times for sculpture and architecture because it is durable and easy to shape before firing. The uniform ridges on this piece indicate it was manufactured by an extrusion machine.

Field identification & locations

Identify by its orange-red color, 'clinky' sound when tapped, and uniform mechanical ridges. It is commonly found near construction sites, old buildings, or riverbanks near urban areas.

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