The scientific and technological study and authentication of ancient ceramics is one of the traditional research fields, which were initiated with distinctive features by the Shanghai Institute of Ceramics. As early as the 1930s, the Engineering Institute of Academia Sinica, which was the predecessor of the Shanghai Institute of Silicate, Chinese Academy of Sciences(CAS), pioneered the scientific and technological research on ancient ceramics. Since then, he scientific and technological research on ancient ceramics were carried out by this institute for nearly 80 years, and research results have kept all along the lead position in the world in the field.

At the present time, the research field of Ancient Ceramics Research Center mainly includes the establishment and generalization of analysis and test standard on ancient ceramics, the physical-chemical mechanism and the history of scientific and technological development on ancient ceramics, the chemical composition and structure database of ancient ceramics, the development of provenance and dating system of ancient ceramics, the restoration of the traditional technical processes, protection of silicate cultural relics, etc..

In recent years, eight monographs about ancient ceramics were published respectively in the Center and about 500 papers were published in the domestic and foreign key magazines. And what’s more, 7 items owned the scientific and technical awards from national, Chinese Academy of Science as well as ministries. In the past five years, The project undertaken by the Center mainly include the programs of the National Natural Science Fund, which is including National Science Fund for the distinguished young scholars, key program and general program, and innovation projects in Chinese Academy of Sciences, etc.. In addition, there are a number of international and domestic projects.

The research and accumulation of many years results of the establishing of the first comprehensive and reliable physical-chemical database on Chinese ancient ceramic. At the same time, with the help of National Natural Science Fund, the Center take the lead in developing the non-destructive analysis standard of ancient ceramics in the world and succeeding in the development of a non-destructive test standard for ancient ceramic. In addition, the Center solved the problems how to digitalize the structure of ancient ceramics and establish a new structure database of ancient ceramics.

At present, The Center has a reasonable efficient research team of about 20 staffs, including Senior Adviser, the winner the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars (NSFDYS), postdoctoral, PhD, Ph.D. candidates and other related technical staffs. At the same time, the Center equipped with the fluorescence spectrometer of the large sample room for non-destructive test and authentication of ancient ceramics and established the research base of imitation for ancient ceramics in order to meet the need of scientific research.