MVAC logo

at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse

Mississippi Valley Archaeology Center / Educators

Archaeology Terms

Back to all terms

Rim Radius - Video

How Big Was That Pot? Measuring Rim Diameters

Archaeologists study all kinds of containers and take different measurements to help describe and interpret them. For containers with circular openings, like many Indigenous ceramic vessels from the Midwest, the diameter at the rim is one of those helpful measurements. Here, Research Intern Cindy Kocik shows how archaeologists can determine the radius and diameter of a circular vessel opening—even with just a portion of the rim—using a rim radius chart.

MVAC wordmark logo

at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse

Contact us

Get involved

Back to top

MVAC Educational Programs are supported in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in these programs do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities. This project was supported in part by the National Science Foundation. Opinions expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the Foundation.