Sherd

A potsherd or ostracon with Pericles' name written on it (c. 444 BC - 443 BC), Museum of the ancient Agora of Athens.

In archaeology, a sherd is commonly a historic or prehistoric fragment of pottery, although the term is occasionally used to refer to fragments of stone and glass vessels as well.^{[citation needed]}

Occasionally, a piece of broken pottery may be referred to as a shard, or the more precise term potsherd can be used. While the spelling shard is generally reserved for referring to fragments of glass vessels the term does not exclude pottery fragments. The etymology is connected with the idea of breakage, from Old English sceard, related to Old Norse skarth, "notch", and Middle High German scharte, "notch".

A sherd or potsherd with writing painted or inscribed on it can be more precisely referred to as an ostracon.

See also

• Ostracon