Compositional Analysis and Classification Study of Ancient Glassware Based on K-Means Cluster Analysis

Abstract

The aim of this study is to gain a deeper understanding of the compositional characteristics of ancient glass artefacts and their relationship with the degree of weathering as well as the rules for subclassification of ancient glass based on compositional variations. Through detailed compositional analyses of high-potassium glass and lead-barium glass, the study reveals their significant differences in terms of SiO₂ content, etc., and successfully divides them into subclasses by K-means clustering method, and the clustering results are verified by chi-square test, which shows its effectiveness in distinguishing the degree of weathering. The study not only provides a scientific basis for the classification of cultural relics, but also provides a methodology and preliminary conclusions for further excavation of information on ancient glass relics. This study is of practical significance for the conservation of cultural relics and in-depth understanding of ancient glass craftsmanship.