Yellowware Sherd

Yellow-bodied earthenware

Also known as Yellow ware fragment

Markings and exact colorations may vary.

A golden-yellow ceramic body that remains yellow across a chipped edge, with or without surface bands.

Typical size
0.5–3 in; fragments vary
How often it turns up
Occasional; depends heavily on local history and shoreline
Collecting
Archaeological, leave in place

Loose modern sherds may be collected where permitted. Leave artifacts in state/federal parks, preserves, protected historic or archaeological sites, wrecks and submerged cultural sites; ask the land manager when unsure.

Handling
Sharp edges

Check broken edges; photograph unusual or contextual finds in place.

How to tell it apart

  • Yellow to buff clay visible through broken edge
  • Clear glaze or simple brown bands may remain
  • Opaque porous body, not yellow glass

Found one?

Photograph it and BeachNut ranks the likely matches with a confidence read, then logs it to your collection with the beach and date.

Browsing beaches and the full field guide is free. A free account logs unlimited finds and gives you three photo identifications a day.

Commonly confused with

  • Earthenware SherdGlazed earthenware

    Yellowware shows yellow clay through the broken edge; surface yellow glaze alone is not enough.

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