To determine the applicability of microxeroradiography to the study of archaeological ceramic sherds, a limited but controlled investigation was carried out to characterize some common and uncommon inclusions found in archaeological artifacts. The findings support the conclusion that this technique has the potential to: 1) distinguish between alluvial sands and temper prepared by man; 2) characterize pot sherds, thereby permitting comparisons; and 3) identify unusual inclusions and, by locating them within a sherd, facilitate their study by standard petrographic techniques.