Archaeologists have been making increased use of standardized color descriptions for material they excavate and study, generally employing the Munsell color system. Where such standard color descriptions have been applied to pottery, they seem to have functioned solely for description. The author has devised an experiment so that problems connected with use of the Munsell system (lighting conditions, individual color perceptions, bias, mottling of the surface color, etc.) are generally overcome; and the system can be used for more accurate and precise interpretation. The experiment is essentially to overcome the problems of visual interpretation on specific (ceramic) artifacts but also, to enable archaeologists to understand these problems. -- AATA