Large quantities of polychrome pottery were excavated from a Han Dynasty tomb in Xiangshan (Xiang Mountain), Qingzhou of Shandong Province. To decide how best to preserve these relics, based on their states of deterioration, the white salts on the surfaces and the bodies of the polychrome pottery objects were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and polarized light microscopy (PLM). These studies showed that the salts are mostly calcium carbonate and calcium sulphate. The body of the polychrome pottery is composed of sand and clay. The clay used is a product of long-term weathering of a clay mineral. The analytical results revealed the production process includes mostly modeling, supported with modeling and sculpturing. The mechanism of deterioration is also discussed based on the results. The surface weathering of the pottery results from the broken chemical bonds within the mica minerals and damage due to the soluble salts from the preservation environment. This research provides important information for conservation and restoration of polychrome pottery.