The quantification is carried out in two main ways – weighing is not considered – ; the counting and calculation of vase equivalents.
Counting the sherds (Number of remains, NR), begins usually by a distinction of the sherds of rims, walls, bottoms and handles.
This number of sherds is generally reduced to a minimum number of individuals (MNI), i.e. either from the observation of the rims, which is privileged here, either from other elements discriminating, which is generally considered to be a weighting
The estimation of the vase equivalents (EVEs) is based on the state of conservation of the material, by measurement of the percentage of the rim retained. If this method is mainly used in Great Britain, conservation measurement is useful to integrate the qualitative approach, especially if it is associated with the measurement of the diameter of the container opening.