Automated classification of starch granules using supervised pattern recognition of morphological properties

Image analysis techniques have been used to investigate the likelihood of being able to classify and assign a probability regarding the plant origin of individual starch granules in a collection of granules. Quantifiable variables were used to characterize the granules, and the assignments and probabilities were calculated objectively. We consider the classification of images containing granules of a single species and of mixed species and the possibility of assigning a class to granules of unknown species in an image of a slide obtained from the dental calculus of chimpanzees.     

The trouble with truth: Anthropology's epistemological hypochondria

An earlier version of this paper was presented at the AAA meeting in November 2003, in a panel on 'Anthropological evidence and its uses', sponsored by the Wenner-Gren Foundation. My thanks to Jane Cowan, Nigel Rapport and an anonymous reviewer for their comments.     

Noel Lenski and Catherine M. Cameron (Eds.): What Is a Slave Society? The Practice of Slavery in Global Perspective

African Archaeological Review -     

Elemental analysis of pottery in the study of its provenance: A review

Elemental analysis of pottery is a valuable scientific approach to investigation of its provenance. Increasing use is being made of the approach, and this paper presents a critical review of the basic methodology and experimental procedures. Genenal problems and limitations of the technique are discussed, and the procedures involved in each of the four main stages of such studies are described. These stages are: (1) selecting specimens of pottery for analysis, (2) obtaining samples from the specimens, (3) analysing the samples, and (4) interpreting the results. For each stage, suggestions are made for generally useful procedures and experimental precautions, and for aspects on which further study seems desirable. Much of the discussion is also relevant to the analysis and typing of artifacts of other materials, e.g., metal and stone objects.