Computerized Pottery Analysis (Archaeomath)
opens new avenues for the classification and typology of ceramic assemblages,
which are the most widespread finds at any ancient site postdating the invention
of pottery. Our goal is to
develop new tools and methods for typology, classification and comparative
analyses on a computer-aided basis.
These will hopefully replace the traditional methods of pottery analysis which are
subjective and qualitative, and cannot cope with a large volume of data.
We convert the standard drawings which appear in ceramic tables of archaeological
reports (top figure) to functions which are their mathematical equivalent (bottom
figure). These serve as the basis of subsequent analysis, where we sort the
assemblages according to types, find parallels between assemblages, compute volumes,
and in general provide objective and quantitative tools for typological research.
This project
is being carried out at the
Weizmann Institue of Science, by Avsahlom Karasik
under the supervision of Prof. Uzy Smilansky, in
collaboration with Dr. Ilan Sharon and
Dr. Ayelet Gilboa. It receives support from the
"bikura" program of the Israel Science Foundation.
