Pages: 343-358
The article describes in detail the algorithm and research capabilities of the modern analysis tool of archaeological artifacts shape — three-dimensional geometric-morphometryc analysis. This method is based on the study of high-precision three-dimensional artifact models in order to study the shape by multivariate analysis of the land-mark coordinates placed at specific locations on the artifact surface. As a result of the analysis application, the researcher obtains a complete set of verifiable data characterizing the morphological variability of the analyzed artifacts. The paper presents a brief history of the analysis application in the natural and humanities sciences, provides the main principles and approaches, describes its main stages and ways of obtained data interpretation. A list of software by which the researcher can conduct a different stage of analysis is provided. The analysis of three-dimensional models of bifacial tools from Chagyrskaya Cave demonstrates the analytical capacities and the prospects of its application to the study of lithic assemblages.
Keywords: Palaeolithic, three-dimensional modeling, geometric-morphometric analysis, structured light scanner, bifacial tools, Chagyrskaya Cave
Information about authors:
Alena Shalagina (Novosibirsk, Russian Federation). Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Akademik Lavrentiev Ave., 17, Novosibirsk, 630090, Russian Federation.
E-mail: [email protected]
Kseniya Kolobova (Novosibirsk, Russian Federation). Doctor of Historical Sciences. Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Akademik Lavrentiev Ave., 17, Novosibirsk, 630090, Russian Federation.
E-mail: [email protected]
Pavel Chistyakov (Novosibirsk, Russian Federation). Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Akademik Lavrentiev Ave., 17, Novosibirsk, 630090, Russian Federation.
E-mail: [email protected]
Andrey Krivoshapkin (Novosibirsk, Russian Federation). Doctor of Historical Sciences. Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Akademik Lavrentiev Ave., 17, Novosibirsk, 630090, Russian Federation.
E-mail: [email protected]