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Geometrics morphometrics and fragmented archaeological skeleton remains: Examples, limits and perspectives

Vigne, J.D.; Bignon, O.; Callou, C.; Cucchi, T.; Mashkour, M.; Auffray, J.C.; Baylac, M.

Authors

J.D. Vigne

O. Bignon

C. Callou

T. Cucchi

M. Mashkour

J.C. Auffray

M. Baylac



Abstract

Though the use of geometrics morphometrics analysis is wide spread since at least 15 years in the scope of biological and anthropological sciences, the overwhelming majority of archaeologists still investigate the morphology of animal remains by the way of traditional measurements and basic statistical methods. This is at least partly due to the high level of dissociation and fragmentation of the archaeological skeletal remains. In order to estimate more precisely the limitation made by bone fragmentation and to try to take more advantage from the morphology of vertebrates’ archaeological bones, we experimented successively more and more sophisticated morphometric methods: Log Shape Ratio analyses applied to traditional length measurements (historical times in Europe; Neolithic equids of Iran), Landmark analyses (Late Glacial Equids of Western Europe), Outline analyses (Mediterranean house mouse). These different examples will be briefly presented, and assessed in terms of efficiency with reference to traditional archaeozoological measurements. General conclusions emphasize the high benefit that archaeozoology can get from a separate analysis of shape and size, especially for interpopulation comparisons and phylogeographic approaches. But it also highlights the true limitations induced by the fragmentation, which may lead to bias simplistic morphological approaches and preclude some investigation such as asymmetry analyses.

Citation

Vigne, J., Bignon, O., Callou, C., Cucchi, T., Mashkour, M., Auffray, J., & Baylac, M. (2007). Geometrics morphometrics and fragmented archaeological skeleton remains: Examples, limits and perspectives. Journal of Morphology, 268(12), 1145-1145. https://doi.org/10.1002/jmor.10589

Journal Article Type Article
Publication Date Dec 1, 2007
Deposit Date Aug 11, 2009
Journal Journal of Morphology
Print ISSN 0362-2525
Electronic ISSN 1097-4687
Publisher Wiley
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 268
Issue 12
Pages 1145-1145
DOI https://doi.org/10.1002/jmor.10589