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Textural and Morphometric Analysis Applied to Holocene Pottery from T akarkori Rock Shelter ( SW L ibya, Central S ahara): A Quantitative Sedimentological Approach
Author(s) -
Eramo G.,
Aprile A.,
Muntoni I. M.,
Zerboni A.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
archaeometry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.716
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1475-4754
pISSN - 0003-813X
DOI - 10.1111/arcm.12043
Subject(s) - petrography , calcite , geology , quartz , sedimentary rock , provenance , pottery , archaeology , mineralogy , fluvial , holocene , geochemistry , geomorphology , paleontology , geography , structural basin
This paper proposes the application of digital image processing of plane‐ and cross‐polarized light photomicrographs to textural and morphometric analysis as an extension of routine petrographic characterization. The aim is to answer questions on the provenance and technology of quartz‐ and calcite‐bearing potsherds from the T akarkori rock shelter ( L ibyan S ahara, from around 8900 to 4200 uncal. years bp ). Specific processing algorithms run on image analysis freeware (ImageJ) isolate quartz and calcite inclusions to obtain quantitative textural and morphometric data that are useful in identifying different local fluvial and swampy sedimentary environments as sources of sandy clays for pottery.