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Computerised Bone Templates as the Basis of a Practical Procedure
to Record and Analyse Graphical Zooarchaeological Data.
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How the Templates can be Used and the Computerised Approach.
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Computerised, standardised templates together with layers open up a number
of possibilities for researchers; at the very basic level of use the templates
can still be printed out whole or in part to form the basis of a hand recording
system and the templates can produce large quality prints if necessary. Also,
given a range of templates being available and the level of detail the images
themselves provide the templates could also help in the examination and
identification of the skeletal material should actual reference material
not be available.
However the primary purpose of the application as presented and described
here is as a basis for a digital recording system which can then be used
to interrogate and analyse the information much more easily than has been
possible with paper based recording systems. Once individual data files have
been brought together and aggregations have been created, separate project
files can easily be created and retained as a permanent record or printed
out for inclusion in reports.
Particularly important aspects of graphic data analyses is the examination
of butchery mark distribution which is carried out successfully "longhand"
(O'Connor 2000: 47, fig.5.4.) or as
presented by Abe et al. (2002) in
a more sophisticated example. The other is as originally demonstrated by
Marean et al. (2001) where MNI
may be determined from the analysis of fragmentation. The accompanying evaluation
material demonstrates how similar results may be achieved using this, albeit
simpler procedure.
The organised storage and ease of recovery, the transportability of digital
templates and data itself also opens up opportunities for standardisation,
comparison of compatible data and centralisation of specialist research.
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