An Experimental Approach to Archaeomorphometrics

Measurements of bones and teeth play an important role in zooarchaeology. This study aims to publish a set of metapodial (Artiodactyl) measurements to facilitate comparisons with other bones from archaeological sites and to help the interpretation of measurement data; and to gain a better understanding of metric data.

Measurements of bones and teeth play an important role in zooarchaeology. They are useful in distinguishing between closely related species and between their wild and domestic forms. Measurements can tell us about size and shape, and for large samples it is sometimes possible to ascertain the sex ratio of the animals from which the bones are derived. For sequences of archaeological assemblages, changes in sizes can tell us about environmental and economic changes such as the advent of domestication and livestock improvement. An Experimental Approach to Archaeomorphometrics has the following aims: to publish a set of metapodial (Artiodactyl) measurements to facilitate comparisons with other bones from archaeological sites and to help the interpretation of measurement data; and to gain a better understanding of metric data, i.e., how much dimensions of different bones and parts of bones vary, and how they reflect the condition of the animal in life. To this end the volume uses principal component analysis to interpret morphological differences between taxa.

Abstract Introduction Global Synthesis The Sri Lankan Synthesis Species Description Cervus unicolor (Artiodactyl: Cervidae) Sus scrofa (Artiodactyl: Suidae) Muntiacus muntjak (Artiodactyl: Cervidae) Axis axis (Artiodactyl: Cervidae) Axis porcinus (Artiodactyl: Cervidae) Moschiola meminna (Artiodactyl: Tragulidae) Bubalus Bubalis (Artiodactyl: Bovidae) Methodology of the study General description of terminology used Description of the metacarpals Description of the metatarsals Results Results of metacarpals Principal component analysis: BP, DP, BM, BL, BS, GL, BD1, BC, BD2 Factor analysis: BP, DP, BM, BL, BS, GL, BD1, BC, BD2 Item analysis of BP, DP, BM, BL, BS, GL, BD1, BC, BD2 Descriptive statistics: BP, DP, BM, BL, BS, GL, BD1, BC, BD2 Principal component analysis: BP, DP, BM, BL, BS, GL, BD1, BC, BD2 Discriminant analysis: species versus BP, DP, BM, BL, BS, GL, BD1, BC, BD2 Factor analysis: BP, DP, BM, BL, BS, GL, BD1, BC, BD2 Item analysis of BP, DP, BM, BL, BS, GL, BD1, BC, BD2 Interpretation of the Results Appendix 1: Primary data set of bone measurements Appendix 2: Bone terminology Appendix 3: Summary report for BP, DP, BM, BL, BS, GL, BD1, BC, BD2 Appendix 4: Exclusion of Sus scrofa References, Abstract ;

Introduction ;

Global Synthesis ;

The Sri Lankan Synthesis ;

Species Description ;

Cervus unicolor (Artiodactyl: Cervidae) ;

Sus scrofa (Artiodactyl: Suidae) ;

Muntiacus muntjak (Artiodactyl: Cervidae) ;

Axis axis (Artiodactyl: Cervidae) ;

Axis porcinus (Artiodactyl: Cervidae) ;

Moschiola meminna (Artiodactyl: Tragulidae) ;

Bubalus Bubalis (Artiodactyl: Bovidae) ;

Methodology of the study ;

General description of terminology used ;

Description of the metacarpals ;

Description of the metatarsals ;

Results ;

Results of metacarpals ;

Principal component analysis: BP, DP, BM, BL, BS, GL, BD1, BC, BD2 ;

Factor analysis: BP, DP, BM, BL, BS, GL, BD1, BC, BD2 ;

Item analysis of BP, DP, BM, BL, BS, GL, BD1, BC, BD2 ;

Descriptive statistics: BP, DP, BM, BL, BS, GL, BD1, BC, BD2 ;

Principal component analysis: BP, DP, BM, BL, BS, GL, BD1, BC, BD2 ;

Discriminant analysis: species versus BP, DP, BM, BL, BS, GL, BD1, BC, BD2 ;

Factor analysis: BP, DP, BM, BL, BS, GL, BD1, BC, BD2 ;

Item analysis of BP, DP, BM, BL, BS, GL, BD1, BC, BD2 ;

Interpretation of the Results ;

Appendix 1: Primary data set of bone measurements ;

Appendix 2: Bone terminology ;

Appendix 3: Summary report for BP, DP, BM, BL, BS, GL, BD1, BC, BD2 ;

Appendix 4: Exclusion of Sus scrofa ;

References

Kalangi Rodrigo studies at the Department of Archaeology, University of Ruhuna, Sri Lanka as a final year Undergraduate. Her focus is on Zooarchaeology and Ecological Perspectives on Sri Lankan Prehistoric Studies. ;
Kelum Manamendra-Arachchi is a faunal specialist and herpetologist currently affiliated with the Postgraduate Institute of Archaeological Research, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka. He has been working in Sri Lankan Prehistoric excavations since the 1990s identifying faunal materials.

• By (author) Kalangi Rodrigo
• By (author) Kelum N. Manamendra-Arachchi