Portillo, M. orcid.org/0000-0002-2703-031X, Ball, T.B., Wallace, M. orcid.org/0000-0002-2355-5565 et al. (5 more authors) (2019) Advances in morphometrics in archaeobotany. Environmental Archaeology, 25 (2). pp. 246-256. ISSN 1461-4103
Abstract
Morphometric analysis offers an alternative or augmentation to traditional archaeobotanical methods to address differences within and between plant species and their remains, refining and enhancing taxonomic resolution. Morphometrics, the measurement of size and shape, and the multivariate statistical analysis of generated quantitative variables, have long played a major role in biological research, including plant taxonomy and systematics, although its application in archaeobotany is relatively recent. Over the last few decades, there has been an increasing interest in the use of morphometrics for analysing a varied range of archaeological plant materials (mainly seeds, pollen, phytoliths, and starch grains). In particular, morphometrics have contributed to the study of the domestication and spread of many cereals world-wide, as well as that of other taxa including legumes, underground storage organs (USO), and fruits (such as olives, grapes, and dates). This paper reviews current methodologies, recent applications, and advances in the use of morphometrics in archaeobotanical research, discusses its role in exploring major research questions, and suggests possible future directions for its use.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2019 Association for Environmental Archaeology. This is an author produced version of a paper subsequently published in Environmental Archaeology. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher's self-archiving policy. |
Keywords: | Morphometry; computer-assisted image analysis; archaeobotany; macro-botanical remains; micro-botanical remains |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Sheffield |
Academic Units: | The University of Sheffield > Faculty of Arts and Humanities (Sheffield) > Department of Archaeology (Sheffield) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Sheffield |
Date Deposited: | 06 Feb 2019 10:55 |
Last Modified: | 17 Nov 2021 10:49 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Taylor & Francis |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.1080/14614103.2019.1569351 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:142157 |