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Analysis of Ceramic Color by Spectral Reflectance

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Marco Giardino ,
Richard Miller ,
Rachel Kuzio  and
Dean Muirhead
Marco Giardino
Affiliation:
National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Earth System Science Office, Stennis Space Center, MS 39529
Richard Miller
Affiliation:
National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Earth System Science Office, Stennis Space Center, MS 39529
Rachel Kuzio
Affiliation:
National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Earth System Science Office, Stennis Space Center, MS 39529
Dean Muirhead
Affiliation:
Louisiana State University, Department of Civil and Environmental Eingineering, Baton Rouge, LA 70803
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Abstract

Radiometric and visual techniques are compared as quantitative methods for determining pottery color. An analysis of 52 prehistoric sherds selected at random from a multicomponent site indicates an increase in the accuracy and efficiency in determining color using a spectroradiometer over subjective visual observations. Further, radiometric data can be transformed to CIE chromaticity coordinates and Munsell color from spectral reflectance curves and analyzed directly to access quantitative accuracy. The color, or spectral reflectance, of filter paper samples and a subset of the sherds measured by a standard field radiometer were strongly correlated with measurements of color derived from a low-cost, PC-based color sensor traditionally used in graphic arts applications. Radiometric data were compared with visual observations of Munsell color conducted by two archaeologists. The two methods were most similar in estimates of value and chroma. The human observers differed widely in their estimates of hue. The radiometric approach provides more consistent and exact measurements of color than does visual observation, providing archaeologists with an efficient, effective, and a potential low-cost method to determine an important common attribute of artifacts.

Résumé

Résumé

La técnica radiométrica y la técnica visual son comparadas como métodos cuantitativos para determinar el color de artefactos hechos de barro (alfarería). Un análisis de cincuenta y dos (52) pedazos de piezas prehistóricas (seleccionadas al azar de un sitio con multitud de componentes) indica que el espectroradiómetro, comparado con el método visual, produce medidas de color con mucha más eficacia y exactitud. Más aún, datos radiométricos pueden ser transformados a cooráinadas cromdticas CIE y las curvas de reflectancia espectral pueden ser transformadas a color Munsell y analizadas directamente obteniendo así exactitud cuantitativa. Datos radiométricos son comparados con observaciones visuales (expresadas en color Munsell) dirigidas por dos arqueólogos. Ambos métodos producen estimados similares con respecto a valor y croma. El método visual produce observaciones més confiables con respecto al tinte (tono del color), la caracteristica del color a la cual el ojo humano es más sensitivo. Medidas de color (reflectancia espectral) obtenidas con un radiómetro de campo standard fueron altamente correlacionadas con medidas de color obtenidas de un sensor de color de los tradicionalmente usados en aplicaciones de artes gráficas. El método del radiómetro es consistente y produce medidas de color más exactas que el método visual, por lo que provee a los arqueólogos de un método—eficiente, efectivo, y posiblemente de bajo costo—para determinar un atributo común e importante de los artefactos arqueológicos.

Type
Reports
Information
American Antiquity , Volume 63 , Issue 3 , July 1998 , pp. 477 - 483
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for American Archaeology 1998

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