Archaeology, Ethnology & Anthropology of Eurasia 49 (1) 2021   doi:10.17746/1563-0110.2021.49.1.053-059

Annotation:  Evolution of the Lithic Industry in Central Dagestan During the Early Pleistocene: The Rising Occurr New Evidence of the Late Neopleistocene Peopling of the Lower Ob Valley Cruciform Signs Decorating Paleolithic Bone Artifacts from Cherno-Ozerye II, the Middle Irtysh Area From Ore to Metal: Exploitation of the Novotemirsky Mine, Southern Trans-Urals, in the Second Millen On a Distinctive Feature of the Andronovo (Fedorovka) Funerary Rites in the Baraba Forest-Steppe A Method for Attributing Non-Refi tting Fragments to a Single Artifact: The Case of Bronze Age Flat Three Silver Dishes from Yugra On Early Medieval Contacts of the Urals and Western Siberia with Central Asia: The Evidence of Ceram Composite Belt Ornaments with Bear Claw Pieces in Medieval Men’s Costume of the Perm Region, Western Unfortifi ed Settlements of the Cheptsa Culture (9th–13th Centuries): Ambiguity of Interpretation an Sections of the Early 18th Century Ditch at Fort Umrevinsky The Use of Natural Scientifi c Methods in the Study of Leather Items from Archaeological Excavations Cattle in Buryat Mythology and Ritual Evenki Reindeer Riding Saddle: Certain Principles of Mobility in the Taiga The Consecration of Altars in 17th–21st Century Siberian Orthodox Churches: The Neurosymbolic Aspect The Peopling of the Baraba Forest-Steppe in the Neolithic: Cranial Evidence Morphofunctional Characteristics of Mongolian Children and Adolescents Living in Different Ecologica   

A Method for Attributing Non-Refitting Fragments
to a Single Artifact:
The Case of Bronze Age Flat Figurines

K.A. Kolobova, P.V. Chistyakov, N.V. Basova, A.V. Postnov, and L.V. Zotkina

Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Pr. Akademika Lavrentieva 17, Novosibirsk, 630090, Russia

In recent decades, several new methods for studying archaeological artifacts, mostly based on digital technologies, have been developed. One of the most promising trends is 3D modeling, allowing researchers to deal with an exact virtual copy of the artifact, which can be manipulated in every way. We propose a new method for determining whether non-applicable fragments belong to one artifact, based on 3D modeling and mathematical statistics. After applying it to two (and possibly more) fragments, one gets an unambiguous answer as to whether the application is statistically reliable (i.e., falls within 95 % confidence limits). Precise computerized measurements on 3D models, following a single algorithm, allow us to verify the results. This method was tested on non-refitting fragments of figurines from the Bronze Age cemetery Tourist-2. Two anthropomorphic figurines from the same cemetery were used to verify the conclusions and elaborate the algorithm.

Keywords: Method for attributing fragments to one artifact, 3D modeling, mathematical statistics, Bronze Age, zoomorphic figurines, anthropomorphic figurines