We developed a computer-based method for ceramic typology and classification, to enable the search for ceramic parallels. The method makes use of the vessel's profile (cross section) as drawn in standard archaeological reports. Considered as a planar curve, it is most efficiently described in terms of the local curvature given as a function of the point's position along the profile. The curvature function naturally emphasizes the sections of the profile of greatest archaeological interest (corners, rims, etc). It contains the entire information about the curve, and allows further manipulations (smoothing, interpolation etc).
The scanned profile is automatically vectorized into a set of x,y coordinates, from which the curvature function is computed. Vessels are compared by their corresponding curvature functions, and the correlation is numerically expressed in terms of the normalized scalar product. By calculating a correlation matrix for a whole assemblage, a ceramic typology can be defined using cluster analysis, factor analysis or other statistical techniques. The introduction of a weight function in the definition of the scalar product, introduces a freedom, which may be used to give more weight to details or focus on features of greater archaeological significance. The method was tested successfully for the analysis of several archaeological problems of current interest.
Keywords: Ceramic Typology, Curvature analysis, Computerized Classification.