Abstract
Chemical analysis of ancient ceramics has been used frequently to support archaeological interpretation. Often the dimensionality in the data has been high. Therefore multivariate statistical techniques like cluster analysis have been applied. Successful applications of simple model-based Gaussian clustering of Roman bricks and tiles has been reported by Mucha et al. (2001). And now, more complex Gaussian models can be investigated because of an increase of sample size by new findings excavated in Boppard. Additionally these and previous successful simple models will be applied in a very local fashion considering two supposed brickyards only. Here, after giving a brief history of clustering Roman bricks and tiles, some cluster analysis models including different data transformations will be investigated in order to answer questions like: Is it possible to differentiate between brickyards of Rheinzabern and Worms on basis of chemical analysis? Do the bricks and tiles found in Boppard belong to the brickyards of Worms or Rheinzabern?
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Mucha, HJ., Bartel, HG., Dolata, J. (2005). Model-based Cluster Analysis of Roman Bricks and Tiles from Worms and Rheinzabern. In: Weihs, C., Gaul, W. (eds) Classification — the Ubiquitous Challenge. Studies in Classification, Data Analysis, and Knowledge Organization. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-28084-7_35
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-28084-7_35
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