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Stereological Identification of Opal Phytolith Populations from Wild and Cultivated Zea

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

John C. Russ  and
Irwin Rovner
John C. Russ
Affiliation:
Materials Science and Engineering Department, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695
Irwin Rovner
Affiliation:
Materials Science and Engineering Department, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695
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Abstract

Reported criteria for distinguishing wild Zea varieties (teosinte) from cultivated primative maize using plant opal phytolith morphology were tested using computer-assisted image analysis. Results showed current criteria to be effective but inconsistent. A straightforward stereological algorithm was derived from image analysis data providing high-confidence statistical assignment of the Zea phytolith populations in this study to wild or cultivated categories.

Résumé

Résumé

Analisis estereológico y estadístico fue ejecutado por computadora para evaluar los métodos de análisis morfológico defitolitos opalinos Sugeridos en la literatura y utilizados para diferenciar las variedades de Zea silvestres (teosinte) de las cultivadasjmaiz). Dicho análisis produjó un algoritmo estereológico que indica que el método estereológico computadorizado propuesto en este estudio es más efectivo como los métodos analizados, es más simple y consistente, y ofrece mayor certeza estadística.

Type
Reports
Information
American Antiquity , Volume 54 , Issue 4 , October 1989 , pp. 784 - 792
Copyright
Copyright © Society for American Archaeology 1989

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References

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