Advances in geometric modeling and feature extraction on pots

A bstract: This paper outlines progress on the 3D Knowledge and Distributed Intelligence project (3DK) at A rizona State University. Three of the six 3 DK pilot projects involve archaeological and biological material, namely ceramic vessels, lithic artifacts, and bones. These projects are: (1) "3D Morphology of Ceramic Vessels " which aims to learn about vessel uniformity and proportionality as indicators of developing craft specialization and complex social organization among prehistoric cultures; (2) "Lithic Refitting" which intends to develop the algorithms required to (partially) automate the refitting process through 3D scanning and surface modeling: and (3) "3D Topography of Joint Surfaces " which investigates the ability of human ancestors to make tools and walk upright. This paper discusses underlying research aspects common to all three pilot projects: data acquisition, modeling, feature recognition, database construction, and development of a visual query interface aimed at making 3D models of these artifacts available online for query.