Computer image enhancement and analysis of cementum increments as applied to teeth of Gazella gazella

Abstract

Abstract A method is described that promises to reduce some of the subjectivity of estimating the age and season of death from cementum increments in mammalian teeth recovered from archaeological sites. Computer image enhancement can increase clarity and computer image analysis can help to objectively distinguish increments, ascertain their number, and determine the nature of the outermost increment. The method is applied to modern mountain gazelle (Gazella gazella) teeth of known month of death from Israel and to prehistoric specimens from Hayonim Cave, Israel.