Vessel typological classification: comparing archaeologist perspectives to a digital approach

This article emphasizes the enduring relevance of typological classification in protohistoric research. It examines typologies crafted by different archaeologists, aiming to discern variations using digital techniques like non-linear dimensionality reduction and Adjusted Mutual Information (AMI). Results reveal slight differences in archaeologists’ typologies, raising questions about whether these similarities stem from methodological consistency or shared approaches. Future research could explore how diverse theoretical perspectives in classifying ceramic forms produce genuinely distinct typologies, quantifying typological distance between schools of thought in material culture examination.