M N Leese
Biographic Data
| ID | 1519196 |
|---|---|
| NAME | M N Leese |
| GIVEN NAMES | M N |
| FAMILY NAME | Leese |
| SIGNATURE | LEESE M N |
| AFFILIATIONS | Transport Studies Group, University College London, London |
| VERIFIED | No |
| TOTAL WORKS | 11 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 89 |
| WORKS AS AUTHOR | 11 |
| WORKS AS EDITOR | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 1978 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 1994 |
| H-INDEX | 5 |
The Efficient Computation of Unbiased Mahalanobis Distances and Their Interpretation in Archaeometry
This paper argues for cross‐validation to reduce bias in estimating Mahalanobis distances of individuals to groups, a particular problem with small sample sizes. Formulae for the efficient computation of cross‐validated distances, which avoid excessive matrix inversion, are given. The use of Mahalanobis distances as measures of consistency, or as indications of outlying values, is described. The little‐known technique of gamma plotting is outline…
The Availability of Raw Materials for near Eastern Cylinder Seals during the Akkadian, Post Akaddian and Ur III Periods
Studies of the materials of cylinder seals (Sax, 1986, 1991b, and in preparation a, b, c) from Western Asia throughout the 3000 years or so of their production (c. 3500 B.C. to c. 400 B.c.) have shown that there was a chronological evolution in material usage. The seals are chiefly composed of simple mineral assemblages and the selection of particular raw materials appears to have been influenced by such properties as hardness and colour. A gener…
A Scientific Study of Medieval Tiles From Bordesley Abbey, Near Redditch (Hereford and Worcester)
Archaeological work, based on the external characteristics of decorated floor tiles from the Cistercian monastery of Bordesley, has identified and characterised a series of industries supplying that site from the earlier 13th century through to dissolution in 1538. In this paper we extend these interpretations by means of neutron activation analysis (NAA) data on the body compositions of the tiles, and compare these results with manually recorded…
Re-Evaluation of British Museum Radiocarbon Dates Issued Between 1980 and 1984
Dates issued by the British Museum radiocarbon laboratory between 1980 and 1984 are known to have been in error. This paper outlines the cause of the problem and the procedures adopted to revise the results affected. Where revision has been possible, on average this has given dates older by 200 to 300 radiocarbon years. The individual revised results are tabulated
Developments in the Early Bronze Age metallurgy of southern Britain
This discussion paper raises some theoretical issues of approach and presents selected results from an analytical programme on the early bronze metalwork of southern Britain. The analyses, performed by atomic absorption spectrophotometry, are assessed against a fine chronological model to show for example that tin bronze alloying was introduced swiftly towards the end of the third millennium BC. The consistency of tin alloying thereafter is unriv…
Frequency table analysis
A Scientific Study of N. Midlands Medieval Tile Production
This paper describes a study of neutron activation analyses of some medieval tiles from the North Midlands. Having established the feasibility of the method of analysis, we applied a number of multivariate statistical techniques to derive eleven reference groups, each consisting of tiles with similar compositions which could plausibly have originated from the same source of clay. While known kiln sites could be readily distinguished, less confide…
Bronze Bowls With Handles From Nimrud—a Note
Textural Analysis of Ceramic Thin Sections
‘Textural analysis’ is being increasingly used for the characterisation of pottery fabrics. In this study we have investigated some of the effects on the observed size distribution data of applying a number of different grain selection procedures (principally various point‐counting and ribbon‐counting procedures). The results indicate that significant differences may arise from the application of the various techniques of grain selection and it i…
The Trace Element Composition of Polished Flint Axes as an Indicator of Source
Trip-Distribution Calculations and Sampling Error
Part 1 of this paper discusses the treatment of zero observations in growth-factor methods; part 2 discusses the calibration of gravity models when the data are of different sampling variability. The problem discussed in part 1 is that zero observations are preserved at zero value in the forecast year, no matter how much growth takes place. Since the probability of making a trip is not zero but very small for those matrix cells that are empty by …
Re-Evaluation of British Museum Radiocarbon Dates Issued Between 1980 and 1984
Dates issued by the British Museum radiocarbon laboratory between 1980 and 1984 are known to have been in error. This paper outlines the cause of the problem and the procedures adopted to revise the results affected. Where revision has been possible, on average this has given dates older by 200 to 300 radiocarbon years. The individual revised results are tabulated
Textural Analysis of Ceramic Thin Sections
‘Textural analysis’ is being increasingly used for the characterisation of pottery fabrics. In this study we have investigated some of the effects on the observed size distribution data of applying a number of different grain selection procedures (principally various point‐counting and ribbon‐counting procedures). The results indicate that significant differences may arise from the application of the various techniques of grain selection and it i…
Developments in the Early Bronze Age metallurgy of southern Britain
This discussion paper raises some theoretical issues of approach and presents selected results from an analytical programme on the early bronze metalwork of southern Britain. The analyses, performed by atomic absorption spectrophotometry, are assessed against a fine chronological model to show for example that tin bronze alloying was introduced swiftly towards the end of the third millennium BC. The consistency of tin alloying thereafter is unriv…
The Trace Element Composition of Polished Flint Axes as an Indicator of Source
The Efficient Computation of Unbiased Mahalanobis Distances and Their Interpretation in Archaeometry
This paper argues for cross‐validation to reduce bias in estimating Mahalanobis distances of individuals to groups, a particular problem with small sample sizes. Formulae for the efficient computation of cross‐validated distances, which avoid excessive matrix inversion, are given. The use of Mahalanobis distances as measures of consistency, or as indications of outlying values, is described. The little‐known technique of gamma plotting is outline…
Frequency table analysis
A Scientific Study of Medieval Tiles From Bordesley Abbey, Near Redditch (Hereford and Worcester)
Archaeological work, based on the external characteristics of decorated floor tiles from the Cistercian monastery of Bordesley, has identified and characterised a series of industries supplying that site from the earlier 13th century through to dissolution in 1538. In this paper we extend these interpretations by means of neutron activation analysis (NAA) data on the body compositions of the tiles, and compare these results with manually recorded…
A Scientific Study of N. Midlands Medieval Tile Production
This paper describes a study of neutron activation analyses of some medieval tiles from the North Midlands. Having established the feasibility of the method of analysis, we applied a number of multivariate statistical techniques to derive eleven reference groups, each consisting of tiles with similar compositions which could plausibly have originated from the same source of clay. While known kiln sites could be readily distinguished, less confide…
Trip-Distribution Calculations and Sampling Error
Part 1 of this paper discusses the treatment of zero observations in growth-factor methods; part 2 discusses the calibration of gravity models when the data are of different sampling variability. The problem discussed in part 1 is that zero observations are preserved at zero value in the forecast year, no matter how much growth takes place. Since the probability of making a trip is not zero but very small for those matrix cells that are empty by …
The Trace Element Composition of Polished Flint Axes as an Indicator of Source
Textural Analysis of Ceramic Thin Sections
‘Textural analysis’ is being increasingly used for the characterisation of pottery fabrics. In this study we have investigated some of the effects on the observed size distribution data of applying a number of different grain selection procedures (principally various point‐counting and ribbon‐counting procedures). The results indicate that significant differences may arise from the application of the various techniques of grain selection and it i…
Frequency table analysis
A Scientific Study of N. Midlands Medieval Tile Production
This paper describes a study of neutron activation analyses of some medieval tiles from the North Midlands. Having established the feasibility of the method of analysis, we applied a number of multivariate statistical techniques to derive eleven reference groups, each consisting of tiles with similar compositions which could plausibly have originated from the same source of clay. While known kiln sites could be readily distinguished, less confide…
Bronze Bowls With Handles From Nimrud—a Note
Developments in the Early Bronze Age metallurgy of southern Britain
This discussion paper raises some theoretical issues of approach and presents selected results from an analytical programme on the early bronze metalwork of southern Britain. The analyses, performed by atomic absorption spectrophotometry, are assessed against a fine chronological model to show for example that tin bronze alloying was introduced swiftly towards the end of the third millennium BC. The consistency of tin alloying thereafter is unriv…
Re-Evaluation of British Museum Radiocarbon Dates Issued Between 1980 and 1984
Dates issued by the British Museum radiocarbon laboratory between 1980 and 1984 are known to have been in error. This paper outlines the cause of the problem and the procedures adopted to revise the results affected. Where revision has been possible, on average this has given dates older by 200 to 300 radiocarbon years. The individual revised results are tabulated
A Scientific Study of Medieval Tiles From Bordesley Abbey, Near Redditch (Hereford and Worcester)
Archaeological work, based on the external characteristics of decorated floor tiles from the Cistercian monastery of Bordesley, has identified and characterised a series of industries supplying that site from the earlier 13th century through to dissolution in 1538. In this paper we extend these interpretations by means of neutron activation analysis (NAA) data on the body compositions of the tiles, and compare these results with manually recorded…
The Availability of Raw Materials for near Eastern Cylinder Seals during the Akkadian, Post Akaddian and Ur III Periods
Studies of the materials of cylinder seals (Sax, 1986, 1991b, and in preparation a, b, c) from Western Asia throughout the 3000 years or so of their production (c. 3500 B.C. to c. 400 B.c.) have shown that there was a chronological evolution in material usage. The seals are chiefly composed of simple mineral assemblages and the selection of particular raw materials appears to have been influenced by such properties as hardness and colour. A gener…
The Efficient Computation of Unbiased Mahalanobis Distances and Their Interpretation in Archaeometry
This paper argues for cross‐validation to reduce bias in estimating Mahalanobis distances of individuals to groups, a particular problem with small sample sizes. Formulae for the efficient computation of cross‐validated distances, which avoid excessive matrix inversion, are given. The use of Mahalanobis distances as measures of consistency, or as indications of outlying values, is described. The little‐known technique of gamma plotting is outline…
Archaeology (7 works) · Archaeology and ancient environmental studies (5 works) · Computer Science (5 works) · Geography (5 works) · History (5 works) · Mathematics (5 works) · Statistics (5 works) · Cultural Heritage Materials Analysis (4 works) · Geology (4 works) · Geology (3 works)