Efficient classification of Iberian ceramics using simplified curves

We present a new method for comparing and classifying wheel-made pottery vessels, based on the simplification of the external contour of their profiles. We use the Douglas-Peucker algorithm to obtain a polyline that preserves the coarse features of the profile shape. A characteristic vector is derived from each polyline, allowing us to compare profiles by measuring the distance between the corresponding vectors. We have tested our technique with a profile database of Iberian pottery vessels from the upper valley of the Guadalquivir River (Spain). Results show that our approach not only achieves better results than most of the state-of-the-art methods used nowadays, but is also more efficient and generates more compact characteristic vectors.