Semi-automatic Solving of "Jigsaw puzzles" for Material Reconstruction of Dead Sea Scrolls

Digital solving of jigsaw puzzles have been well researched throughout the years and multiple approaches to solve them have been proposed. But these approaches have not been applied to reconstructing ancient manuscripts out of transient material such as leather or parchment. The literature describes ways to reconstruct ancient artefacts but they describe the process for more durable objects like pottery. In this thesis we explore the usability of the existing state-of-the-art methods for the purpose of aiding reconstructing of the Dead Sea Scrolls, also known as Qumran scrolls. Our experiments show that the existing methods as such do not provide good results in this domain, but with modifications provide help through a semi-automated reconstruction process. We expect these modifications and the software that was created as a by-product of this thesis to ease the researchers' work by automating the previously laborious manual work

Evaluating the Validity and Reliability of Textile and Paper Fracture Characteristics in Forensic Comparative Analysis

In a comparative forensic analysis, an examiner can report that a physical fit exists between two torn or separated items when they realign in a manner unlikely to be replicated. Due to the common belief that it is unlikely that two unrelated fractured objects would match with distinctive characteristics, a physical fit represents the highest degree of association between two items. Nonetheless, despite the probative value that this evidence could have to a trier of fact, few studies have demonstrated such assumptions\u27 scientific validity and reliability. Moreover, there is a lack of consensus-based standard protocols for physical fit comparisons, making it difficult to demonstrate the basis for the features that constitute a “fit.” Since these analyses rely entirely on human judgment, they are highly subjective, which could be problematic in the absence of harmonized examination and interpretation criteria protocols. As a result, organizations like the National Institute of Justice and NIST-OSAC have identified the need for developing standardized methods and assessing potential error sources in this field. This research aims to address these gaps as applied to physical fits of textiles and paper. Here, standard criteria and prominent features for each material are defined to conduct physical fit examinations in a more reproducible manner. Additionally, a quantitative metric is used to quantify what constitutes a physical fit when conducting comparative analyses of textiles and paper, further increasing the validity and reliability of this methodology and providing a manner of assessing the weight of this evidence when presented in the courtroom. The first aim of this research involved the development of an objective and systematic method of quantifying the similarity between fractured textile samples. This was done by identifying relevant macroscopic and microscopic characteristics in the comparative analysis of a fractured textile dataset. Additionally, factors that affect the suitability of certain types of textiles for physical fit analysis were evaluated. Finally, the systematic score metric was implemented to quantify and document the quality of a physical fit and estimate error rates. The second objective of this study consisted of establishing the scientific foundations of individuality concerning the orientation of microfibers in fractured paper edges. In comparative analysis of paper, it is assumed that the microfibers deposited across the surface of paper are randomly oriented, a key feature for addressing the individuality of paper physical fits. However, this hypothesis has not been tested. This research evaluated the rarity and occurrence of microfiber alignments on fractured documents. It also quantified the comparative features of scissor-cut and hand-torn paper and the respective performance rates. Finally, the comparative analysis of textile and paper physical fits was validated through ground truth datasets and inter-examiner and intra-examiner variability studies. A ground truth blind dataset of known fits and known non-fits was created for 700 textile samples with various fiber types, weave patterns, and separation methods. Also, a set of 260 paper items, including 100 stamps and 160 office paper samples, were examined. The paper specimens contained handwritten or printed entries on two paper types and were separated by scissor-cut or hand-torn methods. This proposed research provides the criminal justice system with a valuable body of knowledge and a more objective and methodical assessment of the evidential value of physical fits of textiles, paper, and postage stamps

The reconstruction of virtual cuneiform fragments in an online environment

Reducing the time spent by experts on the process of cuneiform fragment reconstruction means that more time can be spent on the translation and interpretation of the information that the cuneiform fragments contain. Modern computers and ancillary technologies such as 3D printing have the power to simplify the process of cuneiform reconstruction, and open up the field of reconstruction to non-experts through the use of virtual fragments and new reconstruction methods. In order for computers to be effective in this context, it is important to understand the current state of available technology, and to understand the behaviours and strategies of individuals attempting to reconstruct cuneiform fragments. This thesis presents the results of experiments to determine the behaviours and actions of participants reconstructing cuneiform tablets in the real and virtual world, and then assesses tools developed specifically to facilitate the virtual reconstruction process. The thesis also explores the contemporary and historical state of relevant technologies. The results of experiments show several interesting behaviours and strategies that participants use when reconstructing cuneiform fragments. The experiments include an analysis of the ratio between rotation and movement that show a significant difference between the actions of successful and unsuccessful participants, and an unexpected behaviour that the majority of participants adopted to work with the largest fragments first. It was also observed that the areas of the virtual workspace used by successful participants was different from the areas used by unsuccessful participants. The work further contributes to the field of reconstruction through the development of appropriate tools that have been experimentally proved to dramatically increase the number of potential joins that an individual is able to make over period of time

Statistical Assessment of the Significance of Fracture Fits in Trace Evidence

Fracture fits are often regarded as the highest degree of association of trace materials due to the common belief that inherently random fracturing events produce individualizing patterns. Often referred to as physical matches, fracture matches, or physical fits, these assessments consist of the realignment of two or more items with distinctive features and edge morphologies to demonstrate they were once part of the same object. Separated materials may provide a valuable link between items, individuals, or locations in forensic casework in a variety of criminal situations. Physical fit examinations require the use of the examiner’s judgment, which rarely can be supported by a quantifiable uncertainty or vastly reported error rates. Therefore, there is a need to develop, validate, and standardize fracture fit examination methodology and respective interpretation protocols. This research aimed to develop systematic methods of examination and quantitative measures to assess the significance of trace evidence physical fits. This was facilitated through four main objectives: 1) an in-depth review manuscript consisting of 112 case reports, fractography studies, and quantitative-based studies to provide an organized summary establishing the current physical fit research base, 2) a pilot inter-laboratory study of a systematic, score-based technique previously developed by our research group for evaluation of duct tape physical fit pairs and referred as the Edge Similarity Score (ESS), 3) the initial expansion of ESS methodology into textile materials, and 4) an expanded optimization and evaluation study of X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) Spectroscopy for electrical tape backing analysis, for implementation in an amorphous material of which physical fits may not be feasible due to lack of distinctive features. Objective 1 was completed through a large-scale literature review and manuscript compilation of 112 fracture fit reports and research studies. Literature was evaluated in three overall categories: case reports, fractography or qualitative-based studies, and quantitative-based studies. In addition, 12 standard operating protocols (SOP) provided by various state and federal-level forensic laboratories were reviewed to provide an assessment of current physical fit practice. A review manuscript was submitted to Forensic Science International and has been accepted for publication. This manuscript provides for the first time, a literature review of physical fits of trace materials and served as the basis for this project. The pilot inter-laboratory study (Objective 2) consisted of three study kits, each consisting of 7 duct tape comparison pairs with a ground truth of 4 matching pairs (3 of expected M+ qualifier range, 1 of the more difficult M- range) and 3 non-matching pairs (NM). The kits were distributed as a Round Robin study resulting in 16 overall participants and 112 physical fit comparisons. Prior to kit distribution, a consensus on each sample’s ESS was reached between 4 examiners with an agreement criterion of better than ± 10% ESS. Along with the physical comparison pairs, the study iii included a brief, post-study survey allowing the distributors to receive feedback on the participants’ opinions on method ease of use and practicality. No misclassifications were observed across all study kits. The majority (86.6%) of reported ESS scores were within ± 20 ESS compared to consensus values determined before the administration of the test. Accuracy ranged from 88% to 100%, depending on the criteria used for evaluation of the error rates. In addition, on average, 77% of ESS attributed no significant differences from the respective pre-distribution, consensus mean scores when subjected to ANOVA-Dunnett’s analysis using the level of difficulty as blocking variables. These differences were more often observed on sets of higher difficulty (M-, 5 out of 16 participants, or 31%) than on lower difficulty sets (M+ or M-, 3 out of 16 participants, or 19%). Three main observations were derived from the participant results: 1) overall good agreement between ESS reported by examiners was observed, 2) the ESS score represented a good indicator of the quality of the match and rendered low percent of error rates on conclusions 3) those examiners that did not participate in formal method training tended to have ESS falling outside of expected pre-distribution ranges. This interlaboratory study serves as an important precedent, as it represents the largest inter-laboratory study ever reported using a quantitative assessment of physical fits of duct tapes. In addition, the study provides valuable insights to move forward with the standardization of protocols of examination and interpretation. Objective 3 consisted of a preliminary study on the assessment of 274 total comparisons of stabbed (N=100) and hand-torn (N=174) textile pairs as completed by two examiners. The first 74 comparisons resulted in a high incidence of false exclusions (63%) on textiles prone to distortion, revealing the need to assess suitability prior to physical fit examination of fabrics. For the remaining dataset, five clothing items were subject to fracture of various textile composition and construction. The overall set consisted of 100 comparison pairs, 20 per textile item, 10 each per separation method of stabbed or hand-torn fractured edges, each examined by two analysts. Examiners determined ESS through the analysis of 10 bins of equal divisions of the total fracture edge length. A weighted ESS was also determined with the addition of three optional weighting factors per bin due to the continuation of a pattern, separation characteristics (i.e. damage or protrusions/gaps), or partial pattern fluorescence across the fractured edges. With the addition of a weighted ESS, a rarity ratio was determined as the ratio between the weighted ESS and non-weighted ESS. In addition, the frequency of occurrence of all noted distinctive characteristics leading to the addition of a weighting factor by the examiner was determined. Overall, 93% accuracy was observed for the hand-torn set while 95% accuracy was observed for the stabbed set. Higher misclassification in the hand-torn set was observed in textile items of either 100% polyester composition or jersey knit construction, as higher elasticity led to greater fracture edge distortion. In addition, higher misclassification was observed in the stabbed set for those textiles of no pattern as the stabbed edges led to straight, featureless bins often only associated due to pattern continuation. The results of this study are anticipated to provide valuable knowledge for the future development of protocols for evaluation of relevant features of textile fractures and assessments of the suitability for fracture fit comparisons. Finally, the XRF methodology optimization and evaluation study (Objective 4) expanded upon our group’s previous discrimination studies by broadening the total sample set of characterized iv tapes and evaluating the use of spectral overlay, spectral contrast angle, and Quadratic Discriminant Analysis (QDA) for the comparison of XRF spectra. The expanded sample set consisted of 114 samples, 94 from different sources, and 20 from the same roll. Twenty sections from the same roll were used to assess intra-roll variability, and for each sample, replicate measurements on different locations of the tape were analyzed (n=3) to assess the intra-sample variability. Inter-source variability was evaluated through 94 rolls of tapes of a variety of labeled brands, manufacturers, and product names. Parameter optimization included a comparison of atmospheric conditions, collection times, and instrumental filters. A study of the effects of adhesive and backing thickness on spectrum collection revealed key implications to the method that required modification to the sample support material Figures of merit assessed included accuracy and discrimination over time, precision, sensitivity, and selectivity. One of the most important contributions of this study is the proposal of alternative objective methods of spectral comparisons. The performance of different methods for comparing and contrasting spectra was evaluated. The optimization of this method was part of an assessment to incorporate XRF to a forensic laboratory protocol for rapid, highly informative elemental analysis of electrical tape backings and to expand examiners’ casework capabilities in the circumstance that a physical fit conclusion is limited due to the amorphous nature of electrical tape backings. Overall, this work strengthens the fracture fit research base by further developing quantitative methodologies for duct tape and textile materials and initiating widespread distribution of the technique through an inter-laboratory study to begin steps towards laboratory implementation. Additional projects established the current state of forensic physical fit to provide the foundation from which future quantitative work such as the studies presented here must grow and provided highly sensitive techniques of analysis for materials that present limited fracture fit capabilities

Deportations in the Nazi Era

During the Nazi era, about three million Jews and tens of thousands of Sinti and Roma were deported to ghettos, camps, and extermination centers, where most of them were murdered. In over 20 contributions, scholars from different countries examine the deportations through a variety of perspectives and questions, with a special emphasis on the discussion of historical source material

Architecture as artform : drawing, painting, collage, and architecture, 1945-1965

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Architecture, 1999.Includes bibliographical references (p. 319-329).The development of an American architectural avant-garde after the Second World War is examined in relation to the formal properties and institutionalized cultural authority of modern art. Rather than looking to the artwork of their American artistic contemporaries, architects and critics appropriated the early European avant-garde as typological precedents, guided by a pedagogical approach steeped in Bauhaus teaching methods. Drawing became the common conduit between the abstract work of art and its transformation into modern architecture. Architecture was seen as a problem that could be studied diagrammatically, and consequently also thought of as a fundamentally conceptual, immaterial artifact. At the same time that architecture was moving towards a flattened artistic condition, however, abstract expressionist painting began to take on the material and dimensional properties of the architectural object, demarcating volume and structure. Modernist collage techniques were also introduced into postwar architectural design, but again the material aspects of the medium were suppressed in favor of its purely visual qualities.by Eric K. Lum.Ph.D

The imagery of travel in British painting : with particular reference to nautical and maritime imagery, circa 1740-1800

The dissertation is divided into two sections, dealing with the positive and negative faces of travel and the sea in visual art, each further subdivided by chapter. Following the introduction, Chapter 2 deals with cartography, providing a broad context for the cultural reception of travel imagery. Chapter 3 discusses Thames imagery. It is argued that the increased interest in the river as a pictorial subject was part of a growing view of London as the metropolis of a grand commercial empire, whereby the Thames was aligned to the construction of the imperial nation. Chapter 4 examines metropolitan contexts for travel and maritime imagery. Conflicts are noticed between the image of navigation as a sign for commerce, and the marginalization of marine artists from polite artistic society. Patterns of patronage also indicate an ideological and actual distancing of the maritime nation from maritime communities. The second section turns to the image of the sea as a negative force in British culture. After an introduction, Chapter 5 examines the problematic depiction of the lower deck sailor, as a contradictory figure in national culture. Chapter 6 looks at how smugglers and wreckers were visualized, as wreckers both of individual ships, and of the larger ship of the commercial state, which assumed markedly political connotations in the 1790s. Chapter 7 considers the slave trade, especially the implications of the absence of imagery dealing positively with such an important component of the maritime nation's prosperity. It is argued that the force of abolitionist images relies upon inversions of pictorial conventions. Chapter 8 examines the wider significance of shipwreck imagery, in relation to shipwreck literature. Discussion of illustrations to Falconer's poem, The Shipwreck, is extended to the wider field of the shipwreck narrative. By providing a vehicle for the expression of native virtues, shipwreck reinforced British identity's being located with the sea, at the same time as it was shown stricken by disaster. The Conclusion considers further how national concerns and values were mediated by the image of maritime disaster. Through a consideration of Loutherbourg's work of the 1790s, it is argued that the aesthetic of the maritime, by being increasingly interleaved with the sublime, permeated a wide variety of imagery. But the naturalization of the nation in the sublimity of the sea represented it continually on the verge of disintegration. For a maritime nation enduring the crises of naval mutiny and continual threat of invasion by sea, this was peculiarly apposite

A review of William Hogarth's Marriage à la Mode with particular reference to character and setting

The thesis has been prepared on the assumption that Hogarth's picture series are essentially narrative works. They are considered in the Introduction in the light of recent definitions of the narrative strip, a medium in which Hogarth was a considerable innovator. The first six chapters consist of an analysis of each of the pictures in Marriage á la Mode. The analysis was undertaken as a means of exploring the nature of Hogarth's imagination and to discover how coherent a work the series is. There is an emphasis on characterization and setting because Hogarth himself chose to isolate character as a feature in the subscription ticket to Marriage á la Mode. The figures acquire their depth through their interaction with the setting. The interaction compensates for the lack of physical movement in Hogarth's picture narratives and is a source of much of his humour. A number of sections are concerned with relevant background information, such as the traditional rivalry between the cities of London and Westminster, and the medical details of the quack doctor's laboratory. The seventh chapter is concerned with the literary allusion in Marriage á la Mode, particularly to the popular drama of the time. The eighth is concerned with the extensive and ironic use of analogies. The ninth chapter is concerned with the subject of structure, including the delineation of the rôle of the projected spectator as defined by the work which contains him. The tenth is about theme and includes the use made of the traditional elements and 'humours'. It is concluded that Marriage á la Mode is a tragi-comic and melodramatic work, and that Hogarth in what are here termed periphrastic sequences came close to making images behave like words without their becoming dependent on any verbal form. His achievement lay in the ability intelligently to organize diversity into a unified structure, similar to that of situation comedy

Bowdoin Orient v.89, no.1-22 (1959-1960)

https://digitalcommons.bowdoin.edu/bowdoinorient-1960s/1000/thumbnail.jp