Cultural evolution in the Age of Athens : drift and selection in Greek figure-painted pottery
Variation in Greek figure-painted pottery has previously been unsystematically described as the result of social, political and art historical influences. In this study we propose that variation arises from the process of copying itself. The neutral model states that if there are no other forces at work, at time t the frequency of a variant in a population of variants will be in proportion to its frequency at time t-1, modified by the probability that new variants might be invented and old ones might fail to be copied each time there is a copying event, a process known as drift. We test the degree to which variation in figure- painted pottery can be explained by this model using evolutionary approaches to archaeology and culture change (Neiman 1995, Bentley et. al. 2004, Bentley et. al. 2007). We develop and expand these approaches through computer simulation. Using data from the Beazley archive, we created a new database containing a sample of 38,707 Attic figure-painted vases dating from 650 to 300 BC. Within this sample we explore the diversity, distribution and turnover rate of motifs over time, between shapes and across different decorative techniques. We also explore correlations between shape and motif,
Schauer, P. M.
Cultural evolution in the Age of Athens : drift and selection in Greek figure-painted pottery. Variation in Greek figure-painted pottery has previously been unsystematically described as the result of social, political and art historical influences. In this study we propose that variation arises from the process of copying itself. The neutral model states that if there are no other forces at work, at time t the frequency of a variant in a population of variants will be in proportion to its frequency at time t-1, modified by the probability that new variants might be invented and old ones might fail to be copied each time there is a copying event, a process known as drift. We test the degree to which variation in figure- painted pottery can be explained by this model using evolutionary approaches to archaeology and culture change (Neiman 1995, Bentley et. al. 2004, Bentley et. al. 2007). We develop and expand these approaches through computer simulation. Using data from the Beazley archive, we created a new database containing a sample of 38,707 Attic figure-painted vases dating from 650 to 300 BC. Within this sample we explore the diversity, distribution and turnover rate of motifs over time, between shapes and across different decorative techniques. We also explore correlations between shape and motif,
cultural_evolution age athens drift selection greek figure painted pottery variation greek figure painted pottery previously describe social_political art_historical influence study propose variation arise process copy itself neutral model state force work time frequency variant population variant proportion frequency time modify probability new variant might invent old one_might fail time copy event process know drift test degree variation figure painted pottery explain model use evolutionary approach_archaeology culture change develop expand approach computer simulation using_data archive create_new database contain sample attic figure painted vas date within sample explore diversity distribution turnover rate motif time shape across_different decorative technique also_explore correlation shape motif