Digital imaging of bone and tooth modification

Digital cameras are capable of producing images of cut marks and other thre e dimensional subjects comparable to those obtained from the scanning elect ron microscope (SEM). Until now, the SEM has offered unparalleled depth of field and surface rendition. SEM units are, however, expensive to acquire a nd maintain, and SEM image production is time-intensive. Furthermore, SEM i mages lack color and are often incapable of imaging bone modifications beca use of magnification and chamber size limitations. A digital imaging method for producing extremely high depth of field enlargements of three dimensio nal, sub-millimeter scale objects circumvents these problems, In our presen tation we employ four case studies of hard tissue modification related to: (1) the origins of meat-eating in the human lineage; (2) evidence for canni balistic behavior among Neanderthals; (3) pre-Columbian evidence of North A merican dentistry; and (4) the earliest evidence of cranial surgery in Nort h America. Procedures for replica production, image-capture, and image enha ncement are provided. The digital images produced are compared to those obt ained with the SEM. Image processing software, a crucial component of this method, allows complete control of graphic data, making graphic fraud a lar ger threat than ever before. Issues in ethics stemming from the application of this technology to scientific analysis are considered, Anat Rec (New An at) 261:237-246, 2000. (C) 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.