Yale researchers are conducting a unique archaeological investigation that is said to combine ancient knowledge with modern technology. The investigation is being led by junior research scientist Micah Gold, who has previously used his skills in piloting drones and writing algorithms, and is now part of the Yale Ancient Pharmacology Program (YAPP), an effort to decipher ancient Greek knowledge using ethnography, science, and technology.
The YAPP team is on assignment in Antikyra, a port city on the Gulf of Corinth. They are looking to uncover archaeological remains and botanical specimens that will reveal insights into the medical practices, culinary traditions and daily life of its ancient inhabitants.
For Gold and other Yale researchers, the project is an academic exercise, an opportunity to use machine learning to identify places and plants that are rich in phytochemical signatures.
Gold said he is honing his skills and learning how to read archaeological literature; understanding how scientific research is organized. This is his second summer with YAPP. On his last assignment, he learned to fly a drone equipped with multispectral imaging technology. Drones are important for mapping the region's rugged terrain, allowing researchers to easily find remnants of ancient pottery and artifacts. Gold then developed algorithms to analyze the multispectral data.
YAPP's principal investigator, Andrew Koh, said the typical archaeologist doesn't know much about machine learning, so students value their expertise. Koh is a pioneer in using organic residue analysis to identify materials. Combining knowledge of chemistry, botany and ethnography, YAPP aims to recreate ancient materials.
