#TEHburst Fig. 4c from Bunch et al (2021) Sodom & Gomorrah paper. The parts of the caption relevant to 4c read, “Sedimentary profiles (c) the ring road in Field LA.. Inside the city, the arrows mark the location of the charcoal-and-ash-rich dark layer." 
The paper was released on Sept. 20. On Sept. 30, image forensics expert Elisabeth Bik had identified repetitive elements in this image, which is an indicator of possible data tampering by using photoshop to hide features. pubpeer.com/publications/3…
Author Phillip Silvia responded:“The accusation that the image was photoshopped is categorically false. The only edits made to that image are the additions of the colored dots to note the pieces that came from the same pots and the outlines to group them.” retractionwatch.com/2021/10/01/cri…
On Oct. 1, Comet Research Group speaking for the authors, issued a statement, “Our graphic artist made minor, cosmetic corrections to five of 53 images. All of them were distant from any important scientific data and no changes were made to key data, such as bones or potsherds.”
Shortly after that, Comet Research Group founder and director Allen West posted photos he labeled “uncropped original” for 7 images that had been altered by Bunch et al (2021). Here’s the “uncropped original” he produced along with the photoshopped Fig. 4c.
Question for my archaeology friends. What's that rectangular thing that Bunch et al (2021) hid with digital pebbles? Any ideas on why they photoshopped it out for the publication or how this is a "minor cosmetic correction"? #pebblegate
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