Slow Archaeology

An article on Slow Archaeology for a volume of North Dakota Quarterly dedicated to Slow

Faces of the Teouma Lapita People: Art, Accuracy and Facial Approximation

In 2008 we completed facial approximations of four individuals from the early Lapita Culture, a seafaring people who were the first to settle the islands of the Western Pacific circa 3000 years ago. Typically an approximation is performed as a 3D sculpture or using computer graphics. We chose to sketch what we have been able to determine from the remains because the artistic conventions of drawing work with visual perception in ways that are more complementary to the knowledge, theories and methods that make up the facial approximation of human remains

Laying the Foundations

Laying the Foundations, which developed out of the British Museum’s ‘Iraq Scheme’ archaeological training programme, covers the core components for putting together and running an archaeological field programme. The focus is on practicality. Individual chapters address background research, the use of remote sensing, approaches to surface collection, excavation methodologies, survey with total (and multi) stations, use of a dumpy level, context classification, on-site recording, databases and registration, environmental protocols, conservation, photography, illustration, post-excavation site curation and report writing. While the manual is oriented to the archaeology of Iraq, the approaches are no less applicable to the Middle East more widely, an aim hugely facilitated by the open-source distribution of translations into Arabic and Kurdish

Métodos de representação virtual e visualização para informação arquitetónica e contextual em sítios arqueológicos

This work seeks to outline some guidelines in order to improve the use of 3D visualization applied to archaeological data of diverse nature and at different scales. One difficulty found in this process is related to the still frequent two-dimensional representation of the three-dimensional archaeological reality. Aware that the existence of data of two-dimensional nature is fundamental in the archaeological process and that they result, on the one hand, from the manual archaeological recording processes and, on the other hand, from the intense analysis and interpretation activity of the archaeological investigation team, we seek to ensure an adequate 3D representation based on 3D acquisition methods mostly available to the archaeology teams. Archaeological visualization in three-dimensional support is an increasingly frequent and necessary practice, but it continues to show some difficulties. These are substantiated in the reduced number of visualization techniques used, the use of visualization tools that are not very customized for the archaeological needs and the privileged use of visual features of the models during the archaeological process phases. Thus, the main objective of this work is to design and evaluate appropriate methods for visualizing archaeological data. To determine which visualization methods are most used during the phases of the archaeological process, an online user-survey was carried out, which allowed consolidating the 3D representation methodologies used, as well as to propose a visualization model that also categorizes the appropriate visualization techniques which increase the visual perception and understanding of the archaeological elements. Three prototypes are defined according to the different 3D data acquisition methodologies presented and visualization methodologies are designed in order to, on the one hand, take into account the scale and diversity of the archaeological elements and, on the other hand, to account for the need to ensure visualization methods which are easily assimilated by archaeologists. Each prototype was evaluated by two archaeologists with different professional background. They were proposed, through a set of previously determined tasks, to assess the interaction with 3D models and with the visualization methods and the satisfaction of the visualization results regarding the archaeological needs. The evaluation of the prototypes allowed to conclude that the presented visualization methods increase the perception of 3D models which represent archaeological elements. In addition, it was also possible to produce new objects that reveal elements of archaeological interest. It is suggested to make these methodologies available on a web-based application and on mobile platforms.Este trabalho procura esboçar algumas diretrizes no sentido de melhorar a utilização da visualização 3D aplicada aos dados arqueológicos de natureza diversa e a escalas distintas. Uma dificuldade encontrada neste processo prende-se com a, ainda frequente, representação bidimensional da realidade arqueológica tridimensional. Ciente de que a existência de dados de natureza bidimensional são fundamentais no processo arqueológico e que resultam, por um lado, dos processos manuais de registo arqueológicos e, por outro, da intensa atividade de análise e interpretação da equipa de investigação arqueológica, procuramos assegurar uma representação 3D adequada, com base em metodologias de aquisição de dados 3D geralmente disponíveis às equipas de arqueologia. A visualização arqueológica em suporte tridimensional é uma prática cada vez mais frequente e necessária, mas que continua a evidenciar algumas dificuldades. Estas substanciam-se no reduzido número de técnicas de visualização usadas, na utilização de ferramentas de visualização pouco adaptadas às necessidades arqueológicas e na utilização preferencial de características visuais dos modelos durante as fases do processo arqueológico. Assim, o objetivo primordial deste trabalho é desenhar e avaliar métodos adequados à visualização de dados arqueológicos. Para determinar que métodos de visualização são mais utilizados durante as fases do processo arqueológico realizou-se um questionário online que permitiu consolidar as metodologias de representação 3D usadas, bem como propor um modelo de visualização que também categoriza as técnicas de visualização adequadas para aumentar a perceção e a compreensão visual dos elementos arqueológicos. Definem-se três protótipos de acordo com as distintas metodologias de aquisição de dados 3D apresentados e são desenhadas metodologias de visualização que, por um lado, têm em conta a escala e a diversidade dos elementos arqueológicos e, por outro, a necessidade de assegurar métodos de visualização facilmente assimilados pelos arqueólogos. Cada protótipo foi avaliado por dois arqueólogos com experiências profissionais distintas. O que lhes foi proposto, através de um conjunto de tarefas previamente estabelecidas, foi aferir da facilidade de interação com os modelos 3D e com os métodos de visualização e adequação dos resultados de visualização às necessidades dos arqueólogos. A avaliação dos protótipos permitiu concluir que os métodos de visualização apresentados aumentam a perceção dos modelos 3D que representam elementos arqueológicos. Para além disso foi possível produzir também novos objetos que revelam elementos com interesse arqueológico. É sugerida a disponibilização destas metodologias em ambiente web e plataformas móveis.Programa Doutoral em Informátic

The Role of Sculpture in Communicating Archaeology in Museums

In this article I discuss an innovative museum strategy that aims to create a more evocative and engaging visitor experience. I argue that the inclusion of contemporary art, and specifically sculpture in exhibition design, activates visitor agency, empowering the public to take part in interpreting the human past. I explore the unique sensory engagement sculpture provides and the important role this can play for the public presentation of archaeology. I also examine an existing project that has called upon sculpture as an interpretive resource at the National Museum of Scotland, discussing its impact on visitors and its contribution to the discipline. I conclude with a discussion of a selection of living sculptors including Rachel Whiteread and Antony Gormley whose work, I argue, signals exciting opportunities for future artist-curator collaboration. By considering both current examples and future possibilities, this article builds a case for sculpture as an important and dynamic tool for the public understanding of archaeology in museums

Reflectance Transformation Imaging (RTI) System for Ancient Documentary Artefacts

This tutorial summarises our uses of reflectance transformation imaging in archaeological contexts. It introduces the UK AHRC funded project reflectance Transformation Imaging for Anciant Documentary Artefacts and demonstrates imaging methodologies

Virtual reconstruction of the 400 toneladas nao from Diego García de Palacio’s Instrucción náutica (1587)

The period between 1570-1620 has left a remarkable amount of documents related to shipbuilding in the Iberian Peninsula. Among them, the Instrucción nautica written by Diego García de Palacio in 1587 is widely recognized as the first published book that includes an extensive discussion of ship design and construction. García de Palacio centres his discussion on a 400 toneladas nao, a series of woodcuts that illustrate the shape and dimensions of the ship accompany the explanation. In the late XVI century ship hulls were designed following procedures based upon an old shipwrightry tradition born in the Mediterranean. By simple rules the master shipwright plots the central frame and tail frames and complete the hull body using wooden ribbands. Computer software for 3D modelling using NURBs surfaces helps to recreate ships hulls. In this work the 400 toneladas nao is reconstructed and her hydrostatic parameters are compared with other ships

Combining terrestrial stereophotogrammetry, DGPS and GIS-based 3D voxel modelling in the volumetric recording of archaeological features

Archaeological recording of structures and excavations in high mountain areas is greatly hindered by the scarce availability of both space, to transport material, and time. The Madriu-Perafita-Claror, InterAmbAr and PCR Mont Lozère high mountain projects have documented hundreds of archaeological structures and carried out many archaeological excavations. These projects required the development of a technique which could record both structures and the process of an archaeological excavation in a fast and reliable manner.The combination of DGPS, close-range terrestrial stereophotogrammetry and voxel based GIS modelling offered a perfect solution since it helped in developing a strategy which would obtain all the required data on-site fast and with a high degree of precision. These data are treated off-site to obtain georeferenced orthoimages covering both the structures and the excavation process from which site and excavation plans can be created. The proposed workflow outputs also include digital surface models and volumetric models of the excavated areas from which topography and archaeological profiles were obtained by voxel-based GIS procedures. In this way, all the graphic recording required by standard archaeological practices was met. © 2012 International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, Inc. (ISPRS)

Visions of Substance: 3D Imaging in Mediterranean Archaeology

With the advent of low-cost and easy to use 3D imaging tools, the discipline of archaeology is on the cusp of a major change in how we document, study, and publish archaeological contexts. While there are a growing number of volumes dedicated to this subject, Visions of Substance: 3D Imaging in Mediterranean Archaeology represents an accessible and conversational introduction to the theory and practice of 3D imaging techniques in a Mediterranean and European context

Digitizing Material Culture

Archaeology has always centred on material studies and has a long tradition of establishing methods for addressing the vast source material at hand. Typology is one of the most prominent of these methods, where the material is categorised into types according to morphology and geometry. There is an ongoing debate regarding the subjectivity of the typological approach and the problems that follow this issue. In recent years, there has also been an increase in the use of digital methods in archaeology to tackle many of the problems present in previous archaeological work, but this has mostly focused on field and buildings archaeology. This thesis therefore aimed at testing and discussing the application of digital methods of documentation and analysis within the field of material studies. It was investigated how a digital approach could aid and solve some of the current issues of the field of study, but also how it can further improve the science. This was done by establishing a digital work-flow, conducting analyses and discussing the theoretical and methodological aspects of the digital approach. It was concluded that there are several advantages to be gained from using the digital method, especially in detail-oriented studies and surface analyses, and that it can also be employed to greatly improve the typological method in regards to the debate of subjectivity, but that the method must be used in a proper way for this to be achieved. It can also aid in the spread of knowledge and documentation within the archaeological discipline, as well as providing the tools for deeper analysis and understanding into the material culture