New Opportunities in Digital Archaeology: The Use of Low-Cost Photogrammetry for 3D Documentation of Archaeological Objects from Banks Island, NWT

This thesis investigates the use of low-cost three-dimensional (3D) modelling programs (Agisoft Photoscan and 123D Catch) to create and disseminate digital replicas of archaeological features and artifacts in the context of the Ikaahuk Archaeology Project, a community-based archaeology project on Banks Island, Northwest Territories. It aims to 1) assess the benefits and challenges of low-cost photogrammetry for in-situ documentation of hunter-gatherer archaeological features; 2) determine the usefulness of low-cost photogrammetry for replicating small-scale artifacts in comparison to 3D scanning methods; and 3) explore how Internet media can be used to disseminate 3D models. This thesis demonstrates that low-cost methods of 3D modelling are sufficiently able to replicate many types of archaeological objects, and are accessible due to their low cost, ease of use, and compatibility with online dissemination. As a result low-cost 3D modelling has a promising future in archaeological documentation, conservation, and engagement with non-specialist audiences

Three-dimensional scanning as a means of archiving sculptures

Thesis (M. Tech. Design technology) -- Central University of Technology, Free State, 2011This dissertation outlines a procedural scanning process using the portable ZCorporation ZScanner® 700 and provides an overview of the developments surrounding 3D scanning technologies; specifically their application for archiving Cultural Heritage sites and projects. The procedural scanning process is structured around the identification of 3D data recording variables applicable to the digital archiving of an art museum’s collection of sculptures. The outlining of a procedural 3D scanning environment supports the developing technology of 3D digital archiving in view of artefact preservation and interactive digital accessibility. Presented in this paper are several case studies that record 3D scanning variables such as texture, scale, surface detail, light and data conversion applicable to varied sculptural surfaces and form. Emphasis is placed on the procedural documentation and the anomalies associated with the physical object, equipment used, and the scanning environment. In support of the above, the Cultural Heritage projects that are analyzed prove that 3D portable scanning could provide digital longevity and access to previously inaccessible arenas for a diverse range of digital data archiving infrastructures. The development of 3D data acquisition via scanning, CAD modelling and 2D to 3D data file conversion technologies as well as the aesthetic effect and standards of digital archiving in terms of the artwork – viewer relationship and international practices or criterions of 3D digitizing are analysed. These projects indicate the significant use of optical 3D scanning techniques and their employ on renowned historical artefacts thus emphasizing their importance, safety and effectiveness. The aim with this research is to establish that the innovation and future implications of 3D scanning could be instrumental to future technological advancement in an interdisciplinary capacity to further data capture and processing in various Cultural Heritage diagnostic applications

An Investigation of Quantifying and Monitoring Stone Surface Deterioration Using Three Dimensional Laser Scanning

Three dimensional laser scanning is considered to be the next generation of documentation methods, however the cost of these technologies remains extremely high and there are both known and unknown limitations of their application. This thesis, therefore, investigates the strengths and weaknesses of 3D laser scanning, identifies potential sources of error, investigates potential uses for the data while focusing on its use for quantifying and monitoring stone surface deterioration, and determines the success of resulting 3D models for communicating conditions information. Additionally, the ambiguity in existing literature regarding success of applications of 3D laser scanning for meeting project objectives, including cost - benefit analyses, indicates this topic warrants exploration. In order to perform this analysis four topics of investigation are followed: 1) Identification of tools for recording and monitoring surface deterioration of stone, which will provided a basis for comparing laser scanning techniques. 2) Identification of recording standards and objectives for heritage sites, which laser scanning methods must satisfy. 3) Identification of stone deterioration types and surface appearance, specifically marble, which laser scanning data will need to represent for conditions analysis. 4) Undertaking a test case study: three dimensional laser scanning of the stone lions at the Merchants’ Exchange Building, Philadelphia, PA, to determine whether the data can be used for conditions surveying and monitoring of surface deterioration on the lions. The coalescence of these topics will provide a datum on which to begin investigating whether or not 3D laser scanning is an appropriate and practicable tool for enabling informed decision making for conservation and heritage management

The Process of Creating Accurate Reproductions of Fragile Objects: Fabricating 3D Facsimiles with Limited Resources

Museums and other cultural institutions must consider how to best preserve their collections for an exponentially digital world. Our digital age is providing new avenues for preservation, accessibility, viewing, and interaction. This thesis assesses the feasibility of utilizing and creating accessible and readable 3D digital surrogates and prints. To consider and adapt current best practices what are the implications of creating accurate reproductions for the research environment as well as for online and in person use”? This thesis presents themes that relate to the broader fields of digitization, reproduction, and fabrication in museums and cultural institutions, presents findings in the form of a literature review, and accounts for my own experimentation with the resources to which I have access at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). This thesis engages collaboration with two key partners: RIT’s all-access makerspace, The Construct, and the Melbert B. Cary Graphic Arts Collection. Under the advisement of Mike Buffalin and Dr. Steven Galbraith, I scanned a papier-mâché bound book in 3D to create a digital surrogate which has two purposes: a digital rendering to be made available online and a material output when the file was printed in three dimensions using polylactic acid (PLA) low-cost filament. The viability of this project is defined by the accuracy of the reproductions, the resources necessary, and the time commitment required for this project to be adapted by small institutions. This project is an inexpensive and proactive alternative to seeking conservation treatment and will further enable non-local audiences to interact with distant materials. Ultimately, the project supplies small institutions with less expensive options to digitize and create surrogates of their collections, offer a model procedure for the fabrication of online and physical facsimiles, and provide a list of digitization connections within the RIT community

Content Preservation and Digitization of Maps Housed in the KU Natural History Museum Division of Archaeology: An Analysis of Opportunities and Obstacles

This paper was submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Museum Studies.The purpose of this research is to explain the obstacles museums face in preserving map collections, as well as the steps museums can take to overcome these obstacles. The research begins with a brief history of paper conservation of maps in museums and libraries, and digitization of maps. Next, there is an explanation of the theoretical framework/approach that is used in this project. Following that is a presentation of a SWOT analysis of the archaeological map collection held by the KU Biodiversity Institute & Natural History Museum. The first two components of the SWOT analysis, strengths and weaknesses, focus on advantages and shortcomings of the collection in its current state. The last two components, opportunities and threats, focus respectively on the benefits that can be expected from preserving the map collection, and the obstacles that may hinder process. Finally, the study outlines a procedure for preserving and digitizing the archaeological maps held by the KU Biodiversity Institute, in order to expand accessibility to the collection

Heritage Recording and 3D Modeling with Photogrammetry and 3D Scanning

The importance of landscape and heritage recording and documentation with optical remote sensing sensors is well recognized at international level. The continuous development of new sensors, data capture methodologies and multi-resolution 3D representations, contributes significantly to the digital 3D documentation, mapping, conservation and representation of landscapes and heritages and to the growth of research in this field. This article reviews the actual optical 3D measurement sensors and 3D modeling techniques, with their limitations and potentialities, requirements and specifications. Examples of 3D surveying and modeling of heritage sites and objects are also shown throughout the paper

3D Information Technologies in Cultural Heritage Preservation and Popularisation

This Special Issue of the journal Applied Sciences presents recent advances and developments in the use of digital 3D technologies to protect and preserve cultural heritage. While most of the articles focus on aspects of 3D scanning, modeling, and presenting in VR of cultural heritage objects from buildings to small artifacts and clothing, part of the issue is devoted to 3D sound utilization in the cultural heritage field

3D documentation and digital heritage

This Doctor of Philosophy by Published Work (Route 2) examines the cultural, theoretical and technical considerations in place when Cultural Heritage (CH) also becomes digital heritage. These aspects have ended up neglected or misunderstood because they lie between the competences of the technical and cultural worlds. The aims of best practice and long-term data considerations run across all publications; as do the objectives of examining human to human-object interactions with digital technologies, exploring workflows for long term data retrieval and digital technologies to document artefacts and landscapes. They are manifested through all publications with some of the obvious examples being: a) theoretical considerations, in particular Immanuel Kant’s Empirical Provenance and the concepts of cultural memory and data narrative b) the marriage between theoretical and applied science c) recognising that 3D imaging does not operate within a vacuum and is tethered to a broader ecosystem of information and communication technologies (ICT) d) the idea of cultural memory, and how the long-term survival of digital or non-tangible information is reliant upon, in this case, human-computer interactions. e) the way in which hardware and software feed into material culture and cultural memory. These considerations are necessary in order to give data a coherent and long-term narrative. It is clearly outlined in the IEEE Computer Graphics and Applications article and is also explained in broader theoretical context via the book chapter Digital Heritage, Industrial Memory and Memorialisation. User community-led developments and workflows are strong themes running across all publications. Digital workflows and associated material cultures have become distributed. They can no longer be solely defined by centralised or otherwise grounded means of production. This is especially so in the wake of big data or crowdsourced data. Prior to these conditions, linear workflows and Fordist modes of production regulated information flow and development. These are also examined and challenged across the publications submitted

Melite Civitas Romana in 3D: Virtualization Project of the Archaeological Park and Museum of the Domus Romana of Rabat, Malta

Abstract The archaeological site of the Domus Romana in Rabat, Malta was excavated almost 100 years ago yielding artefacts from the various phases of the site. The Melite Civitas Romana project was designed to investigate the domus, which may have been the home of a Roman Senator, and its many phases of use. Pending planned archaeological excavations designed to investigate the various phases of the site, a team from the Institute for Digital Exploration from the University of South Florida carried out a digitization campaign in the summer of 2019 using terrestrial laser scanning and aerial digital photogrammetry to document the current state of the site to provide a baseline of documentation and plan the coming excavations. In parallel, structured light scanning and photogrammetry were used to digitize 128 artefacts in the museum of the Domus Romana to aid in off-site research and create a virtual museum platform for global dissemination

City-Scaled Digital Documentation: A Comparative Analysis of Digital Documentation Technologies for Recording Architectural Heritage

The historic preservation field, enabled by advances in technology, has demonstrated an increased interest in digitizing cultural heritage sites and historic structures. Increases in software capabilities as well as greater affordability has fostered augmented use of digital documentation technologies for architectural heritage applications. Literature establishes four prominent categories of digital documentation tools for preservation: laser scanning, photogrammetry, multimedia geographic information systems (GIS) and three-dimensional modeling. Thoroughly explored through published case studies, the documentation techniques for recording heritage are most often integrated. Scholarly literature does not provide a parallel comparison of the four technologies. A comparative analysis of the four techniques, as presented in this thesis, makes it possible for cities to understand the most applicable technique for their preservation objectives. The thesis analyzes four cases studies that employ applications of the technologies: New Orleans Laser Scanning, University of Maryland Photogrammetry, Historic Columbia Maps Project and the Virtual Historic Savannah Project. Following this, the thesis undertakes a trial of each documentation technology – laser scanning, photogrammetry, multimedia GIS and three-dimensional modeling – utilizing a block on Church Street between Queen and Chalmers streets within the Charleston Historic District. The apparent outcomes of each of the four techniques is analyzed according to a series of parameters including: audience, application, efficacy in recordation, refinement, expertise required, manageability of the product, labor intensity and necessary institutional capacity. A concluding matrix quantifies the capability of each of the technologies in terms of the parameters. This method furnishes a parallel comparison of the techniques and their efficacy in architectural heritage documentation within mid-sized cities