Making the Rollins College Archaeology Lab Accessible through Digital Technologies

From classrooms to museums, and even private collections, 3D digital models of artifacts can pave the way for a more inclusive and accessible future for archaeology. This thesis looks specifically at how photogrammetry and digital modeling can increase the accessibility and utility of artifact collections housed at the Rollins College Archaeology Lab. It focuses on how we can best preserve these collections while also increasing access to academics, researchers, and the general public alike. By digitizing over 50 models, I created an online repository for these artifacts on Sketchfab (https://sketchfab.com/rollins_archaeology), as well as a step-by-step guide to photogrammetry. Through interviews with local cultural heritage stakeholders, I weighed the pros and cons of the digital models in public outreach, education, and preservation. Finally, I concluded that digital models of artifacts are helpful for public engagement, preservation, and visibility, especially for the Rollins College Archaeology Lab’s collections