Before actually choosing the license for my work I never thought about it seriously. However, I now remember my friends talking about it and their work being stolen because they were never told how to protect it properly. Therefore, I decided to choose the licenses below, because even though it allows to use my work for further development, it can’t be used commercially and it needs to credit me. However, in future, if I decide to continue with my blog and produce more quality work, I will put under the most restrictive license, unless my aim will be to share my work with public for further development.
3D modelling and virtual reality has been successfully used in archaeology and has a number of advantages relating heritage and actual presentation of archaeological data in nowadays societies. Today we are bombarded with various visual information and in a way, trained through media to respond to it and to be stimulated by it. So, it is only natural we attempt to use it in various disciplines including archaeology. Even though VR and 3D reconstructions are still relatively scarce in archaeological projects, we have a number of examples of their successful integration, and even more of their use in cultural heritage. One of the best examples, is the case of Çatalhöyük and its virtual reconstruction in Second Life (Morgan 2009). I believe one of the most important factors of communicating archaeology this way is the possibility to attract wider audiences, especially the younger ones, to actually interact with archaeological data, be part of it and create your own interpretations. It is a powerful tool to make archaeology interesting and urge people to research the past. There are numerous other examples where 3D reconstructions could be used, from landscape reconstructions (Winterbottom and Long 2006) to virtual exhibitions (Bruno et al. 2010).
Fig. 1 Model of King’s Manor (Source: the Author)
For this weeks exercise we were using Sketchup 3D modelling program. We were given a map of King’s Manor in York to produce a model of it. Originally we were asked to just make a front wall and use a picture of the main entrance of Kings Manor as a texture. I was quite interested in this exercise and in 3D modelling in general, so I traced all the walls on the map to make a full model (Fig. 1). I had to use a ‘draw line’ pencil and zoom in quite a lot to be able to make it more accurate. I found this program not well suited for a very precise and accurate work when dealing with irregular shapes. Also, regarding the model in general, I realized, in order to make a full model with doors, windows and roof, a simple map like this is not enough, and more picture references are needed to add these features. This type of model, if further developed, could be used in any report regarding King’s Manor building or an example for Sketchup modelling and could reach any audience interested in building modelling.
Fig. 2 3D model of a Roman vessel from Malton in progress (Source: the Author)Fig. 3 Rendered reconstruction of Roman vessel in Maya (Source: the Author)
I was always interested in possibilities of 3D modeling and after this module even more so. Therefore, as I found 3DsMax installed on the university computers, I decided to use the opportunity and practice working on it. My aim was to produce a reconstruction of one of the Roman vessels found during the Malton excavations last spring. I made a scale drawing of the sherd (Fig. 3 in my Illustration post) and took some pictures of it for texture reference to be used for a 3D reconstruction (Fig. 2). However, eventually I switched to Maya, another similar 3D modelling program, and I found it I had more options for texturing and rendering, so I stuck to it. (Fig. 3) The model is still in progress. I will try to produce more accurate texture and attempt to make a suitable background . When that is done, I could use it later in my dissertation as an example of one of the finds from Malton excavation. I also found that these programs are much better than Sketchup as you can achieve a higher quality work and because of their complexity and different abilities, you can create more diverse type of work.
Bibliography
Bruno, F., Bruno, S., De Sensi, G., Luchi, M., Mancusoc, S. and Muzzupappa, M. (2010). From 3D reconstruction to virtual reality: A complete methodology
for digital archaeological exhibition. Journal of Cultural Heritage, 11, 42–49.
Morgan, C. L. (2009). (Re)Building Çatalhöyük: Changing Virtual Reality in Archaeology. Archaeologies, 5(3), pp.468–487.
Winterbottom, S. J. and Long, D. (2006). From abstract digital models to rich virtual environments: landscape contexts in Kilmartin Glen, Scotland. Journal of Archaeological Science, 33, 1356-1367.
Maps provide important information about the space around us with ways to navigate it. There are different approaches in map making, and understanding, experiencing the landscape through it. Ingold (2007) gives interesting examples of how different people, from Orochon hunters in Russia to Australian aborigines, experience the landscape through wayfaring. For them, it is a journey through the landscape, making trails and traces that teaches them about their surroundings and eventually becomes a map. We, on the other hand, destination driven modern people, creating motorways and railways to get to the final destination as quickly as possible, create maps that are essential for this purpose: most accurate, including every feature there is, so we can find our way before closing the front door behind us.
Archaeological map making is an essential part of many archaeological projects. It is important to plan the objectives of it, to include the information most important to the project and reject unnecessary data. Dillon (1985, 36-46) gives a good description of the steps taken to produce an archaeological map with some examples. The actual mapping of the site in the field developed from using plane tables and alidades to Geographical Information Systems (GIS). This and other types of gathering data for mapmaking is given in Renfrew and Bahn (2008, 73-106).
Fig. 1 A map of Malton excavations 2017 (Source: the Author)
For this week’s map making exercise we were using DigiMap. It is a quite useful database, including historical, geological, ordinance survey and other maps. For my exercise, I have chosen to make a map of the excavation site in Malton that we excavated last year, because it might be useful for my dissertation if I decide to write about this site (Fig. 1). I used a 1980s historic map, because it was the best zoom fit for this case. It features the roman road (based on the areal photography), the trenches and the distribution of small finds. I also included the evaluation pits, which might become important for choosing future trenches.
If further developed, this type of map could be used in any article or report about this Roman site and would be aimed at the academic audience or anyone else researching about Roman sites in Yorkshire area. At the moment, it is for my personal use and to anyone who come across my blog on WordPress. However, later it might be used as an example for my dissertation, but it will have to be developed further depending on the questions I attempt to answer within my dissertation.
Bibliography
Dillon, B. D. (1985). 2nd ed. The student’s guide to archaeological illustrating. Los Angeles: Institute of Archaeology, University of California.
Ingold, T. (2007). Lines: A Brief History. Routledge.
Renfrew, C. and Bahn, P. (2008). 5th ed. Archaeology: Theories, Methods and Practice. London: Thames & Hudson.
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