Toward a 3D James Fort: The Opportunities for Digital Heritage at Jamestown

Summary

Digital technologies are creating new ways to record, interpret, and present archaeological data.  GIS and other technologies have long been part of the approach to field recording and data management for the Jamestown Rediscovery project, which has been ongoing since 1994. With approximately 80% of the original 3-sided fort excavated to date, the timing is opportune for exploring new approaches, like 3D modeling, for analyzing and interpreting James Fort. Creating 3D models of the site will allow the team to visualize how it changed over time and will provide new opportunities for engaging the public, both online and on-site. This paper will discuss plans for modeling as well as how the virtual environments will help to expand the interpretation to explore not just the fort’s early period but also key years, such as 1619 when the first representative assembly is held and the first Africans arrive in North America.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Looking Back, Moving Forward: Reinterpreting Jamestown through Archaeology, History, Science, and Technology   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2017

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Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): 724