3D Saqqara: Using 3D GIS to reconstruct visibility and communal memory at an Egyptian necropolis

Summary

The integration of GIS and 3D modeling now allows for the recreation and visualization of entire ancient landscapes. 3D Saqqara uses these capabilities to create a truly four-dimensional exploration of the cemetery of Saqqara, Egypt. The project offers a workflow for how 2D archaeological and architectural data can be transformed into 3D representations of the ancient built and natural environment, while maintaining the geo-spatial coordinate system of GIS and allowing for both quantitative and qualitative visual analysis (specifically 3D aware line-of-sight analysis). By simulating the changing architectural landscape of an entire archaeological site over time, the project demonstrates how the nexus between landscape and memory at ancient sites can be examined in innovative ways. These temporal visualizations allow us to question how the transformation of architectural spaces over time effected peoples’ interpretation and memories of past and contemporary communities.

SAA 2015 abstracts made available in tDAR courtesy of the Society for American Archaeology and Center for Digital Antiquity Collaborative Program to improve digital data in archaeology. If you are the author of this presentation you may upload your paper, poster, presentation, or associated data (up to 3 files/30MB) for free. Please visit http://www.tdar.org/SAA2015 for instructions and more information.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 80th Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA (2015)   •
• Ancient Architecture and Spatial Technology: A Global Perspective

Keywords