3D Modeling of Archaeological Collections: A Case Study in Archaeometry

Summary

Artifact collections and skeletal remains curated in multiple facilities and stored in variable conditions across the globe contain a wealth of archaeological knowledge. Access to data about these collections, much less the collections themselves, can be restricted both by policy concerns and practical considerations. Recent technological advancements have made creating high quality digital representations of both artifact and skeletal material possible. In this paper we compare two methods of 3D reconstruction, (software based photographic/photogrammetric 3D reconstruction and laser scanning), for the purpose of research in Archaeology and Bio-Archaeology. Using these methods, digital measurements taken from the models are compared with the same measurements obtained with precision instruments. By comparing 3D representations with manually obtained measurements, a quality baseline of what is currently possible in 3D digitization of archaeological materials can be established.

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)

Keywords