Wemyss Caves 4D: a review of a community 3D digital documentation project at a challenging heritage site in Scotland.

Summary

Former sea caves at East Wemyss in Scotland are unique because of the carvings within them. These include around 40 surviving Pictish (5th-9th century AD) symbols and animal representations; a possible Viking boat; early Christian crosses; and 19th century monograms and graffiti related to local New Year rituals.

Located in a former coal mining area, today you are far more likely to read bad news stories about the impact of vandalism, structural instability and coastal erosion upon this unique Scottish site than about the heritage itself.

Between 2013 and 2016, a collaborative project between the local community and archaeologists applied a suite of non-intrusive range-based and image-based 3D digital techniques to the caves and carvings. The purpose was threefold:

• preserve the landscape, caves and carvings by 3D digital record;

• create digital tools for improved understanding, monitoring and management;

• communicate the unique heritage of the Wemyss Caves to both local and global audiences in an innovative and engaging 3D medium.

We will review the contribution that this community 3D digital documentation project has made at a difficult, complex and politically-charged heritage site, and consider the challenges of meeting the expectations of the diverse stakeholders involved.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 81st Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL (2016)   •
• Strategic Approaches to Digital Public Archaeology

Keywords

Spatial Coverage