A virtual documentation of excavation through 3D modeling; is it worth the effort?

Summary

Illustration of various means has always helped in visualising complex information, and archaeologists have used means such as photographs, drawings and even three-dimensional illustration to present complex archaeological data. Archaeologists began using three-dimensional models of various archaeological monuments only in 1990s. However, in recent years, and with high-end computer applications, archaeologists are able to document different stages of excavations using 3D illustration, which has the potential to better compensate for the irreversible and destructive nature of archaeological excavation. I used Agisoft Photoscan Pro to build 3D models of different levels of stratigraphic excavation to map the spatial distribution of archaeological finds from the cemetery site of Békés 103 in Hungary. Here I address how these models provide additional information on various anthropogenic processes affecting the preservation of the archaeological record. I also report on how these models can be used to visualise the relationships between urns excavated in different years. Finally, I argue how this combination of information can be used to develop superior interpretations of the archaeological record, justifying the additional time spent in documentation.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 81st Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL (2016)   •
• Studying the Past with Fragments from the Fire: Student Research on an NSF-REU Field School

Keywords

Spatial Coverage