Photogrammetry Reconstructions of the Excavation Process: An Animated Georeferenced Approach

Summary

Photogrammetry can be used to reconstruct the excavation process in a way that aids in both interpretation and education. By peeling back the layers of each excavation level, three-dimensional documentation of the excavation process reveals both the archaeological materials and their context at various stages of excavation. This interdisciplinary tool can also be georeferenced with GIS and used within 3D modeling programs to extend its visualization applications into virtual or augmented reality platforms. This project examines both the methods and applications of this technique using data collected during excavations within Vista Alegre, Mexico. Units are reconstructed at regular intervals within a digital environment, creating a highly detailed animation that can be navigated and examined. Once georeferenced within ArcGIS, these collections are also used within an ongoing project to digitally reconstruct various phases of Vista Alegre for a Virtual Reality environment. Additionally, this project includes a discussion the potential educational uses of both Virtual Reality visualizations of this data and the interpretive possibilities of their use.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 83rd Annual Meeting, Washington, DC (2018)

Keywords

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 22105