Historic Cemetery Preservation in the Digital World

Summary

This is an abstract from the session entitled "Digital Technologies and Public Archaeology" , at the 2020 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology.

Historic cemeteries are locations that contain a wealth of information about a community. However, over time much of this information is at risk of becoming lost. Whether this loss is due to poor record keeping or physical damage to grave-markers in a cemetery it is imperative that this information is preserved. By utilizing tools such as geographic information systems (GIS) and photogrammetry this task has moved into the digital world. With photogrammetry, it is possible to capture the current state of a grave-marker and reproduce it in a controlled environment. However, creating accurate photogrammetric models can be tedious in larger cemeteries. Therefore, it is crucial to identify at-risk grave-markers to prioritize work. This can be accomplished by utilizing GIS to predict pedestrian traffic patterns and determine which areas are at risk of accidental damage. By using these tools, it is possible to better preserve these cultural resources for the future.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Digital Technologies and Public Archaeology   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2020

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Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): 660